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Lesson Plan #5: Language (Greetings)
Grade levels: 3-6
APPLICATION: Students will have a direct opportunity to practice the Seminole language with native Seminoles at the powwow, or when visiting any Seminole reservation or attraction in the state of Florida. Students can "break the ice" when meeting someone from the Seminole Tribe with the native greeting taught in this lesson. Students should be encouraged to ask native Seminoles about pronunctiation to refine their skills.
PURPOSE: To learn the Miccosukee (Hitchiti) and Creek (Muscogee) words of greeting.
INTERESTING FACT RE. SEMINOLE LANGUAGE:
The Seminole Indians have two languages still in use today, neither of which is traditionally written. Muscogee (Creek) and Miccosukee are related but not mutually intelligible. Both languages contain sentence structures and sounds that do not exist in English and are difficult to pronounce using the English language.
With some words the two languages seem to mirror each other; and sometimes the two lingos are uncomparable. For example, the English word bread would be pronounced "tak-la-eek-i" in the Muscogee dialect and "pa-les-tee" in Miccosukee. "Dog" is "ef-fa" in Creek, "ee-fe" in Miccosukee. "Cow" is "wa-ka" in Creek "waa-ke" in Miccosukee.
Many Seminoles are fluent in both languages; some only speak one or the other.
PREPARATION:
Listen to Chief Jim Billie's "Native Greeting Song."
MATERIALS: Guitar or piano, if teacher is proficient. If not, song may be performed a Acappella.
DIRECTIONS:
- Write the lyrics to the Native Greeting Song on the board, or provide as
handouts:
Che-Han-Tah-Mo, Ah-hee-tho-sta
Che-Han-Tah-Mo, Ah-hee-tho-sta
Che-Han-Tah-Mo, Ah-hee-tho, ah-hee-tho-sta
Shtongo, edama-he-do
Shtongo, edama-he-do
Shtongo, shtongo, edama-he-do
Way down here, where the tradewinds play
Way down here, the Natives say
Che-Han-Tah-Mo, Ah-hee-tho, ah-hee tho sta.
- Explain that the first verse is the Miccosukee language, the second verse is the Creek language, and the third verse includes English.
- Ask the children if they know any other words of greeting in other languages, i.e. "Buenos Dias" or "Como Estas," "Konnichiwa," "Aloha," etc. Write these on the board.
- Sing the Native Greeting song...for guitar/piano players, any blues
progression will suffice. Sing as in call-and-answer format:
(Am)
Teacher: Che-Han-Tah-Mo!
Students: Che-Han-Tah-Mo!
Teacher: Ah-hee-tho-sta
Students: Ah-hee-tho-sta
(Dm)
Teacher: Che-Han-Tah-Mo!
Students: Che-Han-Tah-Mo!
(Am)
Teacher: Ah-hee-tho-sta
Students: Ah-hee-tho-sta
(Dm))
Teacher: Che-Han-Tah-Mo
(Em)
Students: Che-Han-Tah-Mo
(Am)
Teacher: Ah-hee-tho-sta
(Em)
Students: Ah-hee-tho-sta
Etc.Back to Questions and Activities.
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