November 10, 2011
Yesterday, we had an elderly Yupik woman come speak to the class for Sobriety Week (our Dean of Students has spent hours and hours setting all of this up). The woman spoke occasional English, but mostly Yupik. This is what I heard (the dashes are Yupik):
You --- --- --- --- problem --- --- --- --- I have a friend that I talk to. --- --- --- confess --- --- --- --- I seen --- --- --- I seen --- --- --- If we did something wrong --- --- --- --- sexual abuse --- --- --- because of alcohol, things happen --- --- --- just because someone in the house is drinking --- --- --- as if they don’t have a house --- --- --- --- have you had that feeling! --- --- --- --- as parents --- --- --- I had two grandmothers that are living and one grandfather --- --- --- understand --- --- --- grandmother --- --- --- --- spending money on alcohol --- --- --- just because of alcohol --- --- --- reverse --- --- --- just to get high. I tried it one time and didn’t like it. Sniffing --- --- --- like alcohol and drugs --- --- --- marijuana --- --- --- how they act in their eyes --- --- --- just don’t bother to touch those things --- --- --- --- What sufferings we went through. --- --- ---
Remember that 80% of what she said was in Yupik. The kids understood, but I didn’t. That sort of thing makes me feel inferior. Neither the district nor the school offer any sort of Yupik language training, so the teachers are left to be outsiders – very much considered inferior because of their lack of Yupik language knowledge.
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Then maybe you shouldn't be living in a native village teaching native kids if you cannot understand their heritage or culture.maybe you are the one who should be reported for saying this kind of stuff.you should have done your research on the community and its culture before going there to teach.its people like you who don't understand others cultures that make it a bad place for the kids to be in because you don't understand.did you at least ask the elder or anyone else in the school to get someone to translate for you to understand what she was saying? Maybe its you who is the ignorant person not them.they live through many hard things in life the last thing you can do is try to understand them and see why they say that kind of stuff.
ReplyDeleteI bet that's how some immigrants to the USA Feel.
ReplyDeleteWhat level of Yupik Language instruction would you recommend, suggest or are you demanding for teachers in Villages ?
ReplyDeleteI think you might benefit from checking out Tim Wise and what privilege is, because I think what you felt was the privilege you were accustomed to being pulled out from under your feet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Xe1kX7Wsc
David Michael Karabelnikoff