It was a gorgeous day for the Hōcąk Language Baseball Tournament, we started at 9am with a prayer and we started playing. We also enjoyed muffins, nachos, hotdogs, pickles, yogurt and candy. We really enjoyed everyone who came out to watch and to those that participated.
This year we had help from other programs and departments to host the Harvest Celebration and Green Corn Dance. We served soup and frybread for the meal. We had culture games like, Kasu, the Moccasin Game, HoChunk Jenga, and we showed a cultural video. The weather was perfect and we had such a good turnout. Thank you to everyone that participated and had a helping hand.
Photo Credit: HoChunk Inc. Photographer
Ho-Chunk Renaissance has been working on creating their own Language-based website since Fall 2021 with the mission to “Revitalize HoChunk language”.
Many behind the scenes hands have been involved in getting the website to where it is currently, the team has experienced minor setbacks along the way such as the former website having extensive coding & bug errors which then resulted in hiring Blue Earth Marketing, an advertising & marketing team, coming into the picture to help create a new platform. Since the new website was created Christina Parker, Media and Design Specialist, has worked with Blue Earth Marketing to add content to the website overtime. Lewis St. Cyr, Program Director, & Christina parker shared a goal in mind to have daily content added in the future development of the website.
More plans to expand the website are in mind, the goal of this article is to notify the public of their mission and what goals are being worked towards. Currently The HoChunk Renaissance department receives different types of requests from other programs such as how to pronounce words, spell, or work with classes to teach various cultural practices. With the growth of the website the team hopes to have this “One-stop” hub for all types of tools to continue to learn about The HoChunk Language. Lewis expressed his efforts in getting the website to be in a place where the website is a strong digital resource to build relationships with online language classrooms as well as the HoChunk people.
In conclusion, HoChunk Renaissance has multiple avenues that utilize technology that are being grown by bringing technology & language together thru this website. Downloadable content, children’s learning games, language history, videos/audio clips, and images teaching language are just a few current tools accessible on their website, hochunklanguage.com that continues to grow toward their mission in revitalizing the HoChunk Language.
For more information & updates about HoChunk Renaissance please visit their website: Hochunklanguage.com and Facebook page listed under HoChunk Renaissance.
Winnebago Indian News – By Tyler Snake & Bethani Redhorn
Hōcąk Language Academy – Dual language classroom
Hōcąk Language Academy will strive to provide quality education through the medium of the Hōcąk language. We strive to offer curriculum through educational approaches that are consistent with what our ancestors did and are in line with the current research on education and language acquisition. The Hōcąk Language Academy (HLA) provides opportunities for students to develop and thrive in both English and in Hōcąk. Teachers and students work together to fulfill our school’s vision, mission and core values.
The Three Sisters (corn, beans, and squash)
The traditional Three Sisters Garden forms an ecosystem by creating a community of plants and animals. This system creates a beneficial relationship between the three plants- each plant helps the others grow.
Using the strength of the sturdy corn stalks to support the twining beans and the shade ofthe spreading squash vines to trap moisture for the growing crop. The meaning of the Three Sisters runs deep into the physical and spiritual well-being. The well-being of each crop is believed to be protected by one of the Three Sister Spirits. An Indigenous legend has been woven around the “Three Sisters” – sisters who would never be apart from one another – sisters who should be planted together, eaten together, and celebrated together.
As a heritage preservation department, we come together annually and create our Three or Four sister garden. The fourth sister is our sunflower. In the spring, we personally plant each seed into the ground. We continue to sustain our garden by providing the necessary care like our ancestors have done hundreds of years. In the fall, it is customary to share our harvest for our Green Corn Dance gathering and/or give them to wakes and funerals. It is our efforts to include as many students, volunteers, and community members in our efforts.
Our First Culture Camp – 2017
