Background
Oklahoma is home to many languages; but
all of them are endangered. They range from Modoc with no remaining
speakers to Cherokee with several thousand. All are in a declining
state of use, being crowded out of existence by English. Like
endangered species, endangered languages are in danger of extinction;
and once lost, they can never been recreated. When languages die,
the associated culture and history and part of Indian identity
are lost as well. One-third of Oklahoma's Indian languages are
already gone.
There are ongoing efforts by most tribes
to reverse the process by teaching and documenting their languages
of heritage. These include classes in public schools and universities,
community-based and tribally funded programs in local communities,
government-funded initiatives, and individual efforts operating
with no funding whatsoever. Yet the remaining speakers are still
dying at a rate that far exceeds the rate of languages renewal.
More funding, technical assistance, classrooms, and teaching materials
are urgently needed. In some tribes the last remaining speakers
are in their 80s; in very few are there any children growing
up with native fluency.
What does I.W.S. do?
We assist Oklahoma language preservation
with:
- fundraising
- public speaking
- Wordpath television show
- Pathways newsletter
- exhibits and educational programs for the general public
- production of language-related items
- information archives
- teacher training and publications
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- workshops
- demonstration projects
- advice on alphabets, materials, and curricula.
- annual Celebration of Oklahoma Indian Langauge and Culture,
held in Norman the second Friday before Halloween.
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Philosophy
IWS is guided by key beliefs about languages,
learning, and teaching:
- All Oklahoma Indian languages are threatened,
and the survival of each is important.
- The link between language and culture
is crucial, and the two need to be taught together.
- The key to language survival is the
transmission of the language from generation to generation in
daily life. Therefore it is essential that the remaining fluent
elders teach the children of today their langauges of heritage,
so that this generational link can be reestablished.
- While governments and schools can play
a very important role in language survival, indvidual language
teachers, language learners, and community programs not affiliated
with such institutions are just as important.
- We help programs become self-sustaining
once they are underway.
- We are non-discriminatory in our dealings
with individuals of different tribal, geographic, and dialect
backgrounds encouraging cooperation and inclusiveness.
- We operative in an earth-friendly way,
up to the limits of our budget.
What You Can Do
The Intertribal Wordpath Society is leading
the way fighting for the survival of these precious cultural
resources. Our name says it: we must be warriors fighting for
Indian languages. We ask you to help in these ways:
- Tell Oklahoma Indian language teachers and preservationists
about IWS. Contact us for additional copies of thie brochure.
- Give us your financial support. We need contributions of
all sizes (contribution form on back). We are a nonprofit organization
(501(c)(3) tax-exempt).
- Contact us if you would like to be an IWS volunteer, including
joining the Wordpath television crew.
- Ask us about internship opportunities.
All written material on this website
©2000 Intertribal Wordpath.
Images ©2000 America
Meredith