Maria Hinton, a member of the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin, recently passed on to the spirit world. Maria was 103 years old and spent the last several decades of her life preserving and teaching her native language. “Anthropologists,” “sociologists” and “ethnolinguists” tell us that language is the embodiment of culture. Her family will testify that her life, her memories, her dedication to her heritage and her love of her family, friends and the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin drove her to do what she did during the last decades of her life. Maria’s legacy is a testament to the enduing spirit of the People of the Standing Stone and a validation of the scholar’s assertion that language is the primary way a culture passes its knowledge, history, tradition and beliefs on to the next generation. Maria & Amos and all the other elders (including my Grandpa Jonathan Johns & my Gramma Sadie Johns who were consulted frequently by Maria and Amos) will be honored when our children, grandchildren and future generations learn to speak the Oneida language. On a personal note, I mourn the loss of Maria even while I continue to mourn the loss of my Gramma & Grandpa, my father, Maria’s brother Amos, Maria’s sister - my Aunt Anna, and all of the elders who played an important role in bringing the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin to where we are today. I pray that the current membership of the Oneida Tribe remembers their dedication, their hopes and dreams, and their sacrifice for us all.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Aug 2013 02:39:16 +0000
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