Copyright © 2000 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

This being a time of renewed interest in history and the rekindling of our roots, the words, "Days gone past" hold a special inspiration for me. Here is the place for all to learn.

James 'Bo' Taylor, Archivist at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, located in Cherokee, NC, on the Qualla Indian Reservation, (some call Boundary or Cherokee), has put together a very good resource on language.

As a self taught Cherokee Language student, surfing the web with my trusty "Cherokee-English Dictionary", it has been a hard learning as weeding out those people trying to gain a false respect by creating what I have termed as "pig Cherokee", making up words as they go. You can imagine how excited I was to be included in 'Bo' Taylor's endeavor.

Mr. Taylor does and excellent job at showing the Cherokee Language local to Big Cove, called the Giduwa or Middle dialect, along with the comparisons to the Western dialect and English. The best part of this, he keeps the lessons simple enough to show our children so we may take the learning experience together.

In the second posting of the group, "Introduction", James 'Bo' Taylor states, "The Cherokee Language is a vivid language and used correctly you will be able to see the world in a whole new light."

Mr. Taylor askes that the lessons are practiced and shared with others. This is a free service put together by himself, based on the lessons from his studies from a well known and respected Elder, Mr. Walker Calhoun. Any person interested in joining the class online, should send e-mail to James 'Bo' Taylor at the Museum of the Cherokee.

It was once told to me, "lose your language, lose yourself". I am proud and honored to share and take this learning experience from 'Bo' Taylor. I hope that our learning journey grows by leaps and bounds! So on that note I say Sgi, (thank you, in the Giduwa dialect).