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Language Program marks first Level 1 Teacher Certification
Suquamish Tribe’s Language Program multimedia specialist Joey Holmes is the first candidate to meet the tribe’s new certification requirements to be a Level 1 Lushootseed language teacher.
Holmes passed the rigorous certification testing on June 5, under new rules recently approved by Tribal Council. Holmes is already at work to proceed to his Level 2 and final Level 3 teacher certifications.
Language Program Coordinator Cassy George thanked Holmes for his good work: ƛ’uʔabəłxəčbitəb ti txʷəlšucid ʔə tə haʔł. ƛ’ukʷaxʷad gʷəl c’qaqid ʔuxayəb.haʔł st’ulǰəxʷ tiʔił txʷəl dibəł. ʔuyayus ʔə tə tib. ʔəsq’ič ti ʔalalus txʷəl ti Joey. ʔəsk’ʷədiixʷ čəd txʷəl ti syayuss.”
“I am thankful for Joey. He habitually gives his good mind and heart to the Lushootseed language. He habitually helps everyone, and he always laughs. That is good medicine for us. He works hard. Culture work is very important to him. I am thankful for his work.”
Getting certified
Level 1 teachers must:
• Use 25 domains, or self-narrated activities, that the speaker must say out loud daily, such as frying an egg, washing dishes, and putting away leftovers.
• Have a dedicated language “nest” where only Lushootseed is spoken.
• Use Lushootseed for at least one hour per day and be able to converse for 20-40 minutes.
• Successfully complete courses in classroom management and other teaching requirements. “It has been very inspiring and motivating to hear Joey speak Lushootseed,” said his wife Denita Holmes, who serves as the tribe’s Cultural Activities Coordinator and Tribal Council Treasurer.
“From the beginning of taking Chinook Wawa classes to Lushootseed, his love of language never faded but I also know it was never easy. I’m so proud of this huge accomplishment.”
Expect more to come, adds Cultural Resources Department Director Kate Ahvakana. The Language Program is working hard and this is only the beginning as we will see more speakers emerge in our community.
Indeed, Holmes has been an inspiration to the other Lushootseed students and teacher candidates, said the Language Program’s Lushootseed Revitalizationist Sequoia Chargualaf.
“The amount of time and effort he has put into this is amazing, and it has been such an honor to be able to work with him and learn from him and his passion towards the Suquamish people and language,” said Chargualaf. “This is a huge step and accomplishment towards getting our language out there for our own people so that one day we will have a community full of txʷəlšucid speakers.”
