MLK PROGRAM 2016 – I UNIT 12 CELEBRATIONS

language policies entirely outlawed the use of native languages – for example, the Soviet-era
Taken from: http://firstpeoples.org/wp/celebrating-and-preserving-indigenous- “Russian-only” policies contributed to the loss of indigenous languages across Eurasia and even
created hybrid languages, such as Mednyi Aleut, which contains both Russian and Aleut languages
language/ features. In some cases, even without specific policies, native speakers transitioned to the dominant
language for the widespread utility and accompanying prestige of the “imperial” language.
First People Worldwide is one of the only international organizations led by
Indigenous Peoples and dedicated to the mission of promoting Indigenous National Geographic’s Enduring Voices project has done great work with recording and preserving
endangered languages. Their interactive map provides information on a variety of language “hot spots”
economic determination and strengthening Indigenous communities through around the world, as well as extensive information on preservation programs and linguistics
Celebrating and Preserving Indigenous Language!
specificities. National Geographic is also in the process of producing a number of talking dictionaries,
which allow users to explore recordings of several endangered languages, includingMatukar Panau, a
language in Papua New Guinea that prior to 2009 had never been written nor recorded,  Ho, spoken by
There are approximately 7,000 different languages spoken around the world today. That is
one million residents of India but incapable of being typed on a computer, and  Remo, an Indian
approximately 7,000 different collections of sounds and symbols developed by groups of people to
language that has been previously undocumented. Many indigenous languages are threatened
uniquely describe their daily lives, surroundings, emotions, needs, and experiences. These 7,000
because they do not exist in a written form, making it easier for certain words to be lost if not used
languages hold the capacity to build peace, negotiate understandings, spark conflict, create unions,
frequently. For example, when the !Kung people of Namibia and Botswana switched from a hunting
build families, tell jokes, raise children, practice spirituality, and pass on knowledge, lore, and tradition
and gathering lifestyle to cattle-herding, the traditional words used for hunting and gathering
to future generations. Of these 7,000 languages, 5,000 of them are spoken by indigenous peoples
knowledge fell into disuse. In Africa, 80 percent of the 2,000 different spoken languages have no
representing just 6 percent of total world population. Horrifically, 90 percent of these languages are in
written form.
danger of becoming extinct within the next one hundred years. One language dies every two weeks.
Languages are threatened when a population becomes victim to systems such as imperialism,
The danger of language loss is ecological as well as cultural. As National Geographic states, “much of
colonialism, global economic development, and militarism that emphasize the cultural dominance of
what humans know about nature is encoded only in oral languages. Indigenous groups that have
one group of people over another.  Language loss has always occurred as large groups come into
interacted closely with the natural world for thousands of years often have profound insights into local
contact with smaller groups, creating dominant and minority languages, but the rate at which
lands, animals, plants, and ecosystems – many still undocumented by science. The Tufa people of
languages have disappeared has accelerated rapidly over the past century. The loss of a language
Siberia, for example, are traditional reindeer herders. Their language, now spoken by only 30 elderly
represents the loss of much of that community’s cultural heritage, autonomy, power, and connectivity.
people, has extensive vocabulary for describing reindeer. The language of the Yami, residents of the
tiny Irala Island in south Taiwan, identifies over 450 different types of fish and strictly regulates which
First Peoples is proud to have partnered with Cultural Survival, a Massachusetts-based NGO, for fish may be consumed and by whom. Another fascinating example isKallawaya, a language spoken by
Proud to Be Indigenous Week. Cultural Survival, along with its many partners, works diligently to medicinal farmers in central South America. This language, used primarily to describe the medicinal
preserve Native American language through funding language-immersion programs, awareness- uses of local plants, has been kept secret, passed down only from father to son or grandfather to
raising, training teachers and leaders, and advocating for political support for language-preservation grandson. Many of these descriptive words have no translations in other languages.
programs. Cultural Survival feels that preserving native languages enhances the quality of life of both
individuals and entire communities. Their findings show that “when language is revived, it tends to lift Though the threat to native languages is severe, there are success stories. In 2002 the Mandi people
whole communities. Children’s performance in (and attendance at) school improves when their identity of Papua New Guinea met to collectively design an alphabet for their language,  Wiarumus, and have
is positively affirmed and enforced, and they tend to graduate and go on to college at much higher been actively promoting language use among their children since then. Native news networks such
rates.” Cultural Survival’s efforts focus on Native American languages. Originally, 300 different as Indigenous Peoples Issues and Resources and Vision Maker Media, two more Proud to Be
languages were spoken by 600 different tribes in North America; today, only about 139 Native Indigenous Week partners, support the belief that “cross-cultural communication, cooperation, and
languages remain. Of those languages, the vast majority are spoken only by middle-aged or elderly understanding – as well as easily accessible information and resources – is one of the keys to helping
adults. Only 20 of these languages are widely spoken by children, and 55 of them are spoken by only indigenous peoples maintain their language, culture, and identity,” and provide native-language new
1-6 people. When these speakers pass away, the language literally dies with them. stories, films, radio broadcasts, music, and more. Cultural Survival has launched two websites to
promote language preservation. The Language Gathering provides a common place for language
Cultural Survival attributes the rapid loss of Native languages in North America to the once-common programs to share their stories and seek advice from other groups, while Our Mother
practice of removing Native American children from their homes and placing them in Western-style, Tongues provides a wide array of educational material including native language e-postcards, a North
church-run boarding schools in order to forcibly “civilize” them. As Cultural Survival says, “If children American language map, and video recordings of native speakers. Some recent short film productions
dared to speak their languages at school, they were severely punished, and often beaten. When these such as Cry Rock and History is Unwritten have addressed issues pertaining to language preservation.
children grew up, they chose not to speak their indigenous language to their own children in order to It is critical that we protect and rehabilitate native languages around the world. Doing so is critical to
protect them from discrimination and abuse, and the languages began to die….taking with them tens strengthening individual communities as well as preserving the cultural diversity necessary for
of thousands of years of accumulated cultural heritage, sophisticated environmental understandings, maintaining a fascinating, complex, beautiful, and healthy world. Now is the time to speak up!
spiritual traditions, and a unique aspect of humanity.” Oklahoma is the most language-diverse region of
America, reflecting the United States’ brutal history of conflict with Native Americans – the languages
spoken in Oklahoma belong to both the original tribes of the state as well as the numerous tribes that
were forced to relocate to reservations there in the 1800s. In other areas of the world dominant