August 9th, 2012 OAS Huronia Chapter Meeting Speaker: Prof. John Steckley

August 9th, 2012 OAS Huronia Chapter Meeting Speaker: Prof. John Steckley

Prof. John Steckley - "What it is like to be a Deer, a Snake, a Prairie Turtle....: Writing a clan-based history of the Wyandot." 

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 Dr. John L. Steckley is a Canadian scholar specializing in Native American Studies and the indigenous languages of the Americas.

Steckley has a Ph.D. in education from the University of Toronto. He has taught at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario since 1983.

Steckley is reportedly the last known speaker of the Wyandot (or Huron) language, which he has studied for over thirty years. He is also interested in place names as derived from indigenous languages, and aims to correct common misconceptions regarding the original derivations.

Steckley has become a deeply respected figure amongst the Wyandot. On his adoption into the Wyandot tribe in 1999, he was named Tehaondechoren ("he who splits the country in two"). He was also given the name "Hechon" by descendants of the Huron in Loretteville, Quebec City, while teaching them their own historical language. This was a name that had previously been given to Jean de Brébeuf (1593–1649), one of the North American Martyrs, by his Huron/Wyandot followers.

His 2007 Huron-English dictionary was the first book of its type for over 250 years to be published.

In 2007, Laval University received a federal grant of $1 million for development of its Huron-language teaching materials in collaboration with Steckley.

Meeting Details:

Meeting held at Huronia Museum on Aug. 9th at 7 pm, presentation open to the public, chapter business meeting which follows the presentation is open only to chapter members.

Huronia Museum  +  Native Village -- 549 Little Lake Park Rd. Midland, Ont.  (705) 526 2844