Culture & Language
We are the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, an indigenous people of a sovereign nation. Our Language is the Anishnaabemowin. Our Tribal citizens must be totally committed to the protection and preservation of our Tribe, our culture, and our language. If we lose our culture and our language, our Tribal identity will be lost.
Our Tribe and Indian people have a long history of withstanding cultural threats from the modernization of our world. Yet, modernization has not made us any less Indian. Our Tribal identity continues to survive through this growth and change due to the commitment of our Tribal families to our culture. Our traditions are taught and practiced by our families, through ceremonies and Inter-Tribal activities. Our cultural traditions may not be as strong as in the past and may differ from family to family, but they are still practiced today. Despite constant threats to the preservation of our culture, our language, and our Tribal identity, it has survived. As Chairperson, I will commit to making the preservation of our culture and language a priority.
Our language was once suppressed and near extinction, but is being revived today. The Odawa language is being taught in more than one corner of our community. We have more teachers of the language than in recent years. A local LTBB elder with the help of others has created and documented a dictionary of our language. This will help preserve the language now and for the next seven generations. This new dictionary is believed to be the only one of its kind. With the persistence of our language teachers and the utilization of modern technologies our language will continue to survive.
While the practicing of our culture and our language is not a strong point me, I encourage and respect our strong traditional people. I understand the importance of the continuing practices and knowledge of our culture and language. Dexter and I will commit to support much needed funding for our culture and our language.
Respectfully, Ken Harrington