Miincipahkinki ‘In the Cornfield’

Planting and caring for miincipi ‘corn’ is a generations old summertime activity for Myaamiaki. This is reflected in our lunar calendar system, which has one month named for a stage of the growth miincipi and strong ecological connections to three other months (see the image caption below for more details on miincipi’s connection to the…

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Exemptions from Removal

This audio file is a reading of the post that follows. In previous blog posts, we have examined the events leading up to the 1840 Myaamia Removal treaty and the circumstances that led the Miami National Council to agree to Removal. We also noted that the 1838 and 1840 treaties provided for three families to…

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taaniši kiišikahki ‘How’s the Weather?’

Each summer during our Eewansaapita camps, we encourage participants to work with their group to present a weather report to their peers. Much like the weather reports we post on Aacimotaatiiyankwi, participants pair images with Myaamia language to describe what they’re experiencing. Want to try it yourself? All you need is access to a window…

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pahsaahkaahkanka ‘Summer Solstice’

This summer, Eemamwiciki Summer Program participants are exploring ašiihkiwi neehi kiišikwi ‘Earth and Sky.’ One sky event easy to observe is pahsaahkaahkanka ‘summer solstice.’ This term refers to splitting the sky since the Sun appears directly overhead in our homelands. It also marks the longest day of the year. Pahsaahkaahkanka always occurs during Paaphsaahka Niipinwiki…

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Animacy In Action

For this second blog post on animacy we will talk more about how it works when actually using the language. It’s important to recognize that animacy is very complicated to describe and understand as a concept. As a matter of fact, linguists have struggled for a long time to explain it so don’t feel bad…

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Why did the Miami National Council agree to Removal?

This audio file is a reading of the post that follows. In previous blog posts, we have seen that the Miami National Council, led by Pinšiwa ‘J.B. Richardville,’ was adamantly opposed to Removal, even as they saw other tribes being forced west of the Mihsi-Siipiiwi ‘Mississippi River.’ Their stance on the inevitability of Removal began…

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What is the National Breath of Life Institute for Indigenous Languages?

Many are familiar with the Myaamia Center’s work in archive-based language revitalization on behalf of the Miami Tribe. Due to our history of forced removal, land loss, and assimilation policies that resulted in the loss of our language, the Miami Tribe has utilized archival documents to reconstruct and aid in our revitalization efforts. Archive-based language…

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šimaakanehsia aniimaakanemi ‘Soldier’s Flag’

In 1887, Myaamia elder Kiilhsoohkwa sat in a courtroom in Tahkinkamionki ‘Wabash, Indiana’ holding a blue, white, and red striped flag in her lap. In the flag’s upper left corner sat a small white field inscribed with the words “A. Wayne Commander in Chief.” As Kiilhsoohkwa held the flag, she reportedly exclaimed in the Myaamia…

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Naming as a Source of Resiliency

By Kiišikohkwa ‘Haley Shea’ and Meemeehšhkia ‘George Ironstrack’ My (Kiišikohkwa – Haley) journey toward receiving a Myaamia name reflects the growth and change that I have experienced within my own Myaamia identity.  Before I began attending tribal educational programming, I knew my father had a “Native name” that we were told was not Myaamia but…

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