Puppetry and Preservation: Revitalizing Kanienkeha:ka on Public Access Children's TV
T\xf3ta T\xe1non Ohkw\xe1:ri, a children\u2019s TV show produced entirely in Kanien\u2019keh\xe1:ka, has been broadcasting on public access television on the Mohawk Nation territory of Kahnaw\xe0:ke for more than a decade.
The show, which includes live-action puppetry and animation, tells the story of Bear, a boy who learns about his community's traditions through the guidance of his Grandmother. There's also talking corn, squash and peas. It's pretty great.
But behind the felt and fun, with fewer than 200 Kanien\u2019keh\xe1:ka speakers out of a population of 8000 on Kahnaw\xe0:ke, there is an urgency to the show's mission.
In this conversation, Ricochet\u2019s Yasmin Hotter Yishay speaks with T\xf3ta T\xe1non Ohkw\xe1:ri\u2019s lead director and puppeteer Konwan\xe9nhon Marion Delaronde about her 13 years with the show and what her work has taught her about the importance of language preservation efforts.
For new and archived episodes of T\xf3ta T\xe1non Ohkw\xe1:ri, subscribe to the Kanien\u2019keh\xe1:ka Onkwaw\xe9n:na Raotiti\xf3hkwa Language and Cultural Center channel on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUvYaGVSOnzfNrEuOumOAZw