TAHLEQUAH – People of different civilizations all around the world hope their cultures and traditions will persist through the generations and allow them to share their knowledge and perspectives with others.
The Cherokee people are no different. But it only takes a brief scan of history to see that some cultures have vanished, leaving few traces beyond their existence. It is also readily apparent that once a language is lost, recovery of a culture is nearly impossible.
Today, the Cherokee people thrive, and they still retain the advantage of a living language – in written form thanks to the famous neographer Sequoyah. But the Cherokee tongue is in a tenuous state with less than 2,000 fluent first-language speakers, and preservation and expansion has been the goal of the Cherokee Nation’s Language Revitalization Plan.
“Preserving and revitalizing our Cherokee language is the most important task facing the modern Cherokee Nation,” said Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. “Without our native language, the Cherokee Nation would be robbed of the ceremonies and teachings that form the foundation of our values, families and communities. We are making significant strides in this area, but there is much more work to be done.”
Since 2019, the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act has created and enhanced an array of language programs and funded construction of the $20 million Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah.
The 2019 act also led to the opening of a second immersion school in the Adair County community of Greasy, quadrupled the size of the Cherokee Language Master/Apprentice Program, created a “speaker village” in Tahlequah, and established a new Speaker Services program to address quality of life issues for elders fluent in the language.
In early 2024, Hoskin signed a measure that made permanent the Durbin Feeling Language Preservation Act. It requires a minimum budget of $18 million for language conservation each year.
“It also created $35 million in new language capital projects, including a Cherokee language immersion middle school to extend enrollment and space for the current pre-K through eighth-grade language immersion program,” Hoskin said. “The legislation provides a formal designation of language campuses in Tahlequah and Greasy and a new language satellite office in Kenwood, and provides protection for more than 1,400 acres of trust land in Kenwood to be developed in the future as a new language campus.”
Language preservation also includes the Teacher Bridge, a competitive two-year program for Cherokee Language Master Apprentice Program graduates or advanced-level Cherokee speakers who wish to teach professionally. The curriculum includes second-language acquisition research, cultural teachings and post-graduate level academic articles on education, all translated into Cherokee.
“Generations of our ancestors had to protect our language and lifeways in any way possible against efforts to eradicate Native cultures,” Hoskin said. “Thankfully, today, we endeavor to show that language revitalization and perpetuation is possible. Working together, we are ensuring that our precious Cherokee language will not just survive, but thrive, for generations to come.”
Revitalization plans help preserve Cherokee language
ᏓᎵᏆ–ᏴᏫᏧᎾᏓᎴᏅᏓ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏚᎾᏙᏢᏒᎾᏂᎥᎬᏩᏕᏫᏓ ᎡᎶᎯ ᎤᏚᎩ ᎬᏗ ᎤᎾᏤᎵ ᎤᏂᎲ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᏗᎠᏎ ᎠᎾᎴᏂᏙᎮᏍᏗ ᎤᏂᎶᎯᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩᎠᎾᏓᏁᏟᏴᏏᏒᎢᎠᎴ ᏯᎾᎵᏍᎪᎸᏓ ᎤᏂᏯᏙᎯᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏤᎵᎤᏂᎦᏙᎥᏒᎢᎠᎴ ᎣᏍᏛ ᏧᎾᎧᏃᏗ ᎾᎢ ᎤᎾᏠᏯᏍᏙᏗᏅᎾᏓᎴᎢ.ᎾᏍᎩ ᎠᏂᏣᎳᎩ ᎨᏒ Ꮭ ᎢᏚᎾᏓᎴᎾᎢ.ᎠᏎᏃ ᎾᏍᎩᏱᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗ ᏞᎩᏋ ᎠᎪᎵᏰᏗ ᎨᏎᏍᏗ ᎠᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᎥᏍᎩᎾᏂᏧᎵᏍᏔᏅᏒᎢ ᎤᎾᎵᏛᏔᏅᎩ ᎾᎢ ᎠᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᎤᏂᎲ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ,ᎦᏲᎵ ᎤᏂᎯᏴᎩ ᏗᏍᏓᏩᏛᏍᏙᏗᎤᎾᎴᏂᏙᎸ ᏫᏟᏗᏢ ᎢᏴᎢ ᎨᏒᎢ.ᎾᏍᎩ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎾᏍᏊ ᎡᎵᏊ ᏱᏂᎦᎳᏍᏙᏗ ᎬᎪᏩᏛᏗ ᎥᏍᎩᎾᏌᏊ ᎢᏳᏩᎫᏗ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏳᏂᏲᎲᏎᎵ,ᎾᎢ ᎤᏂᎲ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᎩᏏᏐᏗ ᎥᏝ ᏨᏅᏍᏛᏱᏂᎨᎦᎵᏍᏓ.
ᎪᎯᎢᎦᏥᎩ,ᎾᏍᎩ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎠᏂᏴᏫ ᎤᏂᏁᏉᏨᎩ,ᎠᎴ ᎾᏂᎥᏊ ᏏᏃᏚᏂᏂᏴᎭ ᎾᎢᎣᏍᏓ ᏄᎾᎵᏍᏓᏁᎲ ᎤᏂᎲ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎬᏃᏓ–ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏙᏢᏅ ᎪᏪᎳᏅᎯ ᎠᎵᎮᎵᏍᏗ ᏏᏉᏯ ᏧᏓᏃᏣᎵ ᏧᏬᏢᏅᎯ ᏗᎪᏪᎶᏗ.ᎠᏎᏃ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎾᎢ ᏄᏪᎵᏍᏛᎾ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᎭ ᏃᏊ ᎨᏒ ᏏᏃ ᎡᎳᏗᏢ2,000(ᏔᎵ ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ) ᎧᎵᎢ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᏱ-ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᏗᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᎠᏁᎭ,ᎠᎴᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏔᏅᎯᎠᎴ ᎧᏁᏉᏍᏗᎾᎢ ᏄᏍᏛ ᎠᎵᏐᏍᏔᏅ ᎾᎢ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ᏄᏩᏅᎩ ᏓᎴᎯᏐᏗᏍᎬ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᏍᏓᏩᏛᏍᏙᏗ.
“ᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏙᏗᎠᎴ ᎥᏤᎲᏍᏗᏍᎬ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ“ᎾᏍᎩᏭᎪᏛ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ ᏱᎦᏛᏁᏗ ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏓᏁᎭ ᎪᎯᏥᎩ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ,”ᏄᏪᏒᎩᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒᎤᎬᏫᏳᎯChuck Hoskin Jr. “ᎢᏕᎯᏯ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᏄᏠᏯᏍᏛᎾ ᏱᎩ,ᎾᏍᎩ ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ᎠᏂᏌᎲᎦ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ ᏯᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᏛᎨᏲᎲᏍᎬ ᎾᏍᎩᎾᎢ ᎢᏳᏍᏗ ᏕᎦᎳᏏᏛᎯ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏓ ᎢᏗᏛᏁᏗ,ᏏᏓᏁᎸᎢ ᎠᎴ ᏚᏂᏚᏒᎢ.ᏂᎦᏛᏊ ᎨᏒ ᎤᎪᏓ ᎤᎵᏍᎨᏗ ᎢᎩᏱᎸᏗ ᎠᎭᏂ ᎢᎬᎾᏕᎾ,ᎠᏎᏃᏏᏃ ᎤᏟᏘ ᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᏱᎦᏛᏁᏗ ᏗᎩᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ.”
ᏅᏓᏳᏓᎴᏅᏓ2019(ᏔᎵ ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏐᏁᎳᏚ) ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ,ᎾᏍᎩᏙᏗᏳᎵ ᎠᏫᏂᏓᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏔᏅᎯᎤᎵᏁᏨᎯᎤᏃᏢᏅᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎤᏂᏤᎲᏍᏔᏅᎢᎸᏍᎩ ᎢᎬᎾᏕᎾ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏚᏙᏢᏅᎢ ᎠᎴ ᎠᏕᎸ ᎨᏥᏁᎸᎩ ᏗᏁᏍᎨᏙᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ$20ᏔᎳᏍᎪᎯ ᎢᏳᏆᏗᏅᏛᏙᏗᏳᎵ ᎠᏫᏂᏓᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎠᏰᏟ ᎾᎿᎢ ᏓᎵᏆ.
ᎾᏍᎩᏃ2019(ᏔᎵ ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏐᏁᎳᏚ) ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒᎤᎵᏁᏨᎯᎾᏍᏉᏭᏟᏱᎶᏢᎩ ᏔᎵᏁ ᎤᎵᏍᏚᎢᏍᏗᏣᎳᎩᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗᎾᎿᎢ ᎤᏍᏘᏃᎸᏘ ᎤᏍᏗ ᏍᎦᏚᎩ ᎪᎯ ᎤᏂᏚᏒᎢ,ᏅᎩ ᎢᏳᏩᏘ ᎤᏔᎾ ᎢᎩᏓ ᎾᎢ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒ/ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᎢ,ᎤᏙᏢᏅ“ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᎤᏍᏗ ᎦᏚᎲᎢ”ᎾᎿᎢ ᏓᎵᏆ,ᎠᎴ ᎤᏙᏢᏅ ᎢᏤ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᏧᏂᏍᏕᎸᏗ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ ᎾᎢ ᎧᏃᎮᏓ ᏫᏓᏤᏢ ᏓᏅᏅᎢ ᏓᏓᎴᎬᎢ ᎾᏍᎩᎾᎢ ᎠᏂᎦᏴᎵ ᎧᎵᎢ ᎠᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ.
ᎾᎯᏳᎢᎬᏱ2024(ᏔᎵ ᎢᏯᎦᏴᎵ ᏔᎳᏍᎪᎯ ᏅᎩ) ᏧᏕᏘᏴᏌᏗᏒ, HoskinᏚᏙᎢ ᎤᏬᏪᎳᏅ ᎠᏍᏓᏩᏛᏍᏙᏗ ᎤᏙᏢᏃᏅᎯ ᏄᎵᏍᏔᏅᎩ ᎾᏍᎩᏙᏗᏳᎵ ᎠᏫᏂᏓᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏔᏅᎯᎤᎵᏁᏨᎯ.ᎠᏎ ᎢᏯᏛᏁᏗ ᏭᏍᏗᎬ ᎠᏓᏁᏢᏍᎬ$18(ᏁᎳᏚ)ᎢᏳᏆᏗᏅᏛᎾᏍᎩᎾ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᏓᎳᏏᏛ ᏂᏓᏕᏘᏴᎯᏒᎢ.
“ᎾᏍᎩ ᎾᏍᏉ ᎪᏢᏅᎯ$35(ᏦᏍᎪᎯ ᎯᏍᎩ)ᎢᏳᏆᏗᏅᏛᎾᎢ ᎢᏤ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎢᏗᏛᏁᏗ ᎠᏩᎯᏍᏙᏗ,ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗᏣᎳᎩᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎠᏰᏟᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎾᎢ ᎧᏁᏉᏍᏗ ᎨᎪᏪᎵᏍᎬ ᏗᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᎩ ᎠᎴᎤᏜᏅᏛ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏃᏊᏥᎩᎩᎳ ᎠᎾᎴᏂᏍᎩ-KᏭᎵᏍᏗᏧᏁᎵᏁ-ᏗᏂᏂᏙᎯᏣᎳᎩᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᎢ,” HoskinᏄᏪᏒᎩ. “ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᎧᏃᏩᏛᏍᏗᏗᏓᏁᏢᏍᎩᏚᏳᎪᏛ ᎤᎾᏑᏰᏛ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏧᎾᏕᏠᏆᏍᏗ ᏧᏙᏢᏗᎢ ᎾᎿᎢ ᏓᎵᏆᎠᎴ ᎪᎯ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏤ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᏧᏯᏅᎠᏍᏕᏱᏛ ᎬᏔᏅᎠᏓᏴᎳᏛᏍᎩᏧᏂᎸᏫᏍᏓᏁᏗ ᎾᎿᎢᎠᏳᏩᏏ,ᎠᎴᏗᎾᏓᏁᏢᏍᎩᎠᎵᏍᎦᏍᏙᏗᎾᏍᎩᎾᎤᏟ ᎢᎦᎢ ᎡᏍᎦᏉ1,400ᎢᏳᏟᎶᏓᏩᏥᏂᎠᏰᎵ ᎤᏃᎯᏳᏔᏅ ᎦᏙᎢ ᎾᎿᎢ ᎠᏳᏩᏏ ᎾᏍᎩ ᎤᏩᎫᏗᏗᏒ ᎤᎾᏁᏍᎨᏗᎢ ᎾᏍᎩᏯ ᎢᏤ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏧᎾᏕᏠᏆᏍᏗᎢ ᎤᏙᏢᏗᎢ.”
ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗᎠᏍᏆᏂᎪᏔᏅᎯᎾᏍᏉ ᎠᏠᏯᏍᏗ ᎾᏍᎩ ᏗᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩᎠᏒᏢᎢ,ᎾᎢ ᎠᏓᎪᎾᏗᏍᎩ ᏔᎵ-ᏧᏕᏗᏴᏛᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒ ᎾᏍᎩᎾᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏄᎬᏫᏳᏒ ᏗᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᎤᎾᏙᏢᏒᏧᏂᏍᏆᏗᏛᎢᎠᎴᏃᎠᏱᎸᏛ-ᏂᎦᏛᎢᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᏂᏬᏂᏍᎩ ᎩᎶ ᏳᎾᏚᎵᎭ ᏫᏓᎾᏤᏢᎢ ᏗᎾᏕᏲᎲᏍᎩ ᏳᎾᎵᏍᏙᏗᎢ.ᎾᏍᎩᏃᏔᎵᏁ-ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᏩᏒᎯ ᎤᎦᏙᎲᏒᎢ ᏗᏕᏲᏙᏗ ᏓᏠᏯᏍᏗ,ᎤᏂᎲ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ ᏓᏁᏲᎲᏍᎬ ᎠᎴ ᎦᏳᎳ-ᏧᏂᏍᏆᏛᎢᏂᎦᏛᎢᎠᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ ᏓᏯᏙᎸᎢᎤᎾᎢ ᏧᎾᏕᎶᏆᏍᏗ,ᏂᎦᎥ ᏣᎳᎩ ᏗᏁᏢᏔᏅᎯ ᎢᏗᎬᏁᎸᎢ.
“ᏚᎾᏓᏁᏟᏴᏒᎢᏗᎦᏤᎵᏧᎾᏁᏢᏔᏅᏛᎠᏎᎠᎾᎵᏒᏍᏓ ᎨᏒᎢ ᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᎴ ᎢᏳᎾᏛᏁᏗᎤᏓᏄᏴᏛ ᏱᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗᏗᎦᏘᎴᎩᏗᏁᎸᏔᏅᎾᎢᏅᏁᎯᏯ ᏚᏂᎲ ᎢᏧᎾᏛᏁᎵᏓᏍᏗ,” HoskinᏄᏪᏒᎩ. “ᎠᎮᎮᎵᏍᏓ,ᎪᎯ ᎢᎦ,ᏂᏗᎥᏊᎢᎦᎵᏂᎬᏁᎸᎬᏂᎨᏒᎢᎢᎩᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᏗᎴᎯᏐᏗᏍᎩ ᎠᎴ ᏂᎬᏟᏱᎵᏒᏊᏱᎬᏩᎵᏍᏙᏗᎨᏒᎢ.ᎦᏚᎩ,ᏂᏗᎥᏊ ᎨᏒ ᎠᏚᏍᏔᏅᎩ ᎾᏍᎩᎾᎢ ᎢᎦᏤᎵ ᎦᎸᏉᏗ ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎥᏝ ᎠᏎ ᏱᏛᎦᏛᎴᏏ,ᎠᏎᏃ ᏓᎧᏁᏉᏥᏊ,ᎾᏍᎩᎾᏓᎾᏓᏁᏟᏴᏎᎬᎢ ᏫᏛᎵᏱᎶᏟ.”
