Dhegihan languages facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dhegihan |
|
|---|---|
| Cegiha | |
| Geographic distribution: |
central North America |
| Linguistic classification: | Siouan
|
| Subdivisions: | |
The Dhegihan languages are a group of Siouan languages spoken by several Native American tribes. These languages include Kansa–Osage, Omaha–Ponca, and Quapaw. Historically, people speaking these languages lived in parts of the Ohio and Mississippi River Valleys, the Great Plains, and southeastern North America.
The Dhegihan people share a special migration story. This story says they were once a united group. In the late 1600s, they lived near where the Ohio and Tennessee rivers meet. This area is now southern Illinois and western Kentucky.
From there, they moved westward towards the Missouri River. As they traveled, the group separated into different bands. However, some old stories and archaeological findings suggest that Dhegihan speakers might have moved west much earlier. They may have left the Ohio River Valley long before the 1600s.
Understanding Dhegihan Languages
The Dhegihan languages were first studied and grouped with other Siouan languages in 1885. This was done by a person named James Dorsey. He explained that "Degiha" means "Belonging to the people of this land." It can also mean "Those who dwell here." This meaning comes from the Omaha-Ponca language.
Dorsey also found similar words in other Dhegihan languages. For example, "Ye-ga-ha" in Kansa and "De-ka-ha" in Osage mean the same thing. In Quapaw, the word "Ugapa" has a similar meaning.
Some Dhegihan languages are very much alike. For instance, Kansa and Osage are "mutually intelligible." This means that speakers of one language can understand the other. They are like two different ways of speaking the same language. The same is true for Omaha and Ponca.
Bringing Languages Back
In 2012, the 2nd Annual Dhegiha Gathering took place. This event brought together speakers from the Kansa, Quapaw, Osage, Ponca, and Omaha tribes. They met to share ideas on how to keep their languages alive. They discussed the best ways to help their languages grow and be used by more people.
