1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Steff 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: I've never told you production by Heart Radio. 3 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 2: And for our holiday treat I guess episode because we're 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: going to be gone as this is released. Technically technically, yeah, 5 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:31,240 Speaker 2: I guess we're listening the day before, but you know whatever. Anyway, 6 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 2: we wanted to give thanks to the women and folks 7 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 2: from the indigenous communities who have been working hard not 8 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 2: only to preserve the land as it was before the 9 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:44,680 Speaker 2: ugliness of colonization and trying to teach the people around 10 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 2: them the dangers of continuing downs that ugly path, but 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 2: also preserving their own culture that these same I guess 12 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 2: colonizers have tried to eradicate and make extinct. And though 13 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,720 Speaker 2: they are, there so many things that we can talk 14 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:05,000 Speaker 2: about under this topic, and probably we'll come back to you. Honestly, 15 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,119 Speaker 2: today we thought we would just focus on those who've 16 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: been working hard to preserve their native language and indigenous language. Also, 17 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,600 Speaker 2: let's go ahead and put this caveat since this is 18 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,120 Speaker 2: not our indigenous language slash our native tongue, which, by 19 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,920 Speaker 2: the way, I'm struggling on my own both Korean and English, 20 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:30,360 Speaker 2: so you know, sorry, Yeah, we may butcher some of 21 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: these words, and I hate that so much because I 22 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:35,839 Speaker 2: would love to be fluent in everything and just perfect atic, 23 00:01:35,920 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: but I am not so with that. We tried our 24 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 2: due diligence and looking up all of the pronunciations, and 25 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,440 Speaker 2: sometimes I swear to God I was being gas lit 26 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:49,520 Speaker 2: that we should already know these words, and probably is 27 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 2: true we should to a certain extent. But anyway, so 28 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 2: please be patient with our very bad pronunciation. Again, as 29 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 2: per usual, if you know these languages and want to 30 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 2: share with us how to say it correctly, we would gladly, 31 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 2: gladly hear those because as you know, when it comes 32 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 2: to like Google translation, not the greatest, not the greatest. 33 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 2: So but yes, be forewarned, it's not great. And if 34 00:02:18,320 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 2: you are a person of the native community or indigenous community, 35 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 2: this might be too much for you, I understand. So 36 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 2: content warning because we do talk a little bit about 37 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:29,520 Speaker 2: the ugly history of it all for the rest of 38 00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:34,320 Speaker 2: you listen and us of course, of course, because we 39 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 2: need to learn these things. So yeah, we're gonna jump 40 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:39,640 Speaker 2: into the history of how colonizers try to stop the 41 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:44,000 Speaker 2: use of the indigenous languages. So when it comes to 42 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 2: this history, the first peoples of all the lands. Probably 43 00:02:48,520 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 2: we know it's bloody and horrifying. Though children's stories and 44 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 2: colonial takes downplay the amount of atrocities that occurred then 45 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 2: and even now, the indigenous community fight to preserve their culture. Yes, 46 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 2: I think we talk about the old tale of Thanksgiving 47 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,800 Speaker 2: and all the pilgrims coming to share with their food. 48 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 2: We know the true story. It wasn't all that great. 49 00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:17,800 Speaker 2: We know so just as a reminder. But it isn't 50 00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: that hard to understand that those in power are still 51 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 2: trying to suppress the original cultures that existed in most places. 52 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: In fact, in some cases and places like the United States, 53 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:33,560 Speaker 2: have spent money trying to erase Indigenous languages. Here's some 54 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 2: information from High Country News written by Rebecca Nagel and 55 00:03:37,080 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 2: twenty nineteen quote. At the height of the Indian boarding 56 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 2: school era, between eighteen seventy seven and nineteen eighteen, the 57 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 2: United States allocated two point eight one billion dollars adjusted 58 00:03:48,000 --> 00:03:52,120 Speaker 2: for inflation, to support the nation's boarding school infrastructures, an 59 00:03:52,240 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 2: educational system designed to assimilate Indigenous people into white culture 60 00:03:56,560 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: and destroy native languages. Since two thousand and five, however, 61 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 2: where the federal government has only appropriated approximately one hundred 62 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 2: and eighty million for Indigenous language revitalization. So in the 63 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: article they do write about the fact that the government 64 00:04:10,920 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 2: has allotted some funds in order to restore and preserve 65 00:04:14,040 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 2: the languages, it isn't anything compared to the amount spent 66 00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 2: to try to eradicate it. And of course this is 67 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:22,039 Speaker 2: on top of the fact that they first tried to 68 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 2: kill off and like pretty much do a genocide. Yes, 69 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: but that didn't work. So they're like, you know what, 70 00:04:29,279 --> 00:04:32,320 Speaker 2: We'll just make you assimilate and hopefully you'll at least 71 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,839 Speaker 2: forget the culture. But also we should mention the amount 72 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,359 Speaker 2: of money spent within the school systems to try to 73 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 2: assimilate Native people to the culture of their oppressors. So 74 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 2: this is what they were doing. In fact, many of 75 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,640 Speaker 2: the schools that were originally intended and operated by the 76 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:50,800 Speaker 2: native communities were taken over by wide oppressors a colonizers. 77 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 2: Here's some more information from Nagle's article. During the same 78 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:57,599 Speaker 2: time period the early nineteen hundreds, Cherokee children were also 79 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,359 Speaker 2: sent to Chilaco and an Indian boarding school on the 80 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:04,240 Speaker 2: Oklahoma Kansas state line. The models pioneered by General Richard 81 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:07,279 Speaker 2: Henry Pratt, a veteran of the Indian Wars and founder 82 00:05:07,320 --> 00:05:10,919 Speaker 2: of the notorious Carlisle. Indian school was designed to assimilate 83 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 2: Native Americans into white society and strip future generations of 84 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 2: their culture. During the nineteenth and early twentieth century, an 85 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:21,479 Speaker 2: estimated one third of all Native children were forced to 86 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,440 Speaker 2: attend Indian boarding schools, according to a report prepared for 87 00:05:24,480 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 2: the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. When the 88 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,640 Speaker 2: US created Indian boarding schools, the goal was to save money. 89 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:36,320 Speaker 2: Then Secretary of Interior Henry Teller estimated that assimilating Indians 90 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 2: would cost only a fraction of the ongoing military conflict 91 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 2: with tribes. The children at Indian boarding schools, which were 92 00:05:43,600 --> 00:05:47,800 Speaker 2: chronically underfunded, often lacked basic food and medical care. To 93 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:51,160 Speaker 2: help fund the schools, children were rented to local townspeople 94 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:55,560 Speaker 2: for unpaid labor. Still, the US government allocated exponentially more 95 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,520 Speaker 2: money to Indian boarding schools than it has spent since 96 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:00,279 Speaker 2: then on reversing their effect. 97 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 1: And this practice was happening all over the North American territories. 98 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 1: Areas in Canada have experienced the same things with similar results. 99 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:14,080 Speaker 1: Here's a quote from the Harvard International Review for centuries, 100 00:06:14,120 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: Canadian government policies have jeopardized Indigenous languages. While there are 101 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,840 Speaker 1: more than seventy Indigenous languages currently spoken in Canada, they 102 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:25,279 Speaker 1: are largely endangered as the majority of them maintain fewer 103 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:29,400 Speaker 1: than one thousand fluent speakers. From eighteen thirty one until 104 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety six, the implementation of residential schools prevented Indigenous 105 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,640 Speaker 1: peoples from parenting, educating, and passing on their native language 106 00:06:37,680 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: to their children. Government officials removed Indigenous children from their 107 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,920 Speaker 1: parents on the pretense that the children would benefit from 108 00:06:44,960 --> 00:06:49,719 Speaker 1: assimilating into white Canadian culture through placement in these residential schools. 109 00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:53,440 Speaker 1: When it became evident to parents that residential schools were 110 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,000 Speaker 1: not providing their children with better lives and were instead 111 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: causing trauma, illness, and even death, they were told that 112 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: this was simply the price that Aboriginal people had to 113 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 1: pay as part of the process of becoming civilized. 114 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 2: So that writer of that article, Catalina Tot also wrote 115 00:07:10,360 --> 00:07:13,920 Speaker 2: an alarming statistic within the article. She wrote, every two 116 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 2: weeks and Indigenous language dies. Some of the languages that 117 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 2: have already disappeared were Inuit languages, spoken in the far 118 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:23,559 Speaker 2: reaches of the Arctic. Others had evolved in the leafy 119 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 2: greenery of coastal Australia. While they differ in setting, culture 120 00:07:27,080 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 2: and phonetics, one aspect that most dead indigenous languages share 121 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:34,000 Speaker 2: is that they perished as a result of colonization and 122 00:07:34,080 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: the subsequent rise of international languages. Yeah, and we spoke 123 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:41,560 Speaker 2: about this earlier. Oppression and colonization has tried to erase 124 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: the different languages that existed before the quote unquote discovery 125 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 2: of these new lands. Today, many of these languages are 126 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 2: disappearing and less likely to be heard. So from the 127 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 2: podcast All Things Considered, they say, quote. Language researchers just 128 00:07:56,400 --> 00:07:59,360 Speaker 2: released the latest version of the Ethnologue, which aims to 129 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,920 Speaker 2: catalog state of all of the world's languages, all seven thousand, 130 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,160 Speaker 2: one hundred and sixty four of them. Many of these 131 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 2: languages are endangered. Some have so few native speakers that 132 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:11,640 Speaker 2: you can count them on one hand. In the US, 133 00:08:11,680 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 2: for instance, one hundred and ninety three of the one 134 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:18,240 Speaker 2: hundred and ninety seven living languages are endangered. So and 135 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 2: from the National Indian Council on Aging or NICOA dot org. 136 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,600 Speaker 2: Xevier dominge Is rights. There are between six thousand to 137 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:31,320 Speaker 2: seven thousand oral languages spoken worldwide. According to the United Nations, 138 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: approximately six hundred of them have disappeared in the last century. 139 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 2: They're disappearing at a rate of one language every two weeks. 140 00:08:39,160 --> 00:08:41,800 Speaker 2: No less than forty percent of languages spoken in twenty 141 00:08:41,800 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 2: sixteen were in danger of disappearing, and many of them indigenous. Presently, 142 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: we're in danger of losing two thousand, six hundred and 143 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 2: eighty languages. The UN predicts that fifty to ninety percent 144 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 2: of indigenous languages will disappear by the end of this century, 145 00:08:56,880 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 2: being replaced with English, Mandarin, or Spanish. Any language spoken 146 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:04,640 Speaker 2: by less than ten thousand people is in danger, and 147 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 2: they go on saying about ninety seven percent of the 148 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: world's population speak only four percent of its languages, while 149 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,200 Speaker 2: only three percent of the world speaks ninety six percent 150 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:17,440 Speaker 2: of all languages. Most of these languages are spoken by 151 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,400 Speaker 2: indigenous people. There are three hundred and seventy to five 152 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:24,480 Speaker 2: hundred million indigenous people in the world, five thousand different 153 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:30,959 Speaker 2: indigenous cultures, and ninety countries with indigenous communities. Such disproportionate 154 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:36,959 Speaker 2: amount of people who speak these languages to what is disappearing, 155 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: and it's really heartbreaking, and these numbers are alarming. But 156 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 2: when it comes to preserving or fighting for their community, 157 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 2: we know is typically those from the indigenous communities that 158 00:09:48,000 --> 00:09:51,240 Speaker 2: are working the hardest and getting it done, especially the women. 159 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,200 Speaker 2: There have been a few people we have featured on 160 00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 2: the show that have done this amazing work, including Got 161 00:09:57,280 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 2: youa Juni Fox. You can go and check out her interview, 162 00:10:00,040 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 2: which was amazing. Who's not only working to preserve her 163 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:05,360 Speaker 2: people's culture in a way of life, but making sure 164 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 2: to pass it down to her family as well. So 165 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 2: she featured her daughter and some of these amazing ceremonies. Yeah, 166 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 2: I gotta will listen. 167 00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:23,840 Speaker 1: All over the world, the women of the indigenous community 168 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:26,719 Speaker 1: have been the very vain of continuing to keep their 169 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 1: legacy alive. They have understood the depth and importance of 170 00:10:30,280 --> 00:10:33,280 Speaker 1: language and the need to preserve it. As Ruth H. 171 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 1: Robertson of the Dakota Nation wrote in her article titled 172 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 1: Language of Spirit for atmos Dot Earth quote, language holds 173 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: the identity of a people. Within a language, you discover 174 00:10:44,000 --> 00:10:46,959 Speaker 1: how it speakers view the world. Within the Dakota language, 175 00:10:46,960 --> 00:10:50,719 Speaker 1: you will see how we understand landscapes, embrace the relatedness 176 00:10:50,720 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 1: of all things, and view sex and gender origin stories 177 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 1: are hidden within place names. Our very historical record is 178 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: revealed our language of from the lives we lived in 179 00:11:01,559 --> 00:11:05,199 Speaker 1: our lands for millennia. But what may be most overlooked 180 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,480 Speaker 1: is the importance of language to the spirituality of a people. 181 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,920 Speaker 1: Among the Santis, medicine people have their own language. This 182 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,160 Speaker 1: sacred ceremonial tongue, passed down through the ages by ancestors 183 00:11:17,200 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 1: and dreams, granted medicine people the ability to speak to 184 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:25,120 Speaker 1: the deities of old, perform magic sea visions, and create miracles. 185 00:11:25,520 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: When the colonizer attempted to take our language from us, 186 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:30,920 Speaker 1: they were robbing us of more than our culture, history 187 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 1: and unique identity. They were taking away our ability to 188 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:37,640 Speaker 1: commune with our ancestors and pray to our gods. They 189 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: were not just stealing our voices and our abilities to 190 00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:43,240 Speaker 1: connect with our grandmothers and grandfathers. They were cutting our 191 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:44,120 Speaker 1: soul ties. 192 00:11:44,960 --> 00:11:47,440 Speaker 2: Right. And y'all, I should go back and find this 193 00:11:47,520 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 2: article that we just mentioned, because she writes so beautifully 194 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 2: about what she sees as the depth of language. And 195 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:55,840 Speaker 2: I think when we all talk about it in a 196 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:59,079 Speaker 2: certain manner like I as I'm trying to learn Korean 197 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,200 Speaker 2: again and really feeling like part of my identity has 198 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:04,600 Speaker 2: been stripped of me because I forgot. It's no one's fault. 199 00:12:04,679 --> 00:12:07,960 Speaker 2: But you know, assimilation in general, like the depth of 200 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:11,480 Speaker 2: understanding yourself a little bit through your own language, and 201 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:14,040 Speaker 2: how powerful that is. So you know, and she is 202 00:12:14,080 --> 00:12:17,160 Speaker 2: one of many who have struggled not only to preserve 203 00:12:17,240 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: a language that Calnizers have tried to erase, but and 204 00:12:21,000 --> 00:12:24,760 Speaker 2: has seen firsthand the painful trauma that comes with this 205 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,920 Speaker 2: type of oppression. She mentions in her article the travesty 206 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 2: of boarding schools, which we kind of mentioned before, that 207 00:12:30,360 --> 00:12:33,880 Speaker 2: abused Indigenous children in order to force them to assimilate 208 00:12:33,880 --> 00:12:36,800 Speaker 2: to those who violently stole their land. So such a 209 00:12:36,840 --> 00:12:39,959 Speaker 2: bigger conversation about what this is. I know you are 210 00:12:39,960 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 2: our listeners already understand and know this, but the depth 211 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:46,720 Speaker 2: of deprivation it is to strip someone of their native 212 00:12:46,800 --> 00:12:50,120 Speaker 2: language and why they're doing it, it is power. And 213 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 2: here's some other women that we want to talk about 214 00:12:52,600 --> 00:12:56,120 Speaker 2: that I feel like we should celebrate and maybe follow 215 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 2: and watch what they're doing. Obviously, this is a very 216 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 2: small list smallest because this originated from me wanting to 217 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:06,800 Speaker 2: talk about specific women to oh damn, this needs to 218 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:09,319 Speaker 2: be a whole episode, slash. This is still not It 219 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 2: could be a whole series, but I'm not going to 220 00:13:11,000 --> 00:13:16,360 Speaker 2: do that. Anie, I'm not going to do that. I 221 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:21,920 Speaker 2: already know I didn't do that anyway. So we do 222 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:23,679 Speaker 2: want to talk about a few of the women that 223 00:13:23,720 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 2: have been spotlighted and talked about, and we want to 224 00:13:26,440 --> 00:13:29,679 Speaker 2: talk more about as they do this amazing work. And 225 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,280 Speaker 2: one of the most famous women who made sure to 226 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:36,560 Speaker 2: put a spotlight on this issue was Marie Wilcox, and 227 00:13:36,600 --> 00:13:38,080 Speaker 2: you can go look her up and she's done some 228 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:41,480 Speaker 2: amazing work. Wilcox was featured in several films and articles 229 00:13:41,640 --> 00:13:45,200 Speaker 2: in her pursuit of preserving her people's language. Wilcox was 230 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:49,120 Speaker 2: the last to speak fluent with Chumney, but she made 231 00:13:49,160 --> 00:13:51,640 Speaker 2: sure she wouldn't be the last when she goes, and 232 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 2: she did die a couple of years ago. For over 233 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,640 Speaker 2: ten years before her death, she created a dictionary for 234 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:00,000 Speaker 2: the language, and she made it to teach her people 235 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: well and her family her the language of Chumney. Not 236 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,680 Speaker 2: only did she create a written document for it to 237 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:09,200 Speaker 2: be preserved, but during her lifetime she taught a lot 238 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:11,920 Speaker 2: of classes throughout her community, making sure that it is 239 00:14:12,120 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 2: that it would keep going. In twenty fourteen, she was 240 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 2: documented by The New York Times while she was doing 241 00:14:17,480 --> 00:14:20,640 Speaker 2: her important work. In it, she says, quote, it's sad. 242 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:23,280 Speaker 2: It just seems weird that I am the last one. 243 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,720 Speaker 2: And I don't know, it's just it'll just be be 244 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:28,640 Speaker 2: gone one of these days. Maybe I don't know. It 245 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 2: might go on and on, and I believe things to her, 246 00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 2: it will go on and on. Now her story is 247 00:14:33,880 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 2: pretty incredible, and you can find her documentary online is 248 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,160 Speaker 2: there for you, and then of course a lot of 249 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,480 Speaker 2: YouTube clips that you can watch, and during her interviews, 250 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:45,920 Speaker 2: and she's really like passionate and heartbroken that she could 251 00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:49,160 Speaker 2: be the last one to speak this beautiful language. But 252 00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 2: as of now, the dictionary has been copyrighted, but it 253 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,320 Speaker 2: hasn't been published yet. And I'm not really sure. I 254 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: didn't go it looked deeper into us to why it hasn't. 255 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,120 Speaker 2: But I'm glad at the very least it was written, 256 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:05,960 Speaker 2: because she did pass away, I believe a few years ago, 257 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:09,040 Speaker 2: and the fact that she was able to do this 258 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,520 Speaker 2: during her lifetime really means so much, and her legacy 259 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 2: obviously continues to live on. So if you get a chance, 260 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:18,120 Speaker 2: you should go watch her documentary, which I'm glad it exists. 261 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 2: Those are the moments where I'm like, yeah, damn, technology 262 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 2: is good, media is good. We need these things preserved 263 00:15:25,160 --> 00:15:27,000 Speaker 2: that I hope that we can keep these things preserved. 264 00:15:27,160 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 2: So also in twenty twenty, the CBC celebrated several Indigenous 265 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:34,600 Speaker 2: women for their work in preserving their native language. We're 266 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 2: only going to highlight a couple and you can actually 267 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 2: look at them up. They did some amazing stuff. There's 268 00:15:39,520 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 2: a lot of people on there. So first we're going 269 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 2: to talk about Belinda Daniels. Daniels is the founder of 270 00:15:45,120 --> 00:15:49,240 Speaker 2: Nahiook Language Experience, which offers pre language camps and monthly 271 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,880 Speaker 2: language workshops. In the article, she says, quote, I really 272 00:15:52,920 --> 00:15:55,360 Speaker 2: believe that the spirit of the Creed language chose me 273 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 2: to do this work, and I do this work to 274 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:01,520 Speaker 2: create awareness that there are Indigenous people's living here still 275 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:05,920 Speaker 2: speaking their language. Daniels is also an educator and she 276 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:10,400 Speaker 2: actually did her PhD on language reclamation. So she told 277 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 2: CBC quote, when we reclaim our language, we reclaim who 278 00:16:14,360 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 2: we are, and we reinstate that we belong here. So 279 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,400 Speaker 2: language is practicing sovereignty. Language rights are inherent. The creator 280 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:24,920 Speaker 2: gave us this language. We do not have to wait 281 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 2: for Canada's approval to speak our languages. But Canada does 282 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:32,080 Speaker 2: have a duty to take necessary action to protect indigenous languages. 283 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: And I think one of the things that I didn't 284 00:16:34,000 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 2: mention earlier is the fact that a lot of these 285 00:16:36,760 --> 00:16:40,600 Speaker 2: languages and a lot of these nations and communities are 286 00:16:40,640 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: not actually being recognized by the government, which is partially 287 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:47,920 Speaker 2: why they're not being preserved. So a big conversation about 288 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 2: it being legitimate, it has to do with those numbers 289 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:52,480 Speaker 2: about like it has to be I think more than 290 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 2: one hundred thousand people speaking or something along those lines 291 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:57,360 Speaker 2: to be officially a language, which is really hard when 292 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 2: you have you know, decimated an entire population of people 293 00:17:01,120 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 2: or you know, completely drowned out their language so they 294 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,239 Speaker 2: can't speak it. So so many things to that. So 295 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,200 Speaker 2: that's also a bigger part of the conversation that we're 296 00:17:10,200 --> 00:17:13,200 Speaker 2: not having on this episode. Specifically, something to happen in 297 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 2: the back of your mind when it comes to indigenous 298 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:19,879 Speaker 2: issues point blank, like how are they recognized. Are they 299 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:23,080 Speaker 2: even recognized and why aren't they being recognized. Also featured 300 00:17:23,200 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: was doctor Mary and I Guaji Corpierre of the Wikwama 301 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 2: Kawang First Nation. She's been teaching the nishanaben Win for 302 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:33,920 Speaker 2: over thirty years. She has been one of the editors 303 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 2: in the nishapin Win Ottawa and easter Ajobwe Dictionary. The 304 00:17:37,800 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 2: dictionary is something she's been working on since the late 305 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:42,160 Speaker 2: nineties and it makes me sad to say that that's 306 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: about thirty years adding new words as she's done the 307 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 2: research throughout her time, and she's been traveling to like 308 00:17:49,480 --> 00:17:53,239 Speaker 2: five different communities to continue to add these words, and 309 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:56,480 Speaker 2: her work has been featured in different indigenous panels and presentations, 310 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 2: So she's doing a lot. She's been teaching these languages 311 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:02,560 Speaker 2: as well as making sure that they are preserved. And 312 00:18:02,640 --> 00:18:04,160 Speaker 2: I think that's been a theme. You'll see that as 313 00:18:04,160 --> 00:18:07,160 Speaker 2: a theme throughout what they are trying to have it written. 314 00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:10,119 Speaker 2: And we've talked about this in like first how important 315 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 2: that really is. So these women have been doing that work. 316 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 2: The Anetian Ambimoim community which is around the northern areas, 317 00:18:17,880 --> 00:18:21,040 Speaker 2: and they do stretch into the Canadian areas as well 318 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,359 Speaker 2: have to come together to preserve their endangered language as well. 319 00:18:24,560 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 2: Older residents of the community have come together to take classes, 320 00:18:28,280 --> 00:18:30,760 Speaker 2: record their words and meanings, and have found a better 321 00:18:30,840 --> 00:18:36,000 Speaker 2: understanding of themselves and their culture. One Michigan publisher, Bridge Michigan, 322 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 2: interviewed several people in the community, including Brendan his Song, 323 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,640 Speaker 2: who talked about her experiences and remembering her great grandparents, 324 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,200 Speaker 2: who are the last fluently speaking people of their language. 325 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,199 Speaker 2: She told the Bridge quote, this is something that is 326 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:51,000 Speaker 2: important to me to be able to share with my 327 00:18:51,119 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 2: grandkids is our language, and I feel like we've been 328 00:18:54,359 --> 00:18:57,080 Speaker 2: robbed of it, And she continues, it's a slow process, 329 00:18:57,119 --> 00:18:59,160 Speaker 2: but it's worth it. It's helping me find out who 330 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,840 Speaker 2: I am and where I supposed to be in this world. 331 00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 2: And it's such a beautiful story about how they've all 332 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,479 Speaker 2: connected together as a community and realizing that it's getting 333 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,879 Speaker 2: lost and making sure that they are not only teaching 334 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 2: each other, that they're teaching their kids. So I thought 335 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:17,679 Speaker 2: it was very beautiful. And then there's so many like 336 00:19:17,800 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: her trying to preserve their culture in Hawaii. They have 337 00:19:21,680 --> 00:19:25,680 Speaker 2: experienced this way too often on the island of Oahu, 338 00:19:26,040 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 2: the Olailo or language was nearly extinct, and it's still 339 00:19:30,560 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 2: not considered safe, but it has become more accessible through 340 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:36,600 Speaker 2: the teachings of native schools. 341 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:39,680 Speaker 1: Here's a bit of history from a National Geographic article 342 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:43,360 Speaker 1: written by Ali Young in twenty twenty three. Quote. By 343 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: the end of the nineteenth century, literacy in Hawaii in 344 00:19:46,440 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: Olilo spelled HAWAIII reached an astonishing high of over ninety percent. 345 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,720 Speaker 1: This was largely thinks the public education system founded in 346 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:59,640 Speaker 1: eighteen forty by King Comea Hemeya the Third, the third 347 00:19:59,680 --> 00:20:03,240 Speaker 1: King of Hawaii, fifty eight years before the American invasion 348 00:20:03,359 --> 00:20:06,919 Speaker 1: and annexation. It was one of the highest literacy rates 349 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,760 Speaker 1: in the world at the time and still an impressive figure. 350 00:20:10,160 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: In twenty twenty, data from the United States Department of 351 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: Education showed that fifty four percent of adults age sixteen 352 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: to seventy four lack literacy proficiency. And it continues quote. 353 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: When the monarchy was overthrown in eighteen ninety three, a 354 00:20:25,200 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: law was enacted to make English the language of instruction 355 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:32,960 Speaker 1: in all schools. Though Olilo was not outlawed, kids were 356 00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:36,360 Speaker 1: disciplined for speaking it in schools. Those kids were conditioned 357 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 1: to believe it was shameful long after they needed to. 358 00:20:39,280 --> 00:20:42,679 Speaker 1: Many adults spoke Oleilo only in private and refused to 359 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 1: teach their kids right. 360 00:20:45,080 --> 00:20:49,040 Speaker 2: And much like the history throughout all of colonization, indigenous 361 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,160 Speaker 2: people were being abused and forced to assimilate to the oppressors. 362 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 2: But you know, the native people were able to actually 363 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:58,200 Speaker 2: push back. Here's a bit more from that same article. 364 00:20:58,359 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 2: After almost one hundred years of of suppression, Hawaiian use 365 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 2: letter renaissance of dance, music and language in the nineteen seventies. 366 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 2: In nineteen seventy eight, Olilo was declared the state's official 367 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:12,280 Speaker 2: language along with English, and a law undoing the Oleeilo 368 00:21:12,400 --> 00:21:15,440 Speaker 2: band in schools were passed. Recordings were made of the 369 00:21:15,560 --> 00:21:18,399 Speaker 2: very few native speakers left, and the new Papa or 370 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 2: newspapers served an important role in restoring lost knowledge as 371 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 2: in fact, there's a whole musical dedicated to the new 372 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:30,679 Speaker 2: PayPal and like how significant it was too changing and 373 00:21:30,720 --> 00:21:36,240 Speaker 2: preserving the languages. And they have created immersion schools which 374 00:21:36,280 --> 00:21:39,240 Speaker 2: offer native language classes and promote the use of Alilo. 375 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:42,720 Speaker 2: But of course the effects of racism and suppression still lingers. 376 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,719 Speaker 2: I mean, just look at the current status of politics today. 377 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,160 Speaker 2: It is encouraging to see the many who have continued 378 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:53,359 Speaker 2: to bring awareness and teach others about the origins. And 379 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:56,040 Speaker 2: we're going to actually talk a little more about who 380 00:21:56,080 --> 00:21:58,680 Speaker 2: they were influenced by, which is the Maori in New Zealand, 381 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,679 Speaker 2: and they were the ones that really really pushed this 382 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:04,960 Speaker 2: specific type of learning and in a way that they 383 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 2: could preserve and they did preserve the Maori language, which 384 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 2: is amazing. But yeah, so like it's incredible because this 385 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 2: emerging school was a language reset. Like it's kind of like, yes, 386 00:22:14,840 --> 00:22:18,440 Speaker 2: so it's not I don't think I think it's preserved 387 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 2: it really well, but it's still not out of the 388 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:24,080 Speaker 2: danger zone essentially, but it's working. And then we have 389 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,360 Speaker 2: the women of Guyana trying to save their native language 390 00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:30,440 Speaker 2: as well. So Althea. Harding was featured in Mongo Bay 391 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 2: dot Com for her work and trying to preserve the 392 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,000 Speaker 2: Kreb language. In fact, in the twenty twenty one article, 393 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:39,359 Speaker 2: they noted that only ten people could actually speak to 394 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:43,679 Speaker 2: language fluently. The primary school teacher, Harding returned to her 395 00:22:43,760 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 2: village and realized the dire need to preserve her language 396 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,480 Speaker 2: for that culture. She, like many of the others has 397 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 2: planned to create a koreb But language dictionary, and she 398 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 2: was able to receive a grant to be a part 399 00:22:57,359 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 2: of the Conservation International Indigenous Women's Fellowship program, and she 400 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,000 Speaker 2: told mangopey dot Com. I was elated because as a 401 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,199 Speaker 2: part of my project proposal, I included plans for a 402 00:23:08,280 --> 00:23:12,080 Speaker 2: careb revitalization project. The language is dying here and I 403 00:23:12,160 --> 00:23:14,560 Speaker 2: want to ensure our children can speak fluently in the 404 00:23:14,640 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 2: language before it's too late. And then the article continues. 405 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,760 Speaker 2: Her women's empowerment project commenced in mid twenty twenty one 406 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:25,760 Speaker 2: with more than two dozen women, mainly mothers, participating. The 407 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:27,959 Speaker 2: women are the bedrock of the family and I know 408 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:30,760 Speaker 2: with their influence the language can be saved, she said. 409 00:23:31,160 --> 00:23:35,600 Speaker 2: Harding described the women of Kobina as ambitious and progressive individuals, 410 00:23:35,800 --> 00:23:39,400 Speaker 2: go getters who don't just sit around. Our women are strong, 411 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:42,199 Speaker 2: independent and determined, so I know they will ensure that 412 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,920 Speaker 2: the language is handed down to the use of this village. 413 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:47,879 Speaker 2: She added, So I really love that. I don't I 414 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:49,919 Speaker 2: didn't see an update about what was happening because it's 415 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:50,720 Speaker 2: been several years. 416 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:50,960 Speaker 1: I know. 417 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: One of the big conversations, she had was about the 418 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,919 Speaker 2: fact that a lot of it had to be done remotely, 419 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,359 Speaker 2: since it was you know, all the all the stuff 420 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:03,280 Speaker 2: was happening at that point. And as we were talking 421 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:07,159 Speaker 2: about the Maori before, many look towards the works of 422 00:24:07,200 --> 00:24:10,359 Speaker 2: the Maori people who have worked tirelessly to preserve their 423 00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 2: culture and their language. In another National Geographic article titled 424 00:24:14,640 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 2: the Maori Saved their Language from Extinction and here's how 425 00:24:18,240 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 2: they talk about the revolution it took for them to 426 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:24,600 Speaker 2: rebel against the oppressive government that tried to decimate the 427 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 2: native culture. And if you look up at any of 428 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:30,200 Speaker 2: the videos of this time, they are like rock star 429 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:32,919 Speaker 2: video at least, like a music video towering there. You 430 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,919 Speaker 2: get really pumped. I'm like, yeah, go at them. Come on, 431 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,520 Speaker 2: so we have time go look this up. So their movement, 432 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:43,359 Speaker 2: which began in the nineteen seventies, is an inspiration to 433 00:24:43,480 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 2: many around the world. Here's some information from that article quote. 434 00:24:47,240 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 2: In the early nineteen seventies, a contingent of young, urban 435 00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 2: and university educated Maori began to form a movement in 436 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:00,600 Speaker 2: the Aoturara. I'm so sorry the tao word for New Zealand. 437 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:06,000 Speaker 2: These activists call themselves not Tomato or Young Warriors. Along 438 00:25:06,040 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 2: with other regional groups, they organized against the New Zealand 439 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 2: government's marginalization and forced assimilation of married communities, starting with 440 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:16,480 Speaker 2: policies designed to stem the use of terrio Maori and 441 00:25:16,680 --> 00:25:20,840 Speaker 2: the article continues. Dame Irritani Tawi Irani was a founder 442 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 2: and instrumental leader of the movement's first major success, Cohangarreo, 443 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,680 Speaker 2: opened in nineteen eighty two. The Cohangareo model was one 444 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:32,880 Speaker 2: of commitment. Parents and toddlers were expected to speak only tereo, 445 00:25:33,359 --> 00:25:36,440 Speaker 2: both in the classroom and at home, and the curriculum 446 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:40,199 Speaker 2: focused solely on Maori history and culture. Elders and other 447 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:44,240 Speaker 2: proficient language speakers led the class, translated in English to 448 00:25:44,480 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 2: language nests. The Cohango Reo was the first program of 449 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:51,920 Speaker 2: its kind to use total language and cultural immersion for 450 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 2: married communities. The schools were a revelation according to the 451 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 2: Tauri We Rainey. The program started with five schools and 452 00:25:59,080 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 2: within three years ag expanded into more than three hundred locations. 453 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:06,480 Speaker 2: The rapid spread of Cohongo Reo marked an unprecedented success 454 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:10,359 Speaker 2: of cultural reculamation for Ta Rari Rainy. It showed the 455 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,199 Speaker 2: widespread pent up desire Miori families felt to educate their 456 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 2: children according to their own non colonial standards. The families 457 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,439 Speaker 2: on the ground are fundamentally the basis for learning the language, 458 00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 2: she says. The difference maker, she said, was that the 459 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:28,880 Speaker 2: Congo Reo, particularly in the early years, were entirely community led. 460 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 2: Families raised the money to rent or buy classroom spaces 461 00:26:32,760 --> 00:26:38,280 Speaker 2: and volunteers planned and taught classes. Yeah, and the language 462 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: news as a system were really very, very successful. The 463 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:46,439 Speaker 2: classes and written documents were also very important pieces of 464 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,119 Speaker 2: this preservation puzzle, and I think it's really inspiring to 465 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 2: note that it worked. We actually have an example of 466 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 2: how they were able to preserve this. I think some 467 00:26:57,680 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 2: of the biggest problems is the decimation and the spreading 468 00:27:03,200 --> 00:27:06,640 Speaker 2: of the indigenous people. The way that we talked about 469 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 2: the trail of tears and how they were all kind 470 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:17,120 Speaker 2: of just spread all over that really unfortunately divided its 471 00:27:17,160 --> 00:27:20,359 Speaker 2: abilities to be able to do these immersive classes, although 472 00:27:20,359 --> 00:27:23,679 Speaker 2: we're still seeing examples of it in pockets and different 473 00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:27,920 Speaker 2: Native communities, which is amazing to watch and see. And 474 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:32,640 Speaker 2: with that, I think part of what we're looking at 475 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:35,600 Speaker 2: with the age of media and technology is helping to 476 00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 2: grow and help spread messages globally, which is great, and 477 00:27:40,680 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 2: many have started using them to their advantage. 478 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 1: Yes, in fact, a trio of Apache women have already 479 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 1: started working with tech to record the language from fizz 480 00:27:50,680 --> 00:27:54,040 Speaker 1: dot org. Quote. In one such endeavor, three Native American 481 00:27:54,080 --> 00:27:56,479 Speaker 1: women rack their brains as they gather around a computer 482 00:27:56,600 --> 00:28:00,399 Speaker 1: trying to remember and record dozens of Apachi language words 483 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:04,000 Speaker 1: related to everyday activity such as cooking and eating. They 484 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 1: are creating an online English Apache dictionary, just one of 485 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:11,679 Speaker 1: several projects working to preserve endangered indigenous languages in the 486 00:28:11,800 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: United States. The article continues, Teacher Joscelyn Johnson and two 487 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:20,440 Speaker 1: of our colleagues validate the definition of the word Apache 488 00:28:20,520 --> 00:28:25,400 Speaker 1: word kappas, which means potato in English. Quote. The applications 489 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,880 Speaker 1: in the written language are good for a non speaker. 490 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:30,119 Speaker 1: At least they'll have a museum of it where they 491 00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:32,479 Speaker 1: can go for reference, said Johnson, a sixty eight year 492 00:28:32,520 --> 00:28:35,200 Speaker 1: old who teaches Apachy vocabulary and grammar. 493 00:28:35,840 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 2: So this type of technology could be revolutionary, but of course, 494 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:45,080 Speaker 2: as we've talked about many times, when it comes to tech, 495 00:28:45,640 --> 00:28:48,960 Speaker 2: we have to proceed with caution. The software they mentioned 496 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:52,440 Speaker 2: in the article is the Rapid Word Collection or the RWC, 497 00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:56,600 Speaker 2: which uses an algorithm to quote search Apache text and 498 00:28:56,680 --> 00:29:00,560 Speaker 2: audio databases for so called forgotten words. The words are 499 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 2: then defined, translated into English, and their pronunciations recorded so 500 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:07,520 Speaker 2: the dictionaries users will know how to say them properly. 501 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,000 Speaker 2: It's all great ideas. The program was developed by an 502 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 2: NGEO called TLC or the Language Conservancy to protect Indigenous 503 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:19,600 Speaker 2: languages and created to help make dictionaries at a rapid speed, 504 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 2: so being able to do it quickly where they don't 505 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 2: have to do individually. Do this, however, again we say 506 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 2: you have to be cautious. One Native language specialist state 507 00:29:30,360 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 2: that they were concerned that quotes such projects impose a 508 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:37,280 Speaker 2: Western way of writing onto an Indigenous way of speaking. 509 00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,880 Speaker 2: I guess that's what we're doing. The vast majority of 510 00:29:40,960 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 2: human languages are solely oral with no writing systems. And 511 00:29:45,200 --> 00:29:48,040 Speaker 2: then there's a Lakota indigenous leader who even denounced the 512 00:29:48,160 --> 00:29:51,800 Speaker 2: organization saying that you were trying to copyright the teaching 513 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:55,520 Speaker 2: materials and using the elder's work, So definitely something to 514 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,240 Speaker 2: pay attention to. Again, the NGO was like, hey, no, 515 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,320 Speaker 2: we're not doing that. We're just trying to help preserver language. 516 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 2: But as we know, when it comes to good concepts 517 00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:14,160 Speaker 2: or good intentions, capitalism does its own thing and ruins 518 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 2: a lot of stuff and loves to steal things. Yeah, anyway, 519 00:30:19,720 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 2: especially from indigenous cultures. So as much as we want 520 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:27,640 Speaker 2: to celebrate things like this, let's just like being hopeful 521 00:30:27,760 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 2: that yes, it does help preserve and that's the end 522 00:30:30,360 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 2: of it. But we have to make sure that we 523 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:46,520 Speaker 2: are holding NGOs and tech groups accountable moving on, it's 524 00:30:46,560 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 2: not just tech that's advancing the preservation of languages, but 525 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,760 Speaker 2: also things like songs and books, movies and social media. Fox, 526 00:30:54,800 --> 00:31:00,239 Speaker 2: who we mentioned earlier and interviewed previously, has made sure 527 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,840 Speaker 2: to use her skill as a filmmaker and director to 528 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 2: preserve her native community and sacred traditions. As in fact, 529 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,680 Speaker 2: they kind of locked down one tradition I remember her 530 00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:12,160 Speaker 2: talking about it that they hadn't used in a long time. 531 00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 2: They were able to record it and go through with 532 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 2: her daughter and have this magical moment and something that 533 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 2: they forgot about essentially, and they're like bringing back and 534 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 2: we love that conversation. Same thing we talked about her 535 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 2: newer project, which we haven't caught up with our sons, 536 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:30,400 Speaker 2: and we need to I think we need to follow 537 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:35,040 Speaker 2: up talking about foods and specific types of foods and 538 00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 2: things that are no longer grown and how they're trying 539 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:41,800 Speaker 2: to bring them back, which is really really important, right 540 00:31:41,920 --> 00:31:42,640 Speaker 2: any a savor. 541 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:46,200 Speaker 1: Yes, I was excited about that when she mentioned it 542 00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:48,280 Speaker 1: in an interview and I'm still thanking. 543 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:50,920 Speaker 2: So we need to go back to that. And then 544 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,640 Speaker 2: there's films like Long Line of Ladies, which tells the 545 00:31:53,680 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 2: coming of age story of one young woman who takes 546 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,960 Speaker 2: part in a ceremony which was once not outlaw necessarily, 547 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,320 Speaker 2: but very looked down on. Like literally violence was used 548 00:32:04,600 --> 00:32:07,800 Speaker 2: against those who would try to do these ceremonies, and 549 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:11,600 Speaker 2: they bring this back, and in this movie they help 550 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,720 Speaker 2: preserve and show a cultural tradition that could have been 551 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,520 Speaker 2: prominently lost. So we need to add this movie to 552 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,760 Speaker 2: our list. But yeah, films like that, and there's so 553 00:32:19,800 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 2: many others that I'm not mentioning that really help preserve 554 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:25,160 Speaker 2: the language because they do actually speak the language. There 555 00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 2: was one that actually retold Thanksgiving from more of a 556 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 2: native perspective with actual native language spoken during that time, 557 00:32:32,800 --> 00:32:35,760 Speaker 2: so beautifully done. Then we have songs that have been 558 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,040 Speaker 2: handed over and sung over the years to preserve legends 559 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:42,800 Speaker 2: and tales of cultural significances. But also recently, the younger 560 00:32:42,840 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 2: generations have come out boldly using their native languages as 561 00:32:47,320 --> 00:32:51,000 Speaker 2: part of their music and sound like a Mayan musician 562 00:32:51,200 --> 00:32:55,320 Speaker 2: Sarah Carucic and here's a quote from Smithsonian's folk Life 563 00:32:55,360 --> 00:33:01,240 Speaker 2: Festival blog where they celebrated this. In her Musico, Maya, 564 00:33:01,360 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 2: musician Sera Caruci revises these statements. She makes it clear 565 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:10,240 Speaker 2: that the Maya are not were a strong and resilient people. 566 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 2: As one of the first singers to expose international audiences 567 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:19,040 Speaker 2: to her native language Ofchkel, Caruci is a strong cultural 568 00:33:19,080 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 2: ambassador for her heritage. She composes a song in both 569 00:33:22,800 --> 00:33:26,800 Speaker 2: Cochkill and Spanish, putting these languages to mixes of folk 570 00:33:27,000 --> 00:33:31,120 Speaker 2: rock and traditional Maya tunes. These sounds combined with the 571 00:33:31,160 --> 00:33:34,160 Speaker 2: topics that are at the same time personal and universal 572 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:38,440 Speaker 2: for music that highlights the complexity of the modern indigenous identity, 573 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,240 Speaker 2: which is beautiful, which I hope we get to see 574 00:33:41,240 --> 00:33:45,120 Speaker 2: more of this. I've actually had a several indigenous rock 575 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 2: musicians and soft rock and folk musicians pop up on 576 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 2: my TikTok, which I love. I think that's one of 577 00:33:53,040 --> 00:33:56,600 Speaker 2: my favorite parts. When you hear international music, something that's 578 00:33:56,640 --> 00:33:59,560 Speaker 2: different from your norm and they actually bring in traditional 579 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 2: sounds and languages is gorgeous. And I will say for myself, 580 00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:08,400 Speaker 2: who's again trying to learn Korean, using k pop, using 581 00:34:08,520 --> 00:34:12,239 Speaker 2: k jramis really do help in understanding what is being 582 00:34:12,320 --> 00:34:17,239 Speaker 2: said and preserving and revitalizing for me, like personally a 583 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:20,360 Speaker 2: language that I haven't spoken in over thirty five years. 584 00:34:21,280 --> 00:34:24,160 Speaker 2: So so many things to this level, and it's gorgeous 585 00:34:24,160 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 2: to see. And again it's being led by mainly women. 586 00:34:28,200 --> 00:34:30,960 Speaker 2: Like you see so many women being at the forefront 587 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:35,520 Speaker 2: in this type of preservation, in this type of cultural awareness. 588 00:34:35,600 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 2: Like it's a beautiful thing, but also very tiresome, I'm 589 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 2: sure for them. And obviously there's so much more to 590 00:34:43,680 --> 00:34:46,360 Speaker 2: this conversation, so many people we need to talk about. 591 00:34:46,400 --> 00:34:49,439 Speaker 2: I'm sure we'll be bringing some more out the part 592 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:53,359 Speaker 2: we play in helping to preserve the indigenous cultures and 593 00:34:53,400 --> 00:34:56,320 Speaker 2: how not to be in the way or be oppressive, 594 00:34:56,520 --> 00:34:59,720 Speaker 2: you know, that's a really big part of the conversation. Again, 595 00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,560 Speaker 2: Like like I said, I feel like this could be 596 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 2: a series of different things, and we want to bring 597 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:08,840 Speaker 2: more indigenous creators to the forefront in this conversation as well. So, 598 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:12,160 Speaker 2: oh there's a lot, Annie. 599 00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:16,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah, there is. And it's such important work and 600 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:18,719 Speaker 1: I'm glad it's being done. I'm sad that it has 601 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:20,640 Speaker 1: to be done like this, but I am glad that 602 00:35:20,680 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 1: it is being done. But if there's anybody you want 603 00:35:24,960 --> 00:35:28,920 Speaker 1: us to shout out or any resources you have, listeners, 604 00:35:28,920 --> 00:35:31,720 Speaker 1: please let us know. You can email us at Stepania 605 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: mom Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You can find us 606 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,360 Speaker 1: on Twitter at moms a podcast, or on TikTok and 607 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,320 Speaker 1: Instagram at stuff Whenever Told You for us on YouTube, 608 00:35:39,360 --> 00:35:41,120 Speaker 1: we have a tea public store, and we have a 609 00:35:41,120 --> 00:35:43,560 Speaker 1: book you can get wherever you get your books. Thanks 610 00:35:43,560 --> 00:35:47,240 Speaker 1: as always too, our super producer Christina, our executive producer Maya, 611 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,799 Speaker 1: and our contributor Joey. Thank you and thanks to you 612 00:35:49,800 --> 00:35:51,839 Speaker 1: for listening. Stuff I Ever Told You is production by 613 00:35:51,840 --> 00:35:53,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, you 614 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:55,320 Speaker 1: can check out the heart Radio app, Apple podcast, or 615 00:35:55,400 --> 00:35:56,960 Speaker 1: ever you listen to your favorite shows.