Dispatches from the Institute

July 25, 2013
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If you have ever attempted to learn another language, you have probably been puzzled by the idioms, colloquialisms, or metaphors in that language or its regional dialects. In the case of Wôpanâak, an agglutinative language, decoding the inherent meanings of words is a fascinating endeavor.

On July 25, Jessie Little Doe Baird (Wampanoag), shared her experience with Wôpanâak language reclamation. After 150 years of the language lying dormant as a result of colonial occupation and historical community fragmentation, Baird has worked to make language instruction sustainable and accessible in order to revive it as a living language for Wampanoag people. Using primary documents written in Wôpanâak, Baird has analyzed the grammar and produced a Wôpanâak dictionary. Additionally, she... read more

July 26, 2013
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How is history created and re-created over time? How does one assess the accuracy of historical account? What do we need to un-learn or reconsider before we can understand the past? Most importantly, how do we create learning activities that help students develop deeper understanding, stronger critical skills and greater curiosity and persistence?

These were but a few of the essential questions that guided the curriculum projects created by Summer Scholars and presented during the final week of the institute. The topics addressed by these projects were varied and included: popular memories of King Philips’ War, the Great Awakening and Native American Christianity, treaty negotiations in the early 19th century and how they reflect the ideas of invasion and progress, and an... read more

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