Endangered Cultures, Endangered Languages (via YouTube)

[phil cash cash]

Thanks Jordan L. for bringing our attention to the presence of language-based
videos posted on YouTube (re: Tlingit) and for James C. for offering a
critique.

I just wanted to follow up and suggest that people take a look at:

Endangered Cultures, Endangered Languages
http://www.youtube.com/user/weyiiletpu

I created this YouTube site to celebrate UNESCO's International Year of
Languages (and partly to take my own advice on advocacy!) and as a simple way
to promote the awareness of language endangerment.

Also, without realizing it until lately, the new media culture of directing
one's self gaze thru video (YouTube's subtitle "broadcast yourself") raises a
number of interesting though unexplored questions for endangered language
communities worldwide.

As a first impression, it seems like six-degrees-of-separation collapsed and
intimacy stolen when viewing things like an aboriginal funeral ceremony from
Australia or a sacred Karuk (northern California) dance (see commenter's
protests), etc..  Too, my mouth drops open in awe, when viewing footage of
Leonard Crow Dog speaking Lakota during the AIM uprising of the 1970s
(strangely enough, my link and the film clip have mysteriously disappeared from
YouTube).  Even more cool is the 1930s footage of northern Plateau and Plains
men speaking in the North American Indian sign language.  But I am just giving
first impressions here.

As many of you are well aware, the consumption of the exotic and the ongoing
media transformations have made YouTube attractive to some and luring to many
indigenous youth.  But as a form of advocacy, I tend to see venues like YouTube
becoming more acceptable as the price of consumer video/computer equipment
continues to fall accompanied by an ever increasing access to the internet. 
Already, we are beginning to see some adventurous filmmakers and language
advocates taking advantage of this medium to promote language learning, culture
sharing, and rights advocacy.  The down side is the loss of privacy and the
virtual shock of the new (just to name a few).

Anyway, I hope the collection of clips via YouTube are of interest.  Take a look
at the "UN Global Indigenous Women's Caucus" clip and the "UN Youth Caucus" clip
regarding the recent The United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on
language.

Phil Cash Cash
UofA