Awán Na? is a children's book that was created to introduce children or beginning readers to the Algonkian Y dialect and the idea of animacy and how it relates to Northeastern Woodland Indigenous Cultures.

It was against the law for indigenous peoples to speak their native tongues during the colonization of America. As a result, many indigenous languages in the USA have become nearly extinct. Awán Na? will be instrumental in helping to revitalize the Y dialect of the Algonkian language. This book speaks to the younger generation of learners that has proven to be adept at learning new language rules unconsciously, through passive exposure.

Indigenous peoples in my community often say that it is important for our peoples to learn our native tongues so that when we pray to Creator and speak to our ancestors we will be understood. In addition, I say that our language is the vessel that has carried our culture, traditions, heritage and history from the beginning of time to today. Learning our language will ground our people, rooting them in their historical relevance. Awán Na? is a means by which a very small but crucial portion of our language, the vessel of our cultural identity, will be carried.

Sadanyah Flowing Water is a member of the Montauk Tribe of Indians Council of Elders, serves as the Wolf Clan Mother for Sunksqá Wamôsut, and is the language keeper for her nation. She received a Master of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Hofstra University in Hempstead NY.

This grant will help fund the first physical print run of Awán Na?, as well as toward building a web page that readers can subscribe to help them pronounce the words in Awán Na?