Preservation Act signed to save native languages (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Preservation Act signed to save native languages

CAROL A. CLARK Monitor Senior Reporter
http://www.lamonitor.com/articles/2007/04/18/headline_news/news01.txt

POJOAQUE - Native American languages are growing silent. Of the more than
300 pre-colonial indigenous languages spoken in the United States, only 175
remained a decade ago, according to the Indigenous Language Institute.

"We are losing these languages at the rate of 12 every three years - once
lost, they can never be recovered," Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., told a
crowd gathered for a special ceremony at the Poeh Cultural Center on
Tuesday, April 10. "By 2050, only 20 of these languages will be spoken with
regular use unless efforts are taken to teach the languages to new
generations."

The United States government played a major role in the loss of native
languages. In the past, students at government boarding schools were
prohibited from using their languages. The Bureau of Indian Affairs at one
point outlawed native ceremonies, a critical method of preserving languages
and history.

Wilson wrote and introduced a bill to address the crisis in February 2006,
which passed the House in September and the Senate in December with support
from the entire New Mexico delegation.

The bill was renamed the Esther Martinez Native American Languages
Preservation Act, in honor of the late Pueblo linguist and storyteller who
died in September.

President George W. Bush signed the bill into law in December.

"The native languages were precious to Esther Martinez, and this bill is
designed to help preserve them. It is a fitting tribute to her life's
work," Wilson said.

Wilson and Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., joined Ohkay Owingeh Gov. Earl Salazar,
Lt. Gov. Linda Diaz, Eight Northern Indian Pueblo Council Chair James
Mountain and others in presenting a "Redline" copy of the "Esther Martinez
Native Languages Preservation Act of 2006" to the Tewa Storyteller's
family. The "Redline" is a framed copy of the official White House version
as signed into law by the president.

Martinez was killed in a car accident on Sept. 16 while returning to Ohkay
Owingeh - formerly known as San Juan Pueblo - from Washington, D.C., where
she had received a National Heritage Fellowship for her work to preserve
the Tewa language.

Martinez was from the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. She was instrumental in
preserving the Tewa language. Her voice is part of the oral narrative
preserved in the museum of the Poeh Cultural Center.

Martinez developed dictionaries, translated key texts and taught the
language to several generations of youth in the San Juan Pueblo schools
from 1974-1989. She also worked with the Wycliffe Bible translators to
translate the New Testament into Tewa.

In 1988, Martinez began presenting her stories in English to non-Tewa
audiences through Storytelling International.

In 1997, she received the Teacher of the Year award from the National
Council of American Indians and in 1998 the New Mexico Arts Commission gave
her the Governor's Award for Excellence.

At last week's ceremony, Tony Martinez performed a native song, which he
composed for his grandmother. Another grandson, Matthew J. Martinez, said,
"I know my Saya Esther would be very pleased and honored with the renewed
focus on language preservation, and our family appreciates Congresswoman
Wilson's efforts."

Udall's congressional district includes Ohkay Owingeh. "The urgent need to
protect and preserve Native American languages is clear," he said. "We must
invest in their preservation by implementing immersion programs."

Wilson concluded her talk in saying that now it's time to get the funding to
carry out the bill, adding, "Tom (Udall) and I will work together to get it
done."

More information on the Preservation Act is available in the April 18, 2007,
print edition of the Monitor.