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Smoke Signals made “Hey Victor” an Indian Country catchphrase. You can probably hear it in your head: the rezzed-out long vowels and lyrical quality of Thomas Builds-The-Fire’s salutation to Adam Beach. Have you ever wondered where that reservation accent comes from? Do you know people who switch between a “rez accent” and a “white accent”? Many of us don’t even realize we have an acent, but others are acutely aware that they don’t sound typically Native. On this episode of Native America Calling, the “Native” accent and what it says about us.
Mentioned on the show:
Guests:
Nacole Walker (Standing Rock Sioux) – Tribal Education Coordinator at Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Kalina Newmark (Tulita First Nations Band) – Marketing communications specialist at Cargill
Break Music: Happy Sundance (song) Dallas Arcand (artist) Modern Day Warrior (album)
My area is more on language than accents. I am full native and was born and raised in Betehl Alaska. So my problem is when my relative or fellow native comes up to me and immediately recognizes me, he/she knows me, starts speaking to me in yupik. I always have to tell them I don’t understand yupik. They look at me like are you serious? You’ve been here all your life and you don’t speak it? So they seak help through somebody else who knows more than I do. I grew up with my Mom, full native, and my Dad who raised me, 1/16 charokee (forgive my spelling) and 15/16 caucasion. My Dad was the one who was mainly in charge. He was afraid of my english not be so good if I do learn Yupik, so he took me out of Yupik class at kindergarten. Our accents here are very bad. I picked up some here and tried to correct myself there, just to use the tool correctly. At the same time try my very best to learn my Yupik Language.
None of my parents or grandparents have an accent and they’re first language was not English, nor do they have this type of accent described. Only 2 people I know of had a that accent and it’s probably a northern accent.