Nya:wëh Derise Whitcomb and Ashley Miller!
This past summer, Ashley Miller (of SNI Allegany Education) and Derise Whitcomb (of Allegany
Language) coordinated and facilitated a 6 week Seneca Language & Culture Summer Camp for our local youth ages 10-14. This program provided a safe, welcoming space for the children to learn and practice our Seneca language and culture.
Their morning routine consisted of giving thanks through Gano:nyok (the ‘Thanksgiving Address’) as well as everyone individually giving thanks through the use of Wenotowi:sas and Ado:we’ songs. At meal times, the group and facilitators worked collectively to prepare and make every meal together. This allowed the facilitators the opportunity to share food, cooking and kitchen terms in the language. On Tuesdays, they would visit the Ceremonial Program in Steamburg where they would learn more culture, have small socials and help in the garden. They took weekly field trips to places such as the State Park, blueberry picking at Burdick’s, and even a trip to Cattaraugus to visit with the Sully Huff Cultural Center’s youth program. Lastly, the children loved to play traditional game of longball and dish game!
Be on the lookout for similar programs available for your children to attend during their future school breaks! Our main goal is to not only pass on language and culture to our youth but to build their confidence and love for our traditional ways and their traditional identity.
