Lecture: Teaching Chinuk Wawa at Community College
SPEAKER: Beth Sheppard and Diane Smith
Lecture: Teaching Chinuk Wawa at Community College
SPEAKER: Beth Sheppard and Diane Smith
Chinuk Wawa is an Indigenous language of our region which is being revitalized as the community language of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the Chinook Indian Nation. Since 2006, it is also offered as a college class via Lane Community College. The college language program has played many roles, helping tribal language workers to build their proficiency, helping Indigenous students connect to their ancestral language, providing a starting point for further study of other Indigenous languages, and introducing non-Indigenous students to elements of the language, cultures, and issues of Native people in our region.
This lecture happens at the Corvallis Museum.
Registration required. These lectures are free to the public, thanks to the support of our generous Historical Society donors and members like you! Please use the ticket link to reserve your seat, as space is limited.
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For accommodation related to a disability, please contact Anya Ballinger at education@bentoncountymuseums.org
Suggested donation of $5-10. If you are interested in sponsoring a future lecture series at the museum, please contact Brenna Destito Chapman at development@bentoncountymuseums.org
About the presenters
Beth Sheppard has been a language teacher for over 20 years. She currently teaches at Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. Her work with Chinuk Wawa at LCC has included studying the language in 2008, assisting a teacher in 2010-2013, and teaching first and second year classes since 2018.
As a non-Indigenous person, Beth has seen her role in this program as a steward and bridge, passing the program through to its next teachers.
Diane Smith is a Native American of Molalla, Wasco, Chinook, Klamath and metis heritage and a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. She has been deeply involved in the cultural and community life of Grand Ronde since the Tribe’s restoration in 1983, dedicating herself to preserving and sharing the traditions of her people.
Diane developed a passion for the Chinuk Wawa language beginning in the early 2000s, when she first studied with Tony Johnson, now the Chair of the Chinook Indian Nation. She later continued her studies at Lane Community College, completing two years of coursework, and has been teaching Chinuk Wawa there since 2023, helping new learners connect with the language of this region.
In addition to her language work, Diane is an accomplished Native American artist, specializing in beadwork and traditional regalia. She is equally committed to education and outreach, frequently presenting on Northwest Native history and culture in community settings, including programs at Mary’s Peak and the Cedar Mill Library, among others.
