YAHAW

Yoga and Healing Arts Wellness

Suhndahi

"Blessings" in the Western Shoshone Newe language

About YAHAW

Yahaw means Groundhog in the Shoshone Language (Newe Degwah). A Groundhog is also known as a Woodchuck. They are furry squirrel-like animals that live underground throughout North America. Yahaw had an important role in my Ancestor's lives as it was one of the first Indigenous foods. Groundhogs also have an important role in the ecosystem and do a great job at aerating the Earth's soil. Mother Earth's soil needs to breathe too and Yahaw helps make that possible by burrowing paths underground to live in. Yahaw live in solitude their whole lives unless it's mating season or they have young groundhogs to look after. Much like other animals Groundhogs are very in tune with the changing Seasons and know when it's time to retreat underground into its burrow during the colder months to rest and rejuvenate til Spring time. Yahaw is a great teacher, reminding us that it's important to rest, that our healing journey, whatever that may look like is our own, it's something that only we can do for ourselves. The healing journey may feel lonely sometimes, there might be a lot of dirt to sift through, some deep groundwork to do, but we can rise up out of it to see the Sun shine another day and that when we heal,

Mother Earth heals.

There are several different dialects of the Newe Degwah (Shoshone Language) and spellings of the word Yahaw. My Shoshone speaking Elders taught me that originally our language was not written with English letters and that I should spell the words the way they phonetically sound to help me learn the first language of my Newe (pronounced New-whuh) Ancestors. Reconnecting with my Ancestral language has been a part of mine and my Ancestors' healing journey. Both of my Maternal Great Grandparents were fluent Shoshone Language speakers and Residential Indian School Survivors. My Great Grandparents did not teach the language to their children, grandchildren, or great grandchildren as it was banned in the schools and made illegal by the U.S. Government to practice our traditional ways until the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was signed in 1978.