Deg Xinag Oral Traditions
Deg Xinag Oral Traditions: Reconnecting Indigenous Language and Education through Traditional Narratives
Author Background
Beth Ginondidoy Leonard
Originates from Shageluk, Alaska, a Deg Hit'an/Deg Xinag Athabascan community.
Father: James Dementi, raised in traditional Athabascan subsistence.
Mother: the late Reverend Jean Aubrey Dementi, originally from California.
Current Position: Assistant Professor of Alaska Native Education at the School of Education, University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Academic Status: Ph.D. candidate in the UAF Graduate School Interdisciplinary Studies Program.
Academic Credentials:
B.A. in Linguistics (1994) from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
M.Ed. in Language and Literacy (1996) from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
Research Focus:
Investigates the Deg Xinag language.
Engages with elders and studies older recorded oral histories from the University of Alaska archives.
Cultural knowledge from heritage informs her insights on the language.
Deg Xinag Language Overview
Definition: "Deg Xinag" means "local language" and is also referred to as "Ingalik."
Geographical Context: Spoken in the villages of Anvik, Shageluk, and Grayling.
Language Family: Part of the Na-Dene language family, specifically the westernmost Athabascan languages.
Current State: About twenty fluent speakers remain, with some in rural villages and others in urban Anchorage.
Focus of Article: Examines Deg Hit'an beliefs about the pike (jackfish) through the narrative "Niło'qay Nixidaxin" or "The Man and Wife," as told by elder Belle Deacon.
Research Goals and Insights
Initial Goal: Contribute to Deg Xinag language revitalization efforts.
Understanding Language Revitalization: Recognizes its impact on self-identity, self-esteem of indigenous students, and local environmental knowledge.
Educational Framework: Highlights the need for culturally relevant materials in education, referencing works by indigenous scholars such as Gregory Cajete, Oscar Kawagley, and Greg Sarris.
Introduction to Engithidong Xugixudhoy
Overview of Volume:
Transcribed and edited by James Kari, featuring narratives told by Belle Deacon in 1973 during the Alaska Native Oral Literature Project.
All stories in the volume show the Deg Xinag language on one page with English translations on the opposite page.
Notably, less than half of the narratives recorded by Deacon are included in this volume.
Narrative Teachings: Describes storytelling as crucial for children, emphasizing attentiveness to access wisdom.
Other Narratives Included: Details on additional stories such as “Taxghoz” (Polar Bear) and others, with their corresponding English translations.
Analysis of Long Ago Narratives
Koyukon Beliefs:
Transition world concept prior to a great flood, where transformations of creatures were possible.
Post-flood, beings acquired fixed forms, with transformation capacities lost to ordinary humans.
Ruppert and Bernet’s Categories:
Classify Native oral genres into three eras:
Origin Era: State of flux in the world.
Transformation Era: Shift towards social forms.
Historical Era: Focus on actions of named individuals.
Deg Xinag Term “Engithidong”: Refers to the concept of far distant time or long ago.
Recording Context
Audio Recording: Came from a session with Belle Deacon recorded by Karen McPherson.
Narrative Length: Deacon tells the Deg Xinag version for approximately 38 minutes, followed by the English version for about 33 minutes.
Setting of Recording: Captured various sounds within Deacon's home, which enhances the authenticity of the stories.
Summary of Nił'oqay Nixidaxin: “The Man and Wife”
Narrative Elements Introduced: The lifestyle of a couple at the mouth of a stream with themes of longing and the seasonal cycles of trapping and cooking.
Conflict Introduction: Wife’s illness leads to her disappearance, prompting a search by the husband.
Intervention of Raven: The story introduces Raven as a pivotal figure who aids the husband in retrieving his wife, directing him to create a pike to facilitate their reunion.
Subsistence, Beliefs, and Practices
Indigenous Knowledge Systems:
The term "subsistence" encompasses not just survival but includes spiritual beliefs and reciprocal relationships with nature.
The teachings advocate for recognition of the intelligence of animals and their roles within the ecosystem.
Significance of the Pike:
In Deg Hit'an subsistence, pike are harvested year-round and serve numerous societal functions.
Data reveals pike constitutes a significant portion of the fish harvest in traditional practices.
Vanhgiq: “Ice Cream”
Cultural Importance: Vanhgiq serves a crucial role in social gatherings, utilizing various ingredients from local resources.
Types of Ice Cream:
Different types include those made from fish, fat, and snow, illustrating resourcefulness and community traditions.
Modern variations often integrate berries, highlighting adaptability in traditional culinary practices.
Epistemological and Ontological Aspects of the Pike
Definitions:
Epistemology: The study of how knowledge is acquired and understood.
Ontology: The philosophical study of the nature of being and existence.
Cultural Significance of Pike Terms: The various terms in different languages reflect the ecological and cultural importance of the pike within different indigenous communities.
Transformation and Creation: The narrative describes the symbolic transformation of the spruce tree into pike, linking it to broader cosmological beliefs within indigenous cultures.
Conclusion
Research Implications: The study of Deg Xinag oral traditions highlights the complex interplay between language, culture, and identity while illuminating the roles of narratives in education and knowledge transmission.
Intercultural Learning: Emphasizes the importance of intergenerational dialogue and the transmission of knowledge across different cultural contexts, promoting a richer understanding of indigenous worldviews.
References
Belle Deacon’s narratives and interviews from the Alaska Native Oral Literature Project.
Cited scholarly works on epistemology, ontology, and indigenous knowledge systems.
Author Background
Beth Ginondidoy Leonard is an Assistant Professor of Alaska Native Education at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, and a Ph.D. candidate in the Interdisciplinary Studies Program. Originally from the Deg Hit'an community of Shageluk, Alaska, she was raised by her father, James Dementi, and her mother, the late Reverend Jean Aubrey Dementi. Her academic credentials include a B.A. in Linguistics and an M.Ed. in Language and Literacy. Her research is deeply rooted in the Deg Xinag language, where she combines insights from her cultural heritage with archival research of oral histories to engage with community elders.
Deg Xinag Language Overview
Deg Xinag, which translates to "local language" and was historically called "Ingalik," is the westernmost of the Athabascan languages within the Na-Dene family. It is primarily spoken in the Alaskan villages of Anvik, Shageluk, and Grayling. Today, the language is critically endangered, with only about fluent speakers remaining in rural and urban areas. This research specifically focuses on the story "Niło'qay Nixidaxin" (The Man and Wife) as told by Belle Deacon to explore cultural beliefs regarding the pike.
Research Goals and Educational Framework
Leonard's research aims to bolster Deg Xinag language revitalization, emphasizing its role in strengthening the self-identity and self-esteem of indigenous students. By integrating local environmental knowledge into the curriculum, she advocates for a culturally relevant educational framework. This approach draws upon the work of indigenous scholars such as Gregory Cajete, Oscar Kawagley, and Greg Sarris to ensure that educational materials reflect the lived realities of the community.
Introduction to Engithidong Xugixudhoy
The volume Engithidong Xugixudhoy, edited by James Kari, features narratives recorded by Belle Deacon in . The collection presents these stories in a bilingual format, with Deg Xinag text facing the English translation. Although the volume contains less than half of Deacon's recorded narratives, these stories are essential pedagogical tools. Traditional storytelling requires children to be highly attentive, as this focus is considered the primary way to access ancestral wisdom.
Analysis of Long Ago Narratives
In the Deg Xinag tradition, "Engithidong" refers to a far distant time. This concept aligns with Koyukon beliefs about a transition world existing before a great flood, during which creatures could transform between forms. After the flood, beings became fixed in their current shapes. Scholars Ruppert and Bernet categorize these oral genres into three distinct eras: the Origin Era of flux, the Transformation Era focusing on social forms, and the Historical Era centered on named individuals.
Recording Context
The specific recording of Belle Deacon was conducted by Karen McPherson in a domestic setting, which captured natural background sounds that enhance the narrative's authenticity. Deacon's performance of the story lasts approximately minutes in Deg Xinag, followed by a -minute version in English. This dual-language recording provides a rich resource for both linguistic study and cultural preservation.
Summary of Nił'oqay Nixidaxin: ‘The Man and Wife’
The narrative follows a couple living at a stream's mouth, illustrating themes of seasonal survival, trapping, and longing. The plot intensifies when the wife falls ill and disappears, leading the husband on a desperate search. He eventually receives help from the Raven, a central figure in indigenous oral traditions, who instructs him to create a pike out of wood to facilitate their eventual reunion.
Subsistence, Beliefs, and Practices
In this context, "subsistence" refers to more than mere survival; it is a complex system of spiritual beliefs and reciprocal relationships with the natural world. These teachings emphasize the intelligence of animals and their vital roles in the ecosystem. The pike, in particular, is a cornerstone of Deg Hit'an subsistence, harvested throughout the year and representing a significant portion of the traditional fish harvest.
Vanhgiq: ‘Ice Cream’
Vanhgiq, or "Ice Cream," is a culturally significant food used in social gatherings to demonstrate resourcefulness and community shared values. Traditonal recipes utilize local resources like fish, fat, and snow. While the base ingredients reflect historical practices, modern variations often include berries, showing the adaptability of traditional culinary customs in a changing world.
Epistemological and Ontological Aspects of the Pike
The cultural significance of the pike is understood through epistemology (how knowledge is acquired) and ontology (the nature of being). Different indigenous terms for the pike reflect specific ecological and cultural insights. Furthermore, the symbolic transformation of a spruce tree into a pike within the narrative links the physical environment to broader cosmological and foundational beliefs.
Conclusion
The study of Deg Xinag oral traditions reveals the profound interplay between language, culture, and individual identity. These narratives are not merely stories; they are essential for education and the transmission of knowledge across generations. By fostering intergenerational dialogue, these traditions promote a deeper, more nuanced understanding of indigenous worldviews in contemporary contexts.