1. Volneys list, translated in the
French language in 1857 *recommended
English language in 1968
2. John Heckewelder
1792(?) Monrovian Missionary to Delaware. Was given as being Shawnee taken by a Captive Woman but was
more closely Miami/Illinois
3. William Thornton
1802, taken from Chief Little Turtle and William Wells. This was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to be done to
supplement Volneys list.
4. Charles Trowbridge, Assistant Secretary Indian Dept. Great Lakes. Is known to be
The only in depth ethnographic material on traditional culture. Most of the linguistic material remains unpublished.
5. Joseph Kerr, First documentation of the Wea dialect and was first to be done by a
Protestant Missionary. It was the First Wea Reading Book, published by the Shawanoe Baptist Mission, Indian
Territory by J. Meeker, 1835. Less accurate than those in the Wea Primer and it could be that the students did
not even recognize some of it.
6. Anonymous Author 1837 produced by Protestant Missionaries, the author is thought to be John Fleming, a
missionary who worked among the Wea for about
A year.
7. Charles Handy, word list collected and published in Schoolcraft Kansas 1852
8. Albert Gatschet, list of kinship schedules published by Lewis Morgan in 1871.
That is from different dialects, Miami, Peoria, Piankashaw, Kaskaskia and Wea.
9. Jacob Dunn, A lawyer and writer that lived in Indiana and started to work with the Miami around 1906. Most
of the speakers died leaving him to only complete his work to the middle of the letter B.
T here is many more that are not listed here that have studied our language along with the languages of many
other tribes.
2005 - 2020 Wea Indian Tribe of Indiana, inc., All rights reserved.
Web design by the Wea Indian Tribe of Indiana
French language in 1857 *recommended
English language in 1968
2. John Heckewelder
1792(?) Monrovian Missionary to Delaware. Was given as being Shawnee taken by a Captive Woman but was
more closely Miami/Illinois
3. William Thornton
1802, taken from Chief Little Turtle and William Wells. This was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson to be done to
supplement Volneys list.
4. Charles Trowbridge, Assistant Secretary Indian Dept. Great Lakes. Is known to be
The only in depth ethnographic material on traditional culture. Most of the linguistic material remains unpublished.
5. Joseph Kerr, First documentation of the Wea dialect and was first to be done by a
Protestant Missionary. It was the First Wea Reading Book, published by the Shawanoe Baptist Mission, Indian
Territory by J. Meeker, 1835. Less accurate than those in the Wea Primer and it could be that the students did
not even recognize some of it.
6. Anonymous Author 1837 produced by Protestant Missionaries, the author is thought to be John Fleming, a
missionary who worked among the Wea for about
A year.
7. Charles Handy, word list collected and published in Schoolcraft Kansas 1852
8. Albert Gatschet, list of kinship schedules published by Lewis Morgan in 1871.
That is from different dialects, Miami, Peoria, Piankashaw, Kaskaskia and Wea.
9. Jacob Dunn, A lawyer and writer that lived in Indiana and started to work with the Miami around 1906. Most
of the speakers died leaving him to only complete his work to the middle of the letter B.
T here is many more that are not listed here that have studied our language along with the languages of many
other tribes.
2005 - 2020 Wea Indian Tribe of Indiana, inc., All rights reserved.
Web design by the Wea Indian Tribe of Indiana
of Indiana
The Wea Language
As many of our brothers and sisters we began to search for our language around 1999. This lead
us to The Wea Interpreter by John White, a compilation of words from the Wea Primer, this began
our journey back to our language, here you will see the Wea Primer and First Reading Book, also
the first page of Little Turtle and William Wells translations of our language. And of course the
Wea Interpreter. You will also See a list following these images listing the different persons that
have cataloged, collected, documented material on our language as well as others. We hope this
sheds some information on our language and the differences in the languages between tribes and
why. We would like to thank Mr. Costa for sending us copies of these books and to those that sent
us the copies of the Little Turtle and William Wells whom still remain unknown, also to John White
who published his works on the language and to which we have copies of also. To all the ones
who are working to bring back the language that was lost, stolen or taken away we commend you
and pray for you to continue on the good work. Also to the Miami in Peru, Indiana for sharing their
language camp with us.
us to The Wea Interpreter by John White, a compilation of words from the Wea Primer, this began
our journey back to our language, here you will see the Wea Primer and First Reading Book, also
the first page of Little Turtle and William Wells translations of our language. And of course the
Wea Interpreter. You will also See a list following these images listing the different persons that
have cataloged, collected, documented material on our language as well as others. We hope this
sheds some information on our language and the differences in the languages between tribes and
why. We would like to thank Mr. Costa for sending us copies of these books and to those that sent
us the copies of the Little Turtle and William Wells whom still remain unknown, also to John White
who published his works on the language and to which we have copies of also. To all the ones
who are working to bring back the language that was lost, stolen or taken away we commend you
and pray for you to continue on the good work. Also to the Miami in Peru, Indiana for sharing their
language camp with us.
LITTLE TURTLE
BY THORNTON
BY THORNTON
WILLIAM WELLS
| FOR OUR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO COME! |
JOHN WHITE