"How We Got Our Hands" is an oral story told by Marie in the film. Give students a note-taking sheet and ask them to write down their thoughts and questions while watching the film. Indigenous peoples speak three-quarters of these languages. Our Indigenous language revitalization programs, offered in collaboration with the Department of Linguistics and the Division of Continuing Studies, seek to support communities to retain and revive their own language. Like all languages, the Eskaleut languages have a history. A language tells who you are. Download the Toolkit here. If children’s home language is English, exposure to English as described in 45 CFR § 1302.31(b)(2)(i) and (ii) is not required. The centerpiece of this website is a collection of thirty digital stories about culture and language made by community members. Language Revitalization. Individuals, linguists, and organizations are developing ways to celebrate, revitalize, and preserve Native languages and cultures. In partnership with our colleagues at Wikitongues, we have identified a set of best practices for launching your own language revitalization project. A total of 4,350 questionnaires were mailed out to heads of families. Canadian Indigenous Languages and Literacy Development Institute (CILLDI) Indigenous Language Institute 4.7: Sustainable development and global citizenship. Why? UN. We are working on speech- and text-based technologies that aim to assist the stabilization, revitalization and reclamation of Indigenous languages by supporting Indigenous language educators and students, promoting the accessibility of audio recordings, and supporting Indigenous language translators, transcribers and other language professionals. Without additional resources and interest, I fear the language, in any meaningful form, may soon exist only in Ms. Wilcox’s dictionary. The 2016 Our Language grants will help to fund the following efforts: Describe the language revitalization efforts in each film. Many projects which report on the use of multimedia tools in language revitalization (Hinton 2001; Manning, Jansz, and Indurkhya 2001;Kroskrity 2002;Canger 2002;De Korne et al. He learned that Jennifer is regularly teaching Wukchumni classes to members of the community. How has the revitalization and preservation of Wukchumni become a collective effort across multiple generations? What has changed since Marie created the Wukchumni dictionary? We couldn't find the page you were looking for. Language and Technology. The Indigenous Languages Component (formerly known as the Aboriginal Languages Initiative) supports the reclamation, revitalization, maintenance, and strengthening of Indigenous languages through community-driven activities. Provide students with follow-up activities and resources to explore current events and updates to the story. 1. Ask students to share their responses with the class. Language Revitalization Program Overview Due to the rapidly decreasing health of creative and fluent Native language speakers, the Native languages within the Doyon region are not being passed on quickly enough to ensure its survival. Marie Wilcox is taking action and advocating for the future of her language and culture. Projects should be initiated by people who are interested in or active in the revitalization of a First Nations' language. Ms. Wilcox has also recorded an oral version of the dictionary, including traditional Wukchumni stories like the parable “How We Got Our Hands,” featured in the film. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Tell students they will use a map from Native Land Digital to learn the Indigenous history and geography of where they live. This means that radical projects explore how varying forms of … The term “revitalization” refers to strengthening a language by bringing it to a new generation of language learners. Cultural historian Larry Swalley from the Lakota tribe said, “The language, the whole culture of the Lakota, comes from the song of our heartbeat. To learn more about how cookies are used, please visit our, Touring, Promotions/Marketing and Performance Initiatives, Indigenous Cultural Heritage Infrastructure Grant – UHI. How does their family use language to document parts of their culture? It has been pointed out that there has only been one … Read “The World’s Indigenous Languages in Context” for an overview of the causes of language loss as well as language revitalization efforts taking place worldwide. In the United States, many Native American languages are struggling to survive— with 75 languages considered "critically endangered," according to UNESCO. While we offer on-campus Indigenous Education courses, we also offer our programs directly within individual language communities. Eskaleut language endangerment coinc… Language revival and language revitalization are attempts to preserve endangered languages, and that is precisely what our website project is about. Through training and mentorship, it has supported Ms. Wilcox’s work for several years. 5. Watch our films on your phone, tablet, or connected TV. This volume is a set of detailed accounts about the kind of work that is going on now as people struggle for their linguistic survival. _____ By using a teaching model develo… Five years after filming Marie’s Dictionary, Marie and her family share how they continue to teach Wukchumni classes to members of their community. Oral storytelling has been a part of the human experience for thousands of years, providing a way for language to be remembered without documentation. Ask students: How would you rank the aspects of culture in order of importance to keep a culture alive? The Language Revitalization Lab (LRL) prioritizes community-based language revitalization. Language revitalization, also referred to as language revival or reversing language shift, is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one. Language Advocacy and Awareness. Why do you think Marie’s story is meaningful? We did a survey of tribal members concerning their interest in learning the Lenape language. [1] Endangered languages preserve priceless cultural heritage. © 2020 First Peoples' Cultural Council - All Rights Reserved. Which cultural values and traditions are reflected in oral storytelling? How is language an essential element in keeping a culture alive? Recognize people in society whose language and cultural heritage is at risk. Out of the 60+ reported languages, they can be grouped into 12 distinct language families, with three groups accounting for nearly two-thirds of all language speakers – Cree, Inuktitut, and Ojibwe. Provide a description of the proposed activities and a timeline for the grant proposal implementation, including a plan for continuation and growth of the program beyond the grant. Today, it is estimated that fewer than 200 Wukchumni remain. Since language revitalization is an emerging field, its theoretical foundations as well as its models of practice are still developing. 3. She spent more than seven years working on the dictionary and she continues to refine and update the text. Intended for the educator, this section provides information about the story as well as an overview of language loss and Indigenous language revitalization efforts. What part of Marie’s story had the most impact on you? Language Revitalization We’re helping activists kickstart their language revitalization projects If you’re a linguist or linguist-in-training and would like to volunteer as an advisor or mentor, please write to hello@wikitongues.org. How are Marie’s daughter Jennifer and her great-grandson Donovan helping to preserve the Wukchumni language? Each story, like Marie’s Dictionary, documents Native families and communities in California and their efforts to revitalize their languages. Through her hard work and dedication, she has created a document that will support the revitalization of the Wukchumni language for decades to come. How might Marie’s dictionary impact her culture for future generations? UNESCO. We have an additional satellite office at Tk’emlups within the traditional territory of the Secwepemc people. Illustrate how language is an integral element of culture. (Note: a teacher’s guide, The Land You Live On, explains how to use the website and provides additional activities. Intended for both educators and students. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. From declared war on tribal nations, genocide, and forced assimilation, to more hidden systems of oppression, centuries of European colonization have contributed to widespread loss of Indigenous life and culture, including language. “Stories are for people what water is for plants,” said Chicasaw writer and poet Linda Hogan. What language(s) do your parents and grandparents speak? We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. To date, Marie has spent more than thirteen years working on the dictionary. Let students know that there are subtitles at the bottom of the screen in some parts of the film. The Wukchumni are a non-federally recognized tribe that are part of the broader Yokuts tribal group native to Central California. The Cherokee Language Revitalization Project Published Honored Fall 2005. The revitalization of the Wompanoag language is being heralded by some as the first case in which an extinct language has been successfully revitalized in the United States. Students can ask family members at home and bring back ideas to class. SDG 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. What questions or comments do you have for Marie? Write responses on the board. For Ms. Wilcox, the Wukchumni language has become her life. Ask students: What does the word culture mean? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Why do you think the dictionary is important to her? Each personal story shares insights into the barriers to language learning and cultural … [^]. Language revitalization activities for Indigenous communities are varied and diverse. What do you think it would be like to be Marie, the last speaker of her language? Those involved can include parties such as linguists, cultural or community groups, or governments. Ask students to write their notes (or one-word descriptions and/or phrases) about the film on each poster, pairing words and phrases that are relevant to each theme. As a whole group, discuss what students ranked as most important and why. It’s a feeling, it’s a prayer, it’s a thought, it’s an emotion—all of these things are in the language.” Many Indigenous phrases and songs do not directly translate into English or other languages. Would you feel a sense of responsibility to preserve your language? Many of these at-risk languages are found in my home state of California. I met her through the Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival, an organization that encourages the revival of languages like Wukchumni. Few seem able to dedicate the time needed to learn Wukchumni and become fluent speakers. Although Wukchumni is now being taught to tribe members at a local career center, the language still struggles to gain traction and move beyond a rudimentary level. Many publications are devoted to the fundamental task of increasing the knowledge base by reporting on revitalization projects on specific languages, often in specific communities. The significance of language and Indigenous language vitality. Update According to UNESCO, more than 130 of these languages are currently at risk, with 75 languages considered “critically endangered.” These languages preserve priceless cultural heritage, and some hold unexpected value—nuances in these languages convey unparalleled knowledge of the natural world. Ms. Wilcox’s tribe, the Wukchumni, is not recognized by the federal government. Five years after filming Marie’s Dictionary, the director returned to visit Marie at her home in Visalia, California and made the film Wukchumni (15 minutes). And Ms. Wilcox isn’t slowing down. Such language preservation and revitalization efforts may include full immersion in the tribal language for the majority of the hours of planned class operations. Make a list of the similarities and differences between the revitalization efforts documented in. Some examples might include one of grandma’s well-loved recipes, a family song, or a story that wasn’t written down. Media. One alternative to regular note-taking is to have students think of one word or a short phrase which depicts what they are thinking and feeling as they view the film. Now for some, only a few fluent speakers remain. How would you feel about being the last known speaker of your language? “The World’s Indigenous Languages in Context”, 2019 | International Year of lndigenous Languages, Advocates for Indigenous California Language Survival, "One World, Many Voices: Endangered Languages Story Map.". Students will write a letter to Marie Wilcox. Marie lives in Visalia, California, located in the Central Valley. Language, Culture and Art. Have students discuss their own cultures and begin naming different aspects of those cultures including food, arts, crafts, stories, songs, dances, and languages. In this filmmaker’s statement from director Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, learn more about Marie Wilcox and the intentions and choices made in the film Marie’s Dictionary. After viewing the film, ask students the following questions: Put four pieces of poster paper around the room. Next. If you’re worried about the future of your language, our toolkit is a great place to start. It is connected with your culture, with your lands, with your family. Language Revitalization. ), Explain to students that the intention of this online platform, created and maintained by Natives, is to “plant a seed of consciousness in users that will cause them to think more critically and comprehensively about Indigenous history, especially where they live...”. As they watch the film, direct students to note that for seven years, Marie created a Wukchumni dictionary. After watching the film, ask students to write a paragraph in response to the following questions: Divide students into groups. Watch the film Marie’s Dictionary (10 minutes). Language Materials. The Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Reauthorization Act would reauthorize two grant programs that support projects to preserve and revitalize Native languages in tribal communities: the Native American Languages Preservation and Maintenance (P&M) grant program and the Esther Martinez Initiative (EMI) grant program, provide opportunities for tribal communities to assess, plan, … "Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger." Sign up or log in to save your favorite stories and lessons, create custom collections, and share with others. Marie Wilcox with her daughter, Jennifer Malone. Before European contact, as many as 50,000 Yokuts lived in the region, but those numbers have steadily diminished. Oops, sorry. She created a dictionary in order to keep the Wukchumni language alive. Ask students: Do you know the Indigenous territory that you live on? Marie’s Dictionary tells the story of Marie Wilcox, a Native American woman who is the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni. This website uses 'cookies' to enhance the usability of its website and provide you with the best experience on our website. Throughout the United States, many Native American languages are struggling to survive. Language revitalization is prefigurative in that it restores languages to a community and the world before broad-scale transformation has taken place, as a model of how the world could and should be. They also support community identity, Native systems of kinship, and management of community, cultural and natural resources. It’s not something that can quickly be put into words. Update your browser to view this website correctly. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 2019 | International Year of lndigenous Languages. 4. As he writes, “a group is a variable, not a constant; it cannot be presupposed” (Brubaker 2004, 4). As many as 50,000 Yokuts lived in the region before European contact, but numbers have greatly diminished. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Language revitalization, also referred to as language revival or reversing language shift, is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one. Explain to students that without language, many of the other important aspects of culture and traditions have the potential to lose meaning and might go dormant, or become inactive, altogether. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. of the project and provide a baseline against which progress will be measured. This year’s funded projects represent many different aspects of language revitalization, from documentation to curriculum development to summer camp activities. Ask students: What actions can you take to help preserve your own family traditions? Although several linguists documented the grammar of the Wukchumni language in the 20th century, Ms. Wilcox’s dictionary is the longest work of its kind. Along with her daughter Jennifer Malone, she travels to conferences throughout California and meets other tribes who also struggle with language loss. Now 12 of these languages have gone extinct and 13 are classified as endangered, including Olusuba [2]. Understand the importance of Indigenous language revitalization. Explore the website further to discover more about the Indigenous territory, language, and culture. Language revitalization should be a collaborative effort that involves dedication by First Nations community members. The Kingston Indigenous Languages Nest invites you to engage in language revitalization with Dibajimowin: Urban Indigenous Languages Revitalization Project. Language Education. Connections to National Curriculum Standards and Frameworks, Indigenous Language Revitalization in California, Cultural Heritage: Recording a Native Language Dictionary. Intended for the educator, this section provides information about the story as well as an overview of language loss and Indigenous language revitalization efforts. Write the following themes at the top of the poster papers: Empathy, Preservation, Language, and Culture. The following resources are provided as templates for protocol documents for projects involving linguists, anthropologists, or other academics who may wish to do research in aboriginal communities. Polina Shulbaeva, Selkup, Narym Dialect, Tomsk Oblast, Russia. Language retention and revitalization programs have been recognized as providing key benefits to Native American communities by boosting educational achievement and student retention rates. Some argue for a distinction between language revival and language revitalization. National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies (NCSS) Themes. Is there a traditional recipe, craft, family story or phrase that they could share? Students watch a film about a Native American woman, Marie Wilcox, who is the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni. Today, it is estimated that fewer than 200 Wukchumni remain. The pronunciation of the language, including intricate accents, will be preserved, which will assist future learners of the language. Before watching the film, introduce students to the story and provide specific tasks of observation. These templates are intended as a starting point for you to work from to develop your own protocol documents. Ask students to type in their location to learn the territory in which they live on. Before viewing the film, ask students: What do you think it means to be a fluent speaker of a language? Tell students that they will watch a short film called Marie’s Dictionary. This section features information, articles and useful links regarding Indigenous language revitalization. Language Revitalization & Research Projects - Sample Documents. Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language. Project History: In 1997 we received a Planning Grant from the ANA (Administration for Native Americans). These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. UNESCO estimates that half of the 7,000 living languages spoken today will disappear if nothing is done to preserve them. my browser now. They have experienced evolution, whether through contact and change or through internal developments, and they are subject to decline. How does language impact one’s identity and culture? Grantee: Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Project Description: The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana intends to increase the number of certified Tunica language instructors from three to six over a three-year period which will lead to increased capacity for additional language classes. In what ways are stories meaningful? First Peoples’ Cultural Council is grateful to have our home in the beautiful traditional unceded territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation people, in the village of W̱JOȽEȽP. Before heading to Guatemala, the group spent a week on campus, studying K’iche’, digging into research on the benefits of bilingualism, and learning about Mayan culture. Why or why not? Encourage students to examine the themes and issues raised in the story. As students watch the film, ask them to observe how important it is for Marie to preserve the Wukchumni language. Olusuba is an indigenous language that has been pushed out by the policies governing language in schools and other … The language is now being taught to tribe members at a local career center, yet the language still struggles to gain traction and move beyond an elementary level. Students engage in learning activities to explore the cultural element of language and to consider the impacts of language loss and language revitalization efforts on Native communities. First, language revitalization movements are about “groupness,” to use a term coined by Rogers Brubaker to describe how groups are always collective projects. However, even these three larger groups of languages only have around 20,000 speakers each, less than the population of a small city. Why is Indigenous language revitalization important? Use Google Earth or a map to show students this location. It is part of the broader Yokuts tribal group native to Central California. Discuss the notes students took. [^], 2. The current circumstances, however, are not normal, and the majority of Arctic Indigenous languages, including the Eskaleut languages with which I work, are severely endangered. Our leadership and staff are honoured to travel, conduct our work and provide support throughout Indigenous homelands across what is now called British Columbia and beyond. Like most Native Americans, the Wukchumni did not write their language until recently. In response to this crisis, indigenous communities around the world have begun to develop a myriad of projects to keep their languages alive. Although several linguists documented the grammar of the Wukchumni language in the 20th century, Ms. Wilcox’s dictionary is the longest work of its kind. Report Published Spring 2006 by Honoring Nations In 2002, the Cherokee Nation carried out a survey of its population and found no fluent Cherokee speakers under the age of 40. Status: Active Overview. How might language revitalization and preservation efforts contribute to the story of humanity? According to the UN, it is estimated that half of the world’s 7,000 living languages will disappear by 2100 if nothing is done to preserve them.[2]. There are many great examples of language revitalization projects happening around the world right now. (Note for educators: Just as quotes from a book or text are used to prove an analytical thought, students use the film to justify their reasoning.). For seven years, she created a dictionary in order to keep her language and culture alive. How is each community or family revitalizing their language? But if life under the pandemic is frequently characterized by anxiety and loneliness, communal language revitalization projects go some way … Receive our free lesson plan of the week, stories, and more straight to your inbox. The Importance of Indigenous Language Revitalization. Assign each group (or have students choose) one of the following films to watch: Karuk (21 minutes), Tolowa Dee-ni’ (17 minutes), or Recording Kawaiisu (16 minutes). At Middlebury, Baird won a Gladstone Award for Excellence in Teaching to support the January Mayan language revitalization project and began working with students last fall. "2019 | International Year of lndigenous Languages." Preserving the Wukchumni language has become Marie Wilcox's life. The film is about Marie Wilcox, a Native American woman who is the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni. Worldwide, speakers of endangered languages are increasingly spearheading remarkable efforts with technology, education, community organization, and other strategies. Challenge students to consider the story’s broader implications and to integrate their knowledge and ideas from various points of view. How do you think Marie feels about her language? The following texts highlight Native voices and are recommended by teachers who are currently using Marie’s Dictionary in their classrooms: Marie Wilcox is the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni and created a dictionary to keep her language alive. There is an urgent need to promote and foster language opportunities for non-speakers. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Explain to students that they will need to read those as well as listen. Language Research and Linguistics. Ask students to respond to the following questions in their letters: Ask students to choose an aspect of their own language(s) for further exploration. Have students complete the ranking in groups. Ask students to consider their own language(s) with the following questions: Explain to students that there are about 7,000 known languages spoken around the world and that this number decreases each year. This short documentary tells the story of Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language, and the dictionary she has created. The Lenape Language Preservation Project. Engage students with this exercise before introducing the story. About the Project. These cookies do not store any personal information. Previous. In Kenya at one point 56 different indigenous languages were spoken [2]. Under normal circumstances, these stages would be seen as ordinary in the history of languages. Northwest Indian Language Institute. (1-2 paragraphs). Ask students to discuss the following questions in their groups and prepare to share their responses with the class: Marie Wilcox's family combines learning the Wukchumni language along with traditional Wukchumni skills. Those involved can include parties such as linguists, cultural or community groups, or governments. Marie’s Dictionary tells the story of Marie Wilcox, a Native American woman who is the last fluent speaker of Wukchumni. Edited by Teresa L. McCarty, Sheilah E. Nicholas and Gillian Wigglesworth. As a child, Marie spoke Wukchumni with her grandmother and much later, recorded words from memory to create the dictionary. Three main areas of focus drive this work: archive-based research for the revitalization of awakening languages, revitalization of Indigenous languages in diaspora and the development of inclusive scholarly literature on language revitalization. Their participation helps to overcome certain limitations common to revitalization projects, such as the failure to recognize communities’ actual needs or the undervaluing of local attitudes towards language revitalization. At a rapid rate, Indigenous languages around the world are becoming endangered. Of the 800+ Amerindian languages, five hundred are endangered or worse. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. How does the language(s) you speak allow you to express who you are? With her hard work, Marie hopes that her dictionary will support the revitalization of the Wukchumni language for future generations.