American Indians brainstorm ways to preserve culture (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050930/NEWS10/509300423/1016/NEWS[1]American
Indians brainstorm ways to preserve cultureGeralda Miller (gmiller at rgj.com) 
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL 
September 30, 2005

  American Indian tribes are concerned about preserving their culture and
language.

  "It's estimated that in 20 years that the languages will be extinct," said
Lois Kane, language/culture coordinator at the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony. "It's
a ripple effect of the European contact on native America."

  The Colony is hosting the 7th Annual Great Basin Native Languages Conference
starting today.

  More than 180 people from the Washoe, Paiute, Shoshone, Kiowa, Comanche, Nez
Perce, Cayuse, Navajo, Pueblo, Creek and Seminole nations and tribes have
registered, she said.

  "It's an opportunity for us to come together, network and share with other
methods and techniques being used to keep our languages alive," Kane said.

  Many American Indian children were sent to boarding schools where Kane said
they were not allowed to speak their language.

  The white American motto was "kill the Indian and save the man," she said.

  "I think after all theses years we finally realize we are who we are and we
need to keep our identity as native people intact," she said.

  The conference began in 1996 with about 80 people. Kane said she has learned
that people do not want to learn their language in a classroom setting the way
they learned English.

  Now, they are looking at immersion techniques to preserve the Paiute, Washoe
and Shoshone languages in this area.

  Experts from universities will be presenting discussions on valuing the
language and the immersion process.

  "Boy, I would love to see us get back to that point where we're giving value
to our language by speaking it all the time," Kane said.

  The conference is at Hungry Valley Gymnasium. Cost is $125.

Links:
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[1]
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050930/NEWS10/509300423/1016/NEWS
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