On the National Language: Book and Exhibition by B.A. Van Sise

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Windy Goodloe, Secretary, Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Association
November 22, 2024

by Windy Goodloe, secretary, Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Association

 In October 2023, I found myself cautiously walking through a car cemetery known as Old Car City in White, Georgia. I was following photographer and author B.A.Van Sise as he looked for the perfect spot. B.A. and I had been introduced by our mutual friend Daniel Bögre Udell, co-founder of Wikitongues. After making acquaintances, B.A. told me about his current project. He was crisscrossing the country photographing language revitalizers. The idea was that everyone would be depicted representing one word from the language they were revitalizing. After a few months of going back and forth, we decided on a word and a location. What made this day even more special was that I was wearing a beautiful couture gown made by Robin, B.A.’s incredibly talented wife. It had taken her months to create it and featured words that are important to me and my culture such as “Seminole” and “Mexico.” She strategically placed them on this beautifully made garment, ensuring that it was both stunning and provocative.

After taking several photos surrounded by rusty old cars, B.A. looked to his left and asked if I wouldn’t mind getting on top of one of those old cars. Following a few little slips and several silent prayers, I found myself standing on top of the creakiest and rustiest car in the whole lot. I did my best to follow B.A.’s instructions as I represented the Afro-Seminole Creole (ASC) word puppyshow, which means “showing-out behavior, showing off.” Example: ASC - The girl dem meck puppyshow. English - The girls make/are showing off.

Interestingly, there was a hand-painted sign to my left that read: You will not be rewarded for bad behavior. This seemed to perfectly encapsulate the ASC word that I was representing.

After a few clicks of the camera, B.A. exclaimed that he had “gotten the shot.” And I realized that what I had thought would be a nerve-wracking experience had happened quickly and easily and had been a lot of fun. And as I turned out, I was the last shot of the project.

The results of B.A.’s work would not be published until September 28 of this year. Accompanying the book titled On the National Language: The Poetry of America’s Endangered Tongues, an exhibition with the same title also opened at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on October 17. My boyfriend and I made the trek to LA to celebrate B.A. and to meet the other language revitalizers. Each person who attended is a beautiful representative for their language. I was inspired by everyone that I met. The following people attended: Jenny Lyons from Palm Springs, California. She is revitalizing Cahuilla. Cor-Bishop George Bet-Rasho from Tarzana, California. He is revitalizing Aramaic. Sarah Aroeste from New York, New York. She is revitalizing Judaeo-Spanish. Lokosh (Joshua D.Hinson) from Durant, Oklahoma. He is revitalizing Chickasaw. Laura Tohe from Superstition Mountains, Arizona. She is revitalizing Navajo. Crystal Starr from Neskowin, Oregon. She is revitalizing Chinook. Isaiah Tahshayuw Atuqun Vassell from Boston, Massachusetts. He is revitalizing Massachusett.

At the Skirball exhibit, about 50 of the 90 photos from the book are arranged by region, and there are interactive features that encourage visitors to learn a new language and discuss their own. On the National Language will be on display at the Skirball Cultural Center until March 2, 2025.

At the opening reception, Cor-Bishop George Bet-Rasho, Sarah Aroeste, Laura Tohe, and I spoke about the importance of revitalizing each of our respective languages. After the opening ceremony, we toured the exhibit and met with the featured subjects and attendees. Later that evening, there was another reception. During this time, my boyfriend and I toured the rest of the Skirball Museum. Another impressive exhibition that opened on the same day is Diane von Furstenberg: Woman Before Fashion, which is a wonderful retrospective on the designer’s work. This exhibit will be at the museum until August 31, 2025.

Being able to be in a room filled with fellow language revitalizers allowed me to see that my community is not alone in our fight to keep something that is so precious to us from dying. From a young boy in Boston to a dear elder in Palm Springs, languages that were once deemed extinct are being learned and spoken. If you feel that you have no way to connect with your ancestors, learn your mother tongue. No, it is not easy. And there might not be any huge rewards in doing so, but you will feel the victory that is to be had by doing something (preserving something) that many had thought was impossible.