White, Irish, and undocumented in America

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Abner, Mar 17, 2017.

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  1. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    There were people at the Native Centre, studying Cayuga while I was taking Mohawk lessons. The Mohawk lessons ended when the funding dried up. Cayuga lessons continued.

    Reason: That year, there was only funding for languages with less than 1,500 speakers. As of 2012, Cayuga had only 79 fluent speakers. Mohawk has considerably more, around 3,500. Still a small number.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 23, 2017
  2. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    This is a different subject, but may interest you. The Tarahumara. The world's best runners. They can run down a deer until it is exhausted:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnwIKZhrdt4

    They have super human endurance. I thought this might interest you.
     
  3. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Abner - Your guy "Nobody" from the movie Ghost Dog is Gary Dale Farmer, a Native Canadian, born into the Wolf Clan, Cayuga Nation.

    Something else about him we probably both like. Besides acting, he has a Blues Band, "Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers." :smile:

    J.
     
  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I've heard of them. I'll call them if someone owes me money. :smile:

    J.
     
  5. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Gary Farmer was born in the town of Ohsweken, on the Six Nations Reserve I mentioned before. I've been to Ohsweken many times, over the years. The annual Pow-wow and the Ohsweken Fall Fair are close by - and there are about a dozen good art and craft vendors on the Reserve.

    Unfortunately, nowadays there are innumerable cigarette-shacks dotted around the Reserve. Untaxed cigarettes produced on the Reserve can only legally be sold there -strictly to Natives - but they mostly get sold to outsiders - some for consumption, most for resale. "Runners" sell them in the cities at a profit, for about 1/4 the price of taxed, "legal" cigarettes. Once in a blue moon, the Provincial Police stop a few cars and inspect trunks etc. But most get away with it.

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 23, 2017
  6. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    I love the Blues!
     
  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

  8. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Wow! I really like that band! cool :smile:
     
  9. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Something I didn't know until now about the Cayuga language, is that there was a small group of American Cayuga-speakers, in Oklahoma. By the 1980s, the group had diminished to 10 speakers and soon went to zero.

    J.
     
  10. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    There are quite a few interesting tie-ins between US and Canadian Natives.

    (1) The Tuscarora, one of the (Iroquoian) Six Nations were originally from North Carolina. They were dispossessed of their lands after a war with the English (1711-1713) and were sponsored into the Iroquois Confederacy in what would become Canada, by other member tribes. Article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuscarora_people

    (2a) The Navajo, who call themselves Na-Dené (The People) originally lived in Northern Canada. They migrated to their US home several hundred years ago.
    Article here from San Jose State: Discovery of the Athabascan Origin of the Apache and Navajo Languages

    (2b) The Dené (same word) are a large Native group in Northern Canada. Article here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dene

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 23, 2017
  11. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Not to engage in braggadocio, but since you are a language buff, I would like to clarify something. I am fluent in Castilian Spanish, and the separate Spanish language (not a dialect) known as Valencian. I was also formally trained to be able to at least converse and understand some of the many and various Spanish speaking dialects as well. I can speak enough Italian to converse whilst in Italy, and I understand enough French to get by in France. I am certified by the State of cyberspace in Spanish fluency.
     
  12. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    ¡No me digas! ¡Maravilloso! Yo estoy certificado por Google y Babelfish. :smile:

    J.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Mar 26, 2017
  13. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    Google kicketh arse! :smile: Que tengas buen dia amigo.
     
  14. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Very interesting. Great Valencian language site here: Valencian.org/

    I managed to pick up a few words, like these:

    • Very good -Molt bé
    • Please=Per favor
    • Thank you= Gràcies
    • Yes= Si
    • No=No
    • Bread= Pà
    • Water= Aigua
    • Coffee= Cafè
    • Beer= Cervesa
    • Gasoline= Benzina
    • Afternoon= vesprada
    • Little=xicotet
    • Potato= Creïlla

    Thanks for the introduction. I knew about Catalan, but had never met its relatives, like Valencian. I can hear you now, Abner: "¡Ay, qué travieso!" :smile:

    J.
     
  15. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    For some reason, I really like the "travieso". In English, I like the word "rascal". I used to have a black friend who used to refer to dudes accused of things like capital murder as rascals. I also like the word "rascalism" (if it is a word).
     
  16. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    OK - I like the word, too, but NOT with ANY serious or violent crime - no "rascal" Andrei Chikatilo, for instance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Chikatilo :sad: I'd never use this minimizing, semi-fun word in the context of murderers etc.. I see it as an affront to victims and their families. And certainly not the "rascal" Bernie Madoff, either. I refer to criminals who do serious harm as ...er, something else. Can't say it, here.

    J.
     
  17. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

    That makes sense.
     
  18. Abner

    Abner Well-Known Member

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