Loren Me’-lash-ne Bommelyn (born 1956) is a tradition bearer for the
Tolowa
The Tolowa people or Taa-laa-wa Dee-ni’ are a Native American people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethno-linguistic group. Two rancherias (Smith River and Elk Valley) still reside in their traditional territory in northwestern California. Tho ...
tribe. He has dedicated himself to preserving the traditional songs, language, and
basket
A basket is a container that is traditionally constructed from stiff fibers and can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehai ...
ry. He is the foremost ceremonial leader of the tribe, and its most prolific
basketweaver.
Bommelyn is an enrolled member of the
federally recognized
This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...
Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation
The Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation, previously known as Smith River Rancheria, is a federally recognized tribe of Tolowa people in Del Norte County, California.[Karuk
The Karuk people are an indigenous people of California, and the Karuk Tribe is one of the largest tribes in California. Karuks are also enrolled in two other federally recognized tribes, the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Ran ...]
, and Wintu. His mother,
Eunice Bommelyn Eunice Xash-wee-tes-na Henry Bommelyn (February 6, 1927 – April 23, 2012) was an American Tolowa cultural advocate, Tolowa language proponent, and tribal historian. Bommelyn was the last living person to speak Tolowa as a native first language; ...
, was a prominent tribal
genealogist
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
, Tolowa language proponent and cultural advocate.
He is a fluent speaker of the
Tolowa language and taught for many years at
Del Norte High School in
Crescent City, California
Crescent City (Tolowa: ''Taa-’at-dvn''; Yurok: ''Kohpey''; Wiyot: ''Daluwagh'') is the only incorporated city in Del Norte County, California; it is also the county seat. Named for the crescent-shaped stretch of sandy beach south of the city, ...
.
[Bibby, Brian. ''The Fine Art of California Indian Basketry.'' Sacramento: Crocker Art Museum, 1996: 51-52. .] He earned his master's degree in Linguistics from the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
. After years of studying with Tolowa elders, Bommelyn has published educational material about the Tolowa language. He played a role in convincing the
University of California
The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...
system to accept Native American languages as part of its entrance requirements for world language. He has advocated the use of the Tolowa language in modern technology, including
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
and
texting
Text messaging, or texting, is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or another type of compatible compute ...
.
[
Before retirement, Bommelyn taught at Taa-'at-dvn Indian Magnet Charter School in Crescent City with his wife Lena Bommelyn, who has also retired. Of his work at Taa-'at-dvn, Loren says, "It's important for students to know they can move about freely in American society and that they can be open and successful. We try to provide them opportunities for expansion and exploration."
As of 2012, Bommelyn's son, Pyuwa Bommelyn, is studying ]linguistics
Linguistics is the scientific study of human language. It is called a scientific study because it entails a comprehensive, systematic, objective, and precise analysis of all aspects of language, particularly its nature and structure. Linguis ...
at the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
to continue Tolowa language preservation efforts.[
]
Basketry
While women make most baskets among Northern California tribes, men traditionally weave open-work baskets with entire plant shoots. This requires both extreme physical strength and dexterity. Bommelyn specializes in these open-work, utilitarian baskets, especially those made with hazel shoots. He wove his first basket at the age of 12. Today he is known particularly for his work baskets and baby cradles.[
"There's a fancy part of the basket and a realistic part. You want to strive for perfection, but at the same time you want to make it for a function... I want my baskets to be used. The old Indians say that things like to be used, that when they aren't used they get lonesome."][
]
Awards
Bommelyn is a recipient of a 2002 National Heritage Fellowship
The National Heritage Fellowship is a lifetime honor presented to master folk and traditional artists by the National Endowment for the Arts. Similar to Japan's Living National Treasure award, the Fellowship is the United States government's h ...
awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal ...
, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. He was recognized for his work in preserving, practicing and promoting of Tolowa
The Tolowa people or Taa-laa-wa Dee-ni’ are a Native American people of the Athabaskan-speaking ethno-linguistic group. Two rancherias (Smith River and Elk Valley) still reside in their traditional territory in northwestern California. Tho ...
cultural traditions "including its language, native regalia, ceremonial dances and songs, and basketmaking.... He is today the single most knowledgeable individual of the indigenous language."
Published works
*Bommelyn, Loren. ''Now You're Speaking Tolowa.'' Arcata, California: Center for Indian Community Development, Humboldt State University, 1995. ASIN B0006QF9EA.
*Givón, T. and Loren Bommelyn. "The Evolution of De-Transitive Voice in Tolowa Athabaskan." ''Studies in Language''. 24:1, 2000: 41–76.
See also
*List of Native American artists
This is a list of visual artists who are Native Americans in the United States. The Indian Arts and Crafts Act of 1990 defines "Native American" as being enrolled in either federally recognized tribes or state recognized tribes or "an individual ...
*Visual arts by indigenous peoples of the Americas
Visual arts by indigenous peoples of the Americas encompasses the visual artistic practices of the indigenous peoples of the Americas from ancient times to the present. These include works from South America and North America, which includes ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bommelyn, Loren
1956 births
Living people
Tolowa people
Artists from California
Religious figures of the indigenous peoples of North America
People from Crescent City, California
Schoolteachers from California
Linguists from the United States
Native American basket weavers
Native American language revitalization
Linguists of Na-Dene languages
National Heritage Fellowship winners
Native American people from California