Potawatomi language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Potawatomi |
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| bodwéwadmimwen | ||||
| Native to | United States, Canada | |||
| Region | Michigan, Oklahoma, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, and southern Ontario, formerly Northeastern Illinois | |||
| Language family |
Algic
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| Writing system | Latin (various alphabets), Great Lakes Algonquian syllabics |
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| Linguasphere | 62-ADA-dc (Potawatomi) | |||
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The Potawatomi language (also called Bodwéwadmimwen) is spoken by the Potawatomi people. This language belongs to the Algonquian language family. Historically, people spoke Potawatomi around the Great Lakes. This area includes parts of Michigan and Wisconsin in the United States. It also includes southern Ontario in Canada. Today, groups in Michigan and Oklahoma are working hard to bring the language back.
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Bringing the Potawatomi Language Back
Many people are working to save and teach the Potawatomi language. These efforts are very important for the community.
Important Teachers
Cecilia Miksekwe Jackson was one of the last people who grew up speaking Potawatomi. She passed away in 2011 at 88 years old. She was well-known for her work to keep the language alive. She also taught it to others.
Donald Neaseno Perrot is another native speaker. He grew up in Wisconsin. He has created many resources to help preserve the language. These include videos, a website, and books.
Language Programs
The Pokégnek Bodéwadmik Pokagon Band of Potawatomi started a special program. It is called a "master-apprentice program." This program began in 2013. In it, a student learns directly from a fluent Potawatomi speaker.
Classes are also available to learn the language. The Hannahville summer camp offers an "immersion" experience. This means students are surrounded by the language. They also offer online lessons and video calls.
You can even find a free online course for Potawatomi. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians offers it on Mango Languages.
How Potawatomi is Related to Other Languages
Potawatomi is part of the Algonquian language family. This family is part of an even bigger group called Algic.
Central Algonquian Languages
Potawatomi is often grouped with other "Central Algonquian" languages. These include Ojibwe, Cree, and Menominee. This "Central" label means they are found in a similar area. It does not mean they all came from the exact same ancestor language.
Potawatomi is most like Ojibwe. It has also borrowed many words from the Sauk language.
Different Dialects
Over time, Potawatomi has developed different ways of speaking. This happened after the Potawatomi people moved in the 1800s.
- Northern Potawatomi is spoken in Ontario, Canada. It is also spoken in Michigan and Wisconsin in the United States.
- Southern Potawatomi is spoken in Kansas and Oklahoma. This is where some Potawatomi ancestors moved from Illinois.
How Potawatomi is Written
There are different ways to write the Potawatomi language. No single writing system is used by everyone.
Common Writing Systems
The "Pedagogical System" is used most often for teaching. It was created by the Wisconsin Native American Languages Program. This system uses letters from the Roman alphabet. Each letter or group of letters stands for a specific sound. The letters used are a b ch d e é g ' h i j k m n o p s sh t w y z zh.
In Kansas, a different system called BWAKA is used. It also uses the Roman alphabet. Each letter or group of letters represents a distinct sound. The letters used are ' a b c d e e' g h i I j k m n o p s sh t u w y z zh.
Older Writing System
An older way of writing Potawatomi is called syllabic writing. This system uses symbols for whole syllables, not just single letters. Potawatomi, Ottawa, Sac, Fox, and Winnebago communities all used it. It looks like handwritten Roman text. However, it is not yet part of the Unicode standards.
