petition to Congress for native language programs in ANA and HHS budget

[Wayne Leman]

It is important to petition our governments to fund native language programs more. It is just as equally important, if not more so, to petition our native communities to do what is necessary in homes, extended families, at school and at play so that languages can be retained or revitalized. Money is only a partial answer for the lost of native languages. Money will be unable to do anything to prevent the loss of languages unless our language attitudes changes. Governments could fund boarding schools again, require native children to attend them, and only allow native languages to be spoken there. That might work to revitalize languages, but we all know the terrible impact boarding schools had on our children in the past. I have seen huge amounts of government money poured into language revitalization programs and they have only a minimal impact on children. Government policies are largely to blame for loss of languages. But there is little that governments can do today to reverse that loss, *unless* language communities are willing to work with government money to create viable language programs. Token programs to teach children numbers and colors do not teach language. "Immersion" programs where teachers revert to English, French, or some other national language when they need to "communicate" something do not teach a language. Children learn languages from their parents and other caregivers. Schools can have a part in the process but seldom can revitalize programs unless they are true immersion schools. Money can help. But little will change until native peoples decide that they are going to teach the language again to their children.

It is a terrible dilemma. We need to be realistic and not give people the idea that money alone will revitalize languages. It won't. It can't.

Wayne Leman
Alutiiq tribal member
and Cheyenne linguist
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