Learning from Each Other

I started the New Year by learning a new word: neepwaantiinki. It means “learning from each other” in the Myaamia tribal language. As a proud graduate of Miami University reading through the latest issue of the Miamian, I was intrigued by the relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and my alma mater. The Myaamia Center in Oxford, Ohio, is the focus of shared experiences determined to preserve both the culture and language of the Miami Tribe. The university and the Tribe have worked side by side during the last 50 years to revitalize the Myaamia language, create unity in diversity, and build a platform of mutual respect.

As I thought about neepwaantiinki, I realized how much that word means to me in both my personal life and my business. Soaking up the news each day, I consider myself a bit of a history buff, a relatively good listener, and a lifelong learner. At Cincinnati Food Tours, learning is constant, whether it is a cooking tip from a Findlay Market merchant, an historical note from a local writer, or a personal story from a tour guest. In fact, each of our tours introduces our guests to new foods and cultures. We are constantly learning from each other.

The start of a new year is always a good time to pause, but this year may take on extra significance as we begin 2022 in the shadow of a pandemic. Our nation’s political, moral, and even scientific differences seem to make all the headlines. Yet, I believe we are more alike than we admit. Let’s greet the New Year with neepwaantiinki. Let’s learn from each other as we continue aahpitesinki, or “going forward.”

Love and Honor! Happy New Year!