Table Of Content

DOCUMENT RESUME ED 482 040 FL 027 898 Kelley, Walter P.; McGregor, Tony L. AUTHOR Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language. TITLE INSTITUTION Northern Arizona Univ., Flagstaff. PUB DATE 2003-00-00 9p.; In: Reyner, Jon, Octaviana V. Trujillo, Roberto Luis NOTE Carrasco, and Louise Lockard, Eds. Nurturing Native Languages. Flagstaff: Northern Arizona University, 2003. Paper presented at the Stabilizing Indigenous Languages Conference. AVAILABLE FROM For full text: http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/-jar/NNL/ . PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141) Speeches/Meeting Papers (150) EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage. EDRS PRICE DESCRIPTORS *American Indian Languages; American Indians; *Hearing Impairments; *Language Maintenance; *Sign Language; Sociolinguistics IDENTIFIERS *Keres Pueblo (Tribe); *Keresan; New Mexico ABSTRACT This paper describes the use of Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language (KPISL) in one small, Keresan-speaking pueblo in central New Mexico, where 15 out of 650 tribal members have severe to profound hearing loss KPISL did not originate for the same purposes (twice the national average) . as the Plains Indian Sign Language, (PISL) which was developed to facilitate inter-tribal communication between American Indian tribes that spoke different languages. Recently, there have been studies on what is left of PISL. Both KPISL and PISL have become endangered languages. KPISL is not much used today among the younger generation owing to their learning school English, American Sign Language, or signs that follow spoken English word order. English has now become the dominant language for many Pueblo Indians. Its use is eroding the traditions and values of the Pueblo Indian culture. As a result, KPISL may be slipping into extinction. An immediate step to record this unique language would be to develop illustrations of the signs found on the pueblo for a dictionary that can be placed in the pueblo's library and museum. (Contains 23 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) BEEN GRANTED BY This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization In Nan originating it. PieNt\nner' O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Walter P. Kelley, Tony L. McGregor document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. In one small Keresan-speaking pueblo in central New Mexico 15 out of 650 tribal members have severe to profound hearing loss, which is a little over twice the national average and reflects a generally high rate of hearing impairments among American Indians (Kelley, 2001; Hammond & Meiners, 1993; LaPlante, 1991). American Indians have been found to be almost three times more likely to be hospitalized for conditions of the ear than the general population (Hammond & Meiners, 1993). Estimates range that 20 to 70% of American Indians have 00 been found to have middle ear problems such as otitis media (McShane & Plas, 1982). Otitis media is the inflammation of the middle ear cavity (behind the ear g.14 drum), usually resulting from the closing of the Eustachian tube due to swelling and to loss of ventilation and fluid drainage in the middle ear cavity (Scaldwell, 1989). Otitis media continues to affect Southwestern Indian tribes at high rates leading to hearing loss, especially among children (Johnson, 1991). The failure to detect hearing loss has caused many Indian children to miss opportunities for appropriate educational and therapeutic interventions. Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language (KPISL) is a means of communication developed and used among many of the residents of this one New Mexico pueblo. It is one of many North American Indian sign languages found in the United States, and one of two in Southwestern United States that have been studied and documentedthe other being Navajo (Davis & Suppala, 1995). A literature review suggests that signed languages were also used among Apaches and Hopis (West, 1960). KPISL is believed to have developed on one pueblo by family members in order to communicate with their offspring, siblings, and rela- tives who were deaf (Kelley, 2001). It is not at all uncommon for deaf children and their family members to invent a home-based sign system for such a pur- pose. However, KPISL does not fit the framework for home-based sign systems set forth by researchers such as Frishberg (1987) who states that home signs do not have a consistent meaning-symbol relationship, do not pass on from generation to generation, are not shared by one large group, and are not considered the same over a community of signers. KPISL was passed on from one family's eldest brothers and sisters to their hearing and deaf siblings, nephews, and nieces. KPISL is also used among non-family members living on the pueblo. It has been found to function in two significant ways: (a) as an alternative to spoken language for hearing tribal members and (b) as a primary or first language for deaf tribal members. KPISL didn't originate for the same purposes as the well known Plains Indian Sign Language (PISL), which was primarily developed to facilitate inter- tribal communication between the American Indian tribes that spoke different languages in the Plains region of the present United States and Canadaa region extending from what is now the state of Texas northward to Canada and, at its widest point, stretching from Arizona through Oklahoma (Taylor, 1978). Signs were used during hunting and trading among the different tribes and were also . :3 From: J. Reyhner, 0. Trujillo, R. L. Carrasco & L. Lockard (eds.). (2003). Nurturing 0 Native Languages (pp. 141-148). Flagstaff, AZ: Northern Arizona University. 0 BESTnnpvaveil ADI Nurturing Native Languages used for storytelling and a variety of ceremonies. Plains tribes known to use signed language included the Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa, and Sioux. Signed languages were also used as a means of communication by the Iroquois in the state of New York, the Cherokee in the Southeastern United States, the Eskimos in Alaska, and the Mayan in Mexico (Johnson, 1994; Scott, 1931; West, 1960). Signed language is reported to have been carried from Mexico to the South- western region of the United States by the Kiowa (West, 1960). The Spaniard Cabeza de Vaca recorded the earliest accounts of signed languages in the six- teenth century (Tomkins, 1969). De Vaca made a brief mention of a meeting in the Tampa Bay area of Florida with American Indian people who could communicate in a signed language. As he traveled, he was able to ask questions and receive answers through the use of signs with various Indian tribes who spoke different languages. Francisco de Coronado, another Spanish explorer, reported signs being used in the western part of Texas (Tomkins, 1969). In 1540, he en- countered the Tonkawa and Comanche people and was able to communicate with them, using signs without the assistance of an interpreter. As the Spanish returned back to their mother country, priests went along and are thought to have shared the signs that they had learned from American Indians people. Perhaps, from the priests, monks who had taken a vow of silence picked up signs and used them between themselves for they were not allowed to speak with each other inside their monasteries (Fischer & Lane, 1993). From the monks, the signs were probably borrowed by educators who saw it as a tool to communicate with the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing in Spain and neighboring France. And, perhaps the signs followed travelers from France to America where it evolved into Ameri- can Indian Sign Language (ASL). With the arrival of the United States military in the Plains region in the late 1800s, formal studies were conducted on the signed language used among various Indian tribes on the Plains (Clark 1885/1982; Dodge, 1882/1978; Seton, 1918). In the late 1900s, Cody (1970) and Tomkins (1969) among others developed a comprehensive dictionary of the signs. Recently Farnell (1995) and McKay-Cody (1998) have conducted studies on what is left of PISL. Both KPISL and PISL have become endangered languages. KPISL is not much used among the pueblo's younger generation owing to their learning school English, ASL, or signs that follow the spoken English word order. Before the 1990s, American Indian Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing tribal members usually left home to attend a residential school for the deaf located far away (Baker, 1997; Lane, Hoffineister, & Bahan, 1996). At the school, there was usually no formal in- struction of American Indian or American Indian culture and signs; only Deaf culture and ASL were taught, leading many American Indian students to join the "Deaf World." After graduation, the students had to make difficult decisions about where and how to establish themselves: on the pueblos with hearing fami- lies and friends, in urban areas with other Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing people, or in border towns with limited access to both groups. English has now become the dominant language for many Pueblo Indians. Its use, as well as continued contact with and influences of the dominant culture, 142 Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language has served to erode some of the traditions and values of the Pueblo Indian culture (Downs, 1972). As a result, KPISL, a valuable piece of American Indian heritage, may be slipping into extinction as well. An immediate step to record this unique language would be to develop illustrations of the signs found on the pueblo for a dictionary that can be placed in the pueblo's library and museum. Many individuals in the pueblo are willing to demonstrate the signs to be illus- trated. Documentation of the signs will assist in preserving KPISL and will provide an opportunity for studying it within its historical and socio-cultural con- text. Understanding KPISL can provide a more complete understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of the people living in this small Keresan- speaking pueblo. Examples are given in the appendix of some KPISL signs (Fig- ures la, 2a, 3a, and 4a) as compared to one PISL signed language, that of the Cheyenne (Figures lb, 2b, 3b, and 4b), and to ASL (Figures lc, 2c, 3c, and 4c). Linguistic differences among the three languages are indicated. The chosen meaning-symbol relationship signs (corn, dancing, eagle, and singing) are widely used among the Pueblo people, especially during feast days and holidays. References Baker, H. (1997). The Native American deaf experience: Cultural, linguistic, and educational perspectives (American sign language). Dissertation Ab- stracts International, 57(12), 1A. (University Microfilms No. ADD 97-17940) Clark, W. (1885/1982). The Indian sign language. Lincoln: University of Nebraska. Cody, I. E. (1970). Indian talk: Hand signs of the American Indians . Healdsburg, CA: Naturegraph. Davis, J. & Suppala, S. (1995). Language use in a Navajo family. In C. Lucas (Ed.), Sociolinguistics in deaf communities (pp. 77-106). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University. Dodge, R. (1882/1978). Our wild Indians: Thirty three years personal experience among the red man of the great west. Hartford, CT: Worthington. Downs, J., (1972). The Navajo. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston. Farnell, B. (1995). Do you see what I mean? Plains Indian sign talk and the embodiment of action. Austin: University of Texas. Fischer, R., & Lane, H. (Eds.). (1993). Looking back: A reader on the his- tory of deaf communities and their sign languages. Hamburg: Signum. Frishberg, N. (1987). Home sign. In J. Van Cleve (ed.), Gallaudet encyclo- pedia of deaf people and deafness (Vol. 3, pp. 128-131). New York: McGraw Hill. Hammond, S., & Meiners, L. (1993). American Indian deaf children and youth. In K. Christensen & G. Delgado (Eds.), Multicultural issues in deafness (pp. 69-90). New York. Longman. Johnson, M. (1991). American Indians and Alaska natives with disabilities. Paper presented at the Indian Nations at Risk Task Force, Washington, DC: De- partment of Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 343 770). 143 4 Nurturing Native Languages Johnson, R. (1994). Sign language and the concept of deafness in a tradi- tional Yucatec Mayan village. In C. Erting, R. Johnson, D. Smith, & B. Snider (eds.), The deaf way: Perspectives from the International Conference on Deaf Culture (pp. 102-109). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University. Kelley, W. (2001). Pueblo individuals who are D/deaf: Acceptance in the home community, the dominant society, and the deaf community. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Texas at Austin. Lane, H., Hoffmeister, R., & Bahan, B. (1996). A journey into the deaf- world. San Diego: DawnSign. LaPlante, M. (1991). The demographics of disability. In J. West (ed.), The Americans with Disabilities Act: From policy to practice (pp. 55-80). New York: Milbank Memorial Fund. McKay-Cody, M. (1998). Plains Indian sign language: A comparative study of alternative and primary signers. In C. Carroll (ed.), Deaf studies V. Toward 2000 - unity and diversity (pp. 17-77). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University, College for Continuing Education. McShane, D., & Plas, J. (1982). Otitis media, psychoeducational difficul- ties, and native Americans: A review and a suggestion. Journal of Preventive Psychiatry, 1(3), 277-292. Scaldwell, W. (1989). Effect of otitis media upon reading scores of Indian children in Ontario. Journal of American Indian Education, 28(2), 32-39. Scott, H. (Producer). (1931). Film dictionary of the North American Indian sign language [Film]. Washington, DC: National Archives. Seton, E. (1918). Sign talk: A universal signal code, without apparatus, for use in the army, navy, camping, hunting, and daily life. The gesture language of the Cheyenne Indians. New York: Doubleday, Page, and Co. Taylor, A. (1978). Nonverbal communication in aboriginal North America: The plains sign language. In D. Umiker-Sebeok & T. Sebeok (eds.), Aboriginal sign language of the Americas and Australia (Vol. 2, pp. 23-244). New York: Plenum. Tomkins, W. (1969). Universal American Indian sign language. New York: Dover. West, L. (1960). The sign language: An analysis (Vols. 1 & 2). Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington. 144 Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language Appendix ' (MN L ron4 Kamm PSU lAuvilikir (ICPER4 'Cans' 411=0 4 nymettic Maii)mie %it= al Crit act I. lisseetspe rimed 1r hathinpar maw I. mrsculatiost Lal:1410111edam us ham ad apnoea amid Ind Ihkaszwat ' Sr limit writ ma alarm* upward MOW% ladlwariai awn a anis -Z f al Ow wit a. PIMP Orierwski; Ø. weadid Wwwwd Tosey Loam Mitilnyre SS I eropoed 116111101101. Firm Lb Chtftnalit Ina** Sirt LIMPS* (C1SLI 'Cane (nom, thwsktic Asaa I. Firdbeapes riawd imaldwpar 2. Laczimus vs= asocutabosit um dam ad nada ace! kwd Jiartzwat MIMS & mama tatd as if *Wig conk 4 Ns Orlecostm; 'cowl mid4ssisti BEST COPY AVALtkaLF 145 Nurturing Native Languages -name 4 K 1141. entril Nu= Ratimen Ptt4i kd1211 5122 LWOW, tIcrito-i "Dime Cm* LimIJflCArAIWd lUISL I. Ilkukhluom ..A bripliives It Umtata 10 art I/ iaiit444011' utast Olt awes chest kiwi cebrard pnatiou 1.1chvgastr amml ard dmanuil mom alummay A pan.orl.s. warag niI4 410 mi pima WM awn* ©Tem Loam moth pi Intuit lb Chrsguif 1,01144 Ain laswens LOMA INsac. (writ) Liarisic Am/ yaia ci QSL 1. thoisitipm dyed 5 luabbiges Lwow/ pamiuffi 1. Lamb= IP= atzadiat latt ci apical chat Ira II 3. Ilplommam d I ply upmed arm Ammaimi Pen Ogoomont 4- mid-NOW Ow savvad 'Doer 1M1.. Ion 1 Mum 24 Anomrlion Sign Langsw (A8L) 'Dore (mribi) Liapiala Ana ria d AS L 1. liasilib: Was dammrd mat V Irrialrge LW dallied $ awdma uma iorsi tads; Izadsaus drwasi 2- tmarla Optics of aracabtar* droses dm= inoi OrMrd 3.1404otet &amnia ised isat4 twic mat ton* maps( pa/km ii 4. rola riersirarr ratuw cads atm mlk uuc ma/ /ma base illamema had C, Tow loom Mempar 3411Cbra 146 BEST COPY AVAILAPLE 7 Keresan Pueblo Indian Sign Language Awe 3ss Kim. Pashas bidding Mr Lanivaar MIL) 'LW (rasa) Aniaj41 it of KRA. itaaidiaw S. Nat of eit4it4. ckmad 3 hariatapel WI& horde Ype.t4 tricatar (place a Animilitiast low ciu mg Is Imo «Agnes cbhW 3. Wahine's/ *shy uraini 4. Pain Oncsisburz rpj vierccIos (Dam anis,- i mud parasOly ckpourvaei 'Style (CISL 'Kt's/ 4 Pain anesutarrt L. Hamiiiipe: fttlipkt. Issithispla ai cicood soJ4 bt roe kelskspcs Pam itg.04 Loogazi 4pbc. cfaructimuc* S. Isms at engirt liii kval (im 11 Kismet dwg4.1: I I raw Mint re Awes fate tabal ytns:r di. stt. 154 Is 14, z KIWIC 411{11We gat* isdogi II ibwnwervicune. corm/ Nall 451 the ask WI tarn di Temp Linszt Ihkatfar Exp lit" 4 3..SL stun Mae 3t Anstrisin Iv lAng 1A.31.) 'We (nasas) LinuivicArolriedASL I. HItats4e. ;.i Rao r/Kaasscs bead Nis irides Nisi X" kissistalve arlicskftrkt 2. Lamaze (pica smiles tip a /me JIM/ Mihomers; Now Po/Mk airfoil souveisess ship fites sad iDIANA:C1 Ule p lbunizmie 1 ibt 4. hiss Onatmeac tow sem firm al isir Wrap' Cksrvi Ulm Lau* 147 BEST COPY AVAILABLE (-) Nurturing Native Languages Pabl Urea 44 Kamen Malin WWI Wye Lacwsaip. CP13114 entriii Umiictirik Atilkolief KIISL L Pwit ..4" Coo use isivi) moo* what Iwo kaalaidam I anausiatii* gMath= ip/Ata 01 Wei rif Overt riokirt44 PAWAtiwnt ete) woad pbIrCwo 14 to jiff slum tail 4 nisi Onniabott time bout face -sin- (AS L kriii1 Mem* 4t Amarlicat SEN. Laaguswe 4 ASL1 revisda Aielya et AM. L ILincidopt: 5, RAN at 0 e4.4.1 &aid 3 tabsciaps mot 7-14ntion I riamor Ariumuckal, Pi film of Opt" diva loNs4 3_ klawasert doenvil Uzi bail as/ WPM sod fa& sic.. ace- &maimed kaad 4 Pato Clocanucst ars-dmicau ii raa Ps upward iirowd *iyw md eke tom tria4 gh IA <tyro C Lauer Wa.:41. 148 BEST COPY AVAiL:AELE E kc.- U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) Edoelltallkures liktanyin Carla National Library of Education (NLE) Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) NOTICE Reproduction Basis This document is covered by a signed "Reproduction Release (Blanket)" form (on file within the ERIC system), encompassing all or classes of documents from its source organization and, therefore, does not require a "Specific Document" Release form. This document is Federally-funded, or carries its own permission to reproduce, or is otherwise in the public domain and, therefore, may be reproduced by ERIC without a signed Reproduction Release form (either "Specific Document" or "Blanket"). EFF-089 (1/2003)