Keshena non-profit organization Menomini yoU, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its Wāqsecewan language campus, Aug. 1, 2024. PC: Fox 11 Online
KESHENA (WTAQ-WLUK) — Menominee officials say the concept of a community language center has been “decades in the making.”
On Thursday, that dream became a reality.
Keshena non-profit organization Menomini yoU, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its Wqsecewan language campus. It is named after Lillian “Wqsecewan” Nelson, who taught and and advocated for the Menominee language.
This 10,000-square-foot facility will serve as a community hub that provides resources and education supporting revitalization efforts of Omqnomenweqnaesen, the Menomini language.
The campus features several classrooms, meeting and event rooms, expanded office space, a kitchen and space for outdoor cultural activities.
“You can think of it as a language acquisition school, of sorts, but a lot of community activities all centered around the revitalization of our language,” said Burton Warrington (“Kcheyonkote”), co-founder & executive director of Menomini yoU.
“Without having documented history, we have an oral history in the language, in the DNA of our language. It encompasses our 13,000-year story of who the Menominee people are and what our relationship is in this landscape,” he added.
Warrington said next week, 10 students will begin a year-long language acquisition class. There will also be in-person and online programs, livestreams, weekly newscasts and community gatherings that focus on allowing the Menominee language to live in everyday activities.
A significant amount of time, energy, and resources were historically invested by outside entities in misguided attempts to eradicate our language, culture and identity. We know we need equal if not greater investment of time, energy, and resources in order to right those past wrongs. There is still much work to be done but today we take time to honor all of the community’s past efforts that brought us to this moment and celebrate the significance of this milestone and what this will mean for the future of our language.
Formally launched in June 2020, Menomini yoU’s mission is to dedicate time, effort and energy to the revitalization and renormalization of the Menomini language and lifeways.
Comments