ORAL HISTORY OF THE CHEROKEE and code Talkers during world wars

Structure 1. Functions of oral history 2. Some Aspects of the Cherokee’s view of life 3. Code Talkers

1. Functions of passing on oral history Creating cultural identity Passing on “religion“ and traditions Personalization of history Consolidation of social structures (laws, organisation, etc.)

How do we know about the oral history of the Cherokee? Walker Calhoun (1918 – 2012) http://digitalheritage.org/2010/08/walker-calhoun/

2. Some Aspects of the Cherokee’s view of life One creator (Unetlanvhi) Men as caretakers of the world Balance and harmony Ceremonies as opportunities for community worship and socialization

3. Code talkers What are „code talkers“? People in the 20th century who used obscure languages as a means of secret communication during WW1 + 2 mainly associatd with U.S. soldiers who used Native American languages as a basis to transmit coded messages Messages were transmitted over military telephone or radio communication nets using formal or informally developed codes built upon native languages Code talking was pioneered by Cherokee and Choctaw Indians during WW1

3. Code talkers around the world 1) Cherokees: first known use of Native American languages (1918) 2) Choctaws: helped in the final large German push of the WW1 3) Comanches 4) Meskwkis: against the Germans while fighting in the US Army in North America (1941) 5) Basques 6) Navanjos: most popular code talkers 7) Seminoles 8) Wenzhous: used in China 9) Nubians: employed en Egypt 10) Welsh used by British forces

History lesson – did you know? Adolf Hitler knew about the successfull use of code talkers during WW1 Sent a team of 30 athroplogists to the US to learn Native American languages before the outbreak of WW1  not succesfull US Army did not implement a large-scale code talkers program in the European Theater because of Hitler‘s attempts Neverteheless 14 Comanche were deployed and they used around100 vocabs in their Native Language Examples: „turtle“ = tank „pregnant airplane“ = bomber „sewing machine“ = machine gun „crazy white man“ = Adolf Hitler

3. Code talkers - navanjo Alphabets (English) Code Language (English) Code Language (Navajo) Modern spelling A Ant Wol-la-chee Wóláchííʼ B Bear Shush Shash C Cat Moasi Mósí D Deer Be Bįįh E Elk Dzeh Dzeeh F Fox Ma-e Mąʼii G Goat Klizzie Tłʼízí H Horse Lin Łį́į́ʼ I Ice Tkin Tin J Jackass Tkele-cho-gi Téliichoʼí K Kid Klizzie-yazzi Tłʼízí yázhí L Lamb Dibeh-yazzi Dibé yázhí M Mouse Na-as-tso-si Naʼastsʼǫǫsí N Nut Nesh-chee Neeshchʼííʼ O Owl Ne-ash-jah Néʼéshjaaʼ P Pig Bi-sodih Bisóodi Q Quiver Ca-yeilth kʼaaʼ yeiłtįįh R Rabbit Gah S Sheep Dibeh Dibé T Turkey Than-zie Tązhii U Ute No-da-ih Nóódaʼí V Victor a-keh-di-glini Akʼehdidlíní W Weasel Gloe-ih Dlǫ́ʼii X Cross Al-an-as-dzoh Ałnáʼázdzoh Y Yucca Tsah-as-zih Tsáʼásziʼ Z Zinc Besh-do-gliz Béésh dootłʼizh

3. Code talkers - Navajo Navanjo code was formally developed and modeled on the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet that uses agreed-upon English words to represent letters But some terms were given words: „shark“ = destroyer, „silver oak leaf“ = rank of lieutnant conolnel, „gofaster“ = running shoes, „ink sticks“ = pens Why was Navajo ideal?: Navajo is an unwritten language Was spoken only on the Navajo lands of the American Southwest (fewer than 30 non-Navajo could understand the language) Many dialects  difficult to understand Even Navajo speakers couldn‘t understand the code when not trained  Joe Kieyoomia was tortured by Japanese who wanted to make him translate the code but he didn‘t understand

Code talkers - navajo Codebook was developed to teach the many relevant words and concepts to new iniates Code talkers memorized all variations and practiced their rapid use under stressfull conditions during training Navanjo code talkers were commended for their skill, speed, and accuracy demonstrated throughout the war The deployment of the Navajo code talkers continued through the Korean War and after (ended in the Vietnam War) Navajo code is the only spoken military code never to have been deciphered Some words are commonly used today to refer to the appropriate objects

Sources Walker Calhoun: http://digitalheritage.org/2010/08/walker-calhoun/ ; The Cherokee’s view of life: http://thomaslegion.net/cherokee.html ; http://thomaslegion.net/cherokeeindianheritageandhistoryanintroductiontocherokeehistoryandculture.html The religious world of the Cherokee: http://www.learnnc.org/lp/editions/nchist-twoworlds/1839 ; https://www.pbs.org/indiancountry/challenges/cherokee2.html The creation story of the Cherokee: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRwGYRcNUSI