Moses helps students take language back

Jeremiah Moses Jr. offers Shawano Community High School students the opportunity he wished he’d been given. The first-generation descendant of the Menominee Nation graduated from SCHS in 2020 without having the chance to study his people’s language. This academic year, he is ensuring current high schools will be able to do so. “I attended K-12 in the Shawano School District,” Moses shared. “For a majority of my childhood and adolescent years, I only knew a handful of Menominee words that my parents remembered from when they were younger. I felt embarrassed to ask others, because I felt like I was supposed to know these things already.” During his junior year, a College of Menominee Nation recruiter extended the invitation Moses had been waiting to hear. “I learned that CMN offered a course I could take for college credit,” Moses said. “I went there every week over the spring 2019 semester. As I learned, I felt pride in myself and my ancestors that I never knew I could feel. I took a second language class in the fall semester.” Moses’ first steps on his language journey had an immediate impact. “My grades in high school really saw a big improvement from my knowing myself better,” he said. “I really owe a māēc-wāēwāēnen — big thanks — to my teacher, Jennifer Gauthier. She helped me find the door to our culture and to myself.” After his high school graduation, Moses continued to build upon his linguistic skills as a full-time student at CMN. “I used the language in projects at CMN, with other language speakers, and I still try to incorporate it into everything I do,” Moses said. Moses’ efforts did not go unnoticed. Inspiring a change from the tribal legislature, in June 2024, he became the first descendant to both attempt and pass the Menominee Language and Culture Commission test certifying him as a teacher of the language. Moses’ journey to the front of the Shawano classroom began this past summer. “My mom was having a conversation with Joel Doxtator, the Title VI high school liaison, and the conversation happened to come to the subject of Indigenous language,” he said. “When Joel heard I was a certified teacher, he expressed his interest in beginning a Menominee language class as an after-school program at Shawano.” After taking a few months to work out the details, Moses held his first class with 15 Menominee students in November. Meeting on Wednesdays in the World Languages Hall from 2-3:30 p.m. each week, Moses explained his classroom is a welcoming space for learners. “I want my Menominee students to recognize that not knowing our language is not your fault. Federal polices tried to take it from us, but we can take it back,” he said. “Most of the language that we cover is vocab-based, with bits of grammar worked in. I try to teach what is most relevant to the time of the year. Most recently we covered clothing items, because it’s good to bundle up when it’s cold out. “The class is open to anyone. As of right now, all the students are Menominee, but anyone in the high school can come to the class. Everyone is encouraged to come and gain more cultural understanding about Menominee people. That includes SSD staff, if their schedule is open.” When not teaching for his alma mater, Moses is working on an associate degree in education at CMN. Having already earned an associates of applied science in liberal studies, Moses said, “For my educational goals, I would really like to pursue a bachelor’s in linguistics or history. The Integrated Studies in Sustainability Program at CMN looks very interesting as well.” What’s certain for now is that Moses is committed to teaching his students the lessons that he wished he’d had. “A consistent Menominee language class like this, during or after school, has never been offered at Shawano,” he said. “Native American students are about one-fourth of the 2,100 students. This class is the first step in providing an opportunity for 500 Omāēqnomenēwak (Menominee people) to learn more about our language, our history and our culture.” For Menominee students attending SCHS, Moses’ course is a wish come true. Moses helps students take language back Jeremiah Moses Jr. explains the inflection of snowshoes to his students at Shawano Community High School. Jericho Moses Ryan Winn, Ph.D., teaches communications, English, history and theater at the College of Menominee Nation. Visit www.menominee.edu for more information about the school.