˘ niiswi
myaamiikaana The Two Miamis
A sovereign tribal nation in Oklahoma. A public university in Ohio. And a relationship that has led to the first generation in nearly 100 years learning to speak the Myaamia language.
STORY BY
MARGO KISSELL PHOTOS BY
SCOTT KISSELL
Thirty years ago, Daryl Baldwin’s father gave him several old documents that once belonged to Daryl’s grandfather. Tucked inside the accordion-style manila folder among other papers were 18 pages that captured an unfamiliar language, neatly typed on onionskin. The words intrigued Baldwin, then a carpenter in his late 20s. He recognized them as Myaamia, his tribal ancestors’ language, which had all but vanished after the Miami Tribe was forced from its homelands — including what is now Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Studying the vocabulary list with its pronunciation guide and English translation, Baldwin was puzzled. His grandfather hadn’t spoken the language and neither did anyone else he knew. He, like others of his generation, was missing a link to his heritage and culture. “These language papers sparked something Myaamia, something I could actually tie to,” he said. He asked his father if there were any native speakers left. “I don’t know,” his father replied. “Why don’t you go see what you can find out.” And so began a remarkable journey that culminated in teaching the first generation of Miami Tribe citizens in nearly 100 years to speak their own language.
Fall/Winter Fall/Winter 2021 2021
19