Minisymposium 5: 10,000 years of maize
Abs #
15001: E-tsi Selu [e-tsi is 'mother' and selu is 'corn']
Gregg Howard (Cherokee/Powhattan) began working with the Cherokee language when he moved to Oklahoma in the mid 1960s and his mother told him of his heritage. Gregg was born in Kentucky in 1934 and raised as white. His mother, Corine Tyldesley, her mother Sophie Kenner, and her mother Anne Martin, were all of Cherokee descent. His great, great grandfather on his mother's side, P.C. Sutphin, was Powhattan from Culpepper Co. VA.
Sam Hider (Cherokee) was teaching the language at the downtown Tulsa Library in the early 70s. It was at this time that Gregg and Sam recorded the material later used to produce the Introduction to Cherokee language learning program. Gregg, Alfred Houser (brother of famed Apache sculptor, Alan Houser), and Rick Eby formed Various Indian Peoples Publishing Company (VIP) in 1988. Working with native speakers, VIP produced language programs for the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muskogee Creek, Kiowa, Caddo, published the Western Delaware language program for the Delaware Nation, currently working with the Sac & Fox Nation. Gregg is a member of the Oklahoma Native Language Association and has taught the Cherokee language at various colleges in the Dallas area through their continuing education programs.
Gregg is spokesman for the Cherokee Honor Society and is recognized as an Ambassador of Goodwill by the Cherokee Nation. He was selected as "Storyteller of the Year" in 1997 by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers -- a national organization. He is also a member of the National Storytelling Association, Tejas Storytelling Association and the Dallas Area Storytelling Guild.
His video "Tales of Wonder" -- traditional Cherokee stories -- won the prestigious Award of Distinction in the 1998 Communicator's International competition by placing in the top 15% of over 3200 entries from 47 states and seven countries. In 1999, "Tales of Wonder" won a Bronze Telly, the National Parenting Publication's Award, and the Video Magic 2000 Award from the National Library Association and Parenting Publications, and recently the National Youth Storytelling Pegasus Award. The CD version was nominated for the Native American Music Award -- Spoken Word Category in 2001.
