Itsekiri Language I — FoundationsÌwẹrẹ.
Build a working foundation of spoken and written Ìwẹrẹ. Greetings, grammar, proverbs, and the cultural DNA of every word — taught live by a linguist with 22 years at the University of Lagos.
What you will learn.
Greetings & names
Mieyo, oma, and the courtesies of a people. Who greets whom, in what order, and why that order matters.
Sounds of Ìwẹrẹ
Tones and phonetics made simple. The three-tone system and how it carries meaning in everyday words.
Core grammar — part I
Subject, verb, object. Pronouns, simple sentences, and the spine of Ìwẹrẹ syntax.
Core grammar — part II
Verb tenses, yes/no questions, and the small function words that hold a sentence together.
Everyday conversation
Market, home, church, family. Build three 2-minute dialogues with your cohort partner.
Conversation in motion
Directions, transactions, asking for help. A full roleplay inside a Warri marketplace.
Proverbs & praise
Speak like an elder — carefully and with weight. Memorize three praise songs from home.
Capstone performance
Live recitation for family. Your instructor sits with a grandparent of your choice, and you speak.
What we expect, and what you will walk out with.
Prerequisites
- No prior Ìwẹrẹ required
- Ages 8 and up (children's track supported)
- Quiet space + laptop or tablet
- ~6 hours / week including practice
Outcomes
- Greet, introduce yourself, and hold a 5-minute conversation
- Read and write ~300 core vocabulary
- Recognize tonal shifts and four core verb forms
- Recite three proverbs to a grandparent (recorded, celebrated)
You learn from one person for the full term.
TBD
Lead Linguist · Foundation trackThe lead instructor for this course will be named when the first cohort opens at Convention 2026. The Foundation track is led by a senior Itsekiri linguist with multi-decade teaching credentials.