Loren Bommelyn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loren Bommelyn
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Bommelyn in 2014
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| Born | 1956 |
| Nationality | Tolowa, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation |
| Education | Master's Degree in Linguistics, University of Oregon, family |
| Known for | Basket weaving, singing |
| Elected | Councilor Emeritus, Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation |
Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn, born in 1956, is a very important person for the Tolowa tribe. He is known as a "tradition bearer." This means he works hard to keep the old ways, songs, language, and basket weaving skills of his people alive. He is a main leader for tribal ceremonies and is also a very skilled basket weaver. Loren Bommelyn is an official member of the Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, which is a federally recognized tribe. He was even chosen to be their tribal chairperson.
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Learning and Teaching Languages
Loren Bommelyn has family roots in the Tolowa, Karuk, and Wintu tribes. His mother, Eunice Bommelyn, was also very important to their culture. She helped people learn about family histories, supported the Tolowa language, and worked to keep their traditions strong.
Loren himself speaks the Tolowa language fluently. For many years, he taught at Del Norte High School in Crescent City, California. He studied language at the University of Oregon and earned a master's degree in linguistics. After learning a lot from Tolowa elders, Loren Bommelyn wrote books and materials to help others learn the Tolowa language.
He also helped convince the University of California system to accept Native American languages. This meant students could use these languages to meet their foreign language requirements for college. Loren has also encouraged using the Tolowa language in new ways, like on Facebook and when sending text messages.
Before he retired, Bommelyn taught at Taa-'at-dvn Indian Magnet Charter School in Crescent City. His wife, Lena Bommelyn, who has also retired, taught there too. Loren believes it's important for students to feel confident and successful in American society. He wants to give them chances to learn and explore new things.
In 2012, Loren's son, Pyuwa Bommelyn, began studying linguistics at the University of Oregon. He is continuing the family's work to preserve the Tolowa language for future generations.
The Art of Basket Weaving
In many Northern California tribes, women usually make most baskets. However, men traditionally weave special open-work baskets. These baskets are made using whole plant shoots. This type of weaving needs a lot of physical strength and skill.
Loren Bommelyn is especially good at making these strong, open-work baskets. He often uses hazel shoots for his creations. He wove his very first basket when he was just 12 years old. Today, he is famous for his "work baskets," which are used for everyday tasks, and for his beautiful baby cradles.
Loren says that baskets have a "fancy part" and a "realistic part." He tries to make them perfect, but also wants them to be useful. He believes that baskets should be used. He shares an old saying: "The old Indians say that things like to be used, that when they aren't used they get lonesome."
Special Honors
In 2002, Loren Bommelyn received a special honor called the National Heritage Fellowship. This award comes from the National Endowment for the Arts. It is the highest award in the United States for folk and traditional arts.
He was recognized for all his hard work in keeping Tolowa cultural traditions alive. This includes their language, traditional clothing, ceremonial dances, songs, and basket making. He is considered the most knowledgeable person about the Tolowa language today.
Published Works
- Bommelyn, Loren. Now You're Speaking Tolowa. Arcata, California: Center for Indian Community Development, Humboldt State University, 1995.
- Givón, T. and Loren Bommelyn. "The Evolution of De-Transitive Voice in Tolowa Athabaskan." Studies in Language. 24:1, 2000: 41–76.
See also
In Spanish: Loren Bommelyn para niños
