CONNECTING TO INDIAN HERITAGE THROUGH LANGUAGE

by
Joe Dan Boyd

A short course in the Cherokee language, presented by Quitman Cherokee Steve Silcox, was the main program for the Northeast Texas Native American Fellowship (NAF) meeting at Tinney Chapel UMC Thursday evening, July 16.

Silcox, himself still learning the language, recently completed a “full immersion” Cherokee language instruction course at Tahlequah, OK, and recommends that interested students consider one of the courses available on the Internet, beginning at www.cherokee.org. After registering on that site, he suggests clicking on culture and then language to access the online Cherokee language courses, some of which are interactive and all are free.

Twenty members of NAF showed up for the program, including Barry Layfan of Dallas, who wore a Native American Homeland Security shirt, inscribed “fighting terrorism since 1492.” Layfan also spoke to the group, after Silcox program, emphasizing the value of groups like the Northeast Texas Native American Fellowship, which meets every third Thursday at Tinney Chapel’s Family Life Center.

Other attendees included Renae and Treva Williams, Sylvia Vandiver of Mineola, Corinne Tinney, Rob Acock of Saltillo, Velma Layfan of Sulphur Springs, Beth Newkirk, Ronny Ellison, Nan Williams, Ivan Barnes of Pittsburg, Linda Hallman, Glenn Goggans, Georgia Goggans, Alice Deitering, Everett Pyle, Barbara Pyle, Bill Jones and Joe Dan Boyd.

Ronny Ellison, founding president of NAF, coordinates the organization’s study of American Indian culture, and may be contacted at 903-365-2427. Anyone interested in studying American Indian culture is welcome to join the organization.