OSAGE NATION RESERVATION, OKLA. (April 12, 2024) – Osage Nation proudly announces that Osage youth received top honors at the 2024 Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair, including Ella Wallace winning grand prize for poster art. This is the third consecutive year an Osage language student has brought home this honor. The Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair is an annual celebration of Native American youth learning their native languages. Open to pre-k through high school students, the fair is held at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History. This year’s theme was “Creating through Language.”
“The success of our youth at the Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair is a testament to the collective efforts of the Osage Nation Language Department, Daposka Ahnkodapi, WELAs, and select public high schools in revitalizing the Osage language. We are immensely proud and grateful for this achievement,” said Osage Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear.
The Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair began in 2003. The fair spans two days, four age divisions and 13 categories for material submissions and performances. The fair seeks to support individual and community goals in language maintenance, revitalization, and renewal in these ways:
Excellence in language teaching and learning
Convening a community of speakers
Instilling cultural and linguistic pride
Innovative and traditional use of native languages
Culturally appropriate assessment
Support of the arts and literacy
Transition into higher education
Public awareness of Oklahoma’s Native languages
Osage Nation language programs look forward to the yearly opportunity to share the hard work and progress students have achieved.
“I am proud of all of my students for using the Osage language as well as they did,” said Cher Satepauhoodle, a State Certified Osage Language Teacher for Skiatook and Hominy High School. “Seeing their talent recognized on a grand stage is impressive, especially considering the significance of preserving and promoting the Osage language and culture. The Osage Language classes I teach at the high schools are counted as a World Language requirement, so the students need the class to graduate. This provides students with the opportunity to learn and engage with their Indigenous language and culture, which is invaluable. It’s a testament to the school’s commitment to honoring and preserving Osage culture. It’s inspiring to see how educational opportunities have evolved over the years, giving students like mine the chance to showcase their talents and connect with their cultural roots.”
Daposka Ahnkodapi and Osage Language Department youth participants (PreK – 2nd and 3rd – 5th Grade age groups) and Osage Language youth participants (9th through 12th grades) and categories can be found below:
PreK-2nd Grade Film and Video
1st Place: Number Song; WELA (Fairfax)
2nd Place: Animal Backpack; WELA (Pawhuska)
PreK-2nd Grade Mobile Video
2nd Place: Pre-K Number Song; WELA (Pawhuska)
3rd Place: Body Parts; WELA (Skiatook)
PreK-2nd Grade Medium Group Skit/Short Play
2nd Place: Cooking Show Skit; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd Place: Osage Flag; Daposka Ahnkodapi
PreK-2nd Grade Small Group Modern Song
Honorable Mention: Ants Go Marching; Daposka Anhkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Comics and Cartoons
Honorable Mention: Evalyn Shackelford; My School Life; Daposka Anhkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Poster Art Category
1st Place: Signy Redcorn; Osage Title; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Small Group Spoken Prayer
2nd Place: Spoken Prayer; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Small Group Skit/Short Play
1st Place: The Way to Survive; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Medium Group Skit/Short Play
1st Place: Little Chief; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd-5th Grade Large Group Modern Song
2nd Place: Hakuna Matata; Daposka Ahnkodapi
PreK-2nd Grade Film and Video
1st Place: Number Song; WELA (Fairfax)
2nd Place: Animal Backpack; WELA (Pawhuska)
6th – 8th Grade Mobile Video Category
2nd Place: Kayla Gray and Charlotte Hanna; Making A New Friend; Edmond Public Schools Indian Education (Cherokee/Osage)
6th – 8th Grade Poster Art Winners
1st Place: Story Bear; The Tall Grass with the Huts; Daposka Ahnkodapi
2nd Place: Lottrice Redcorn; Peeka Boo; Daposka Ahnkodapi
3rd Place: Jianna Jones; Osage Dances; Daposka Ahnkodapi
Honorable Mention: Story Bear; Water Gives Life; Daposka Ahnkodapi
6th – 8th Grade Large Group Skit/Short Play
1st Place: Art Drama; Daposka Ahnkodapi
6th – 8th Grade Small Group Modern Song
1st Place: Red Rock Woman; Daposka Ahnkodapi
6th – 8th Grade Medium Group Modern Song
1st Place: All You Need is Love; Daposka Ahnkodapi
9th – 12th Grade Book Category
1st Place: Cortlynn Jech; The Pink Pig; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
2nd Place: Brooklyn Hinman; The Hungry Rabbit; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Honorable Mention
Michaela Pratt; Let’s go to the Zoo; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Faylee Ferguson; Osage Language; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Logan Cass; My Big and Playful Dog; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Corlin Cass; A Deer Named John; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Grand Prize Poster Art Winner
Grand Prize: Ella Wallace; Creating Through Language, Osage Nation Language Department (Hominy HS)
9th – 12th Grade Poster Art Winners
2nd Prize: Brooklin Hinman; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Honorable Mention: Lela Hopper; Osage Nation Language Department (Hominy HS)
Wall of Honor: Channing Carr; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
Wall of Honor: Emma McKibben; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
9th – 12th Grade Individual Spoken Prayer (Group A)
1st Place: Adam Maker; Prayer; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
9th – 12th Grade Individual Spoken Prayer (Group B)
1st Place: Tryp Neff; Osage Prayers; Osage Nation Language Department (Woodland HS)
9th – 12th Grade Large Group Skit/Short Play
1st Place: Osage Language Students; Let’s have a handgame; Osage Nation Language Department (Pawhuska HS)
A full list of participants, winners, and performances can be found at samnoblemuseum.ou.edu.
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