News Release: NCAI and Indigenous Language Institute Forge Partnership

[Manuela Noske]

MEDIA RELEASE
 
 
National Congress of American Indians and 
Indigenous Language Institute Forge Partnership
 
WASHINGTON—October 10, 2006— The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) and the Indigenous Language Institute (ILI) have partnered to work together to preserve Native American languages and culture and signed a Memorandum of Cooperative Agreement on October 3, 2006 during NCAI's 63rd Annual Convention in Sacramento, Calif.
 
The partnership between the NCAI and ILI is a commitment of the two national organizations to work in concert to revitalize and perpetuate Native American languages and culture.  
 
 "As the preservation of traditional Tewa is a crucial element to the history and culture of the people of Ohkay Owingeh, so are all of the traditional Indigenous languages of Native people," said Ohkay Owingeh Governor and NCAI President Joe Garcia. "There were more languages present on the North American Continent than in all of Europe at the time of European settlement here. We must fight hard to preserve the ones that still remain and this partnership will be a great tool in that effort."
 
According to 1993 statistics, of the 400-plus original languages in North America, only 175 exist today. Of those, 155 languages, or 89 percent, are endangered. If nothing is done to reverse this trend by 2050, only 20 indigenous languages will remain. On the ground statistics indicate a grimmer picture: we are losing our elder fluent speakers faster than we are creating new speakers. Effective measures must be implemented within a ten-year window – by 2015 – in order to ensure success.
 
"Our original Native languages are a critical part of our heritage and represent the most direct connection with the wisdom and ways of our ancestors," said ILI President Jerry L. Hill.  "As such it is our responsibility to insure that these languages are part of what we leave for our descendants."
 
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Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians is the oldest, largest and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization in the country.  NCAI advocates on behalf of tribal governments to protect tribal treaty rights and jurisdiction, to advance the health and welfare of native people,  to  promote strong tribal-federal government-to-government policie, and a better understanding among the general public regarding American Indian and Alaska Native governments, people and rights. 
 
The Indigenous Language Institute was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ILI mission is to assist indigenous communities to preserve, protect and perpetuate their languages.  ILI contact info: Tel (505) 820-0311; Fax: (505) 820-0316. E-mail: ili at indigenous-language.org; Web site: http://www.indigenous-language.org.
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