Joe CoonHello, My name is Joe Coon. I am helping with this site- Mvskoke Hymns. Just a little something about
myself so you know where I come from and how I got to this point that I am able to share these Mvskoke native hymns with you. My mother and father both spoke the Mvskoke language. Both were lifelong members of Spring Baptist Church located west of Sasakwa, Oklahoma. Though the elders sang the hymns in church, I never bothered to learn the songs nor did I retain our language. I left home in 1967, but finally made it back home about 1980. I never cared about learning our Mvskoke hymns nor did I need or want to speak our language. Learning our hymns never really became something I wanted to do until an event in late 1999. My older brother lived in South Dakota and he had developed stomach cancer. My sisters and I went to visit him and when we arrived he was approaching his death. On his bed, he asked us to sing him some of our native hymns for him. I knew the song "Hallelujah" and my daughter had joined a Mvskoke hymn singing class for youth and I was learning along with her, "Momis komet". I was totally caught off guard and embarrassed and mad at myself for not knowing how to sing our hymns. On his death bed he wanted to hear the Mvskoke hymns! On the way home, I took a good look at myself and I was shamed by what I saw. He passed away, but I believe that was what was taken away from me because of my selfishness. After his funeral, I made a point to go to every place where I knew they sang our native hymns. Through much prayer and practice, I began to learn our native hymns. I have sang to a sister and brother on their last days and to many others who have requested to hear our native hymns. Through the native hymns, I have enjoyed a much closer walk with the Lord. I have undertaken the task to relearn my Mvskoke language also. I pray that these songs will touch you the same way it has touched me. May the Spirit of God be upon you. In Christian Love!! Joe Coon |