My research interests lie in the intersection of linguistics,
anthropology, and indigenous studies; specifically, I'm interested in
the many ways contemporary indigenous identity is negotiated through
language and broader semiotic systems in both rural (and/or
reservation) single tribal settings and multi-tribal contexts.
Chickasaw/ Chikashsha Anumpa:
Chickasaw
is a Western Muskogean
language most closely related to Choctaw, and distantly related to
Muskogee/Creek, Alabama, Seminole, and Mikasuki amoung others.
Originally spoken in Southeastern US, mainly Tennessee, Alabama, and
Georgia, Chickasaw is now spoken predominately in South Central
Oklahoma. Less than 100 speakers of Chickasaw currently remain, but we
have begun a number of programs Master/Apprentice program in conjunction with some
headstart immersion programs in an effort to increase that number.
Language Maintenance and Revitalization:
I'm interested in how indigenous
communities are responding to language shift, bi/multilinguistism, and
language loss, and how those responses both represent and shift
community dynamics and ideologies.
Two-Spirit:
Historically, over 200 indigenous
tribes in North America (and probably much more) had a 3rd, and
sometimes 4th, gender status. While some communities have maintained
recognition of these statuses (and the important roles they play in
their given societies) others are rediscovering this role. Contemporary
Two-Spirit groups are often pan-tribal (consisting of individuals from
several different nations), and can be found throughout the US. My
research seeks to explore how Two-Spirit individuals and communities
define themselves within and outside of their Native identities and
dominant ideologies of both ethnicity, gender, and sexuality.
