With Casino Revenues, Tribes Push to Preserve Languages, and Cultures (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

With Casino Revenues, Tribes Push to Preserve Languages, and Cultures

By NORIMITSU ONISHI
Published: June 16, 2012 29 Comments

COARSEGOLD, Calif. — Inside a classroom of some 20 adults and children
studying the language of their tribe, a university linguist pointed out
that Chukchansi has no “r” sound and that two consonants never follow each
other. The comments seemed to stir forgotten childhood memories in Holly
Wyatt, 69, the only fluent speaker present, who was serving as a living
reference book.

“My mother used to call Richard ‘Lichad,’ ” Ms. Wyatt blurted out,
referring to a relative. “It just popped into my head.”

Using revenues from their casino here in the Sierra Nevada foothills, the
Chukchansi Indians recently pledged $1 million over five years to
California State University, Fresno, to help preserve their unwritten
language. Linguists from the university will create a dictionary, assemble
texts and help teach the language at weekly courses like the one on a
recent evening.

Access full article below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/17/us/chukchansi-tribe-in-california-pushes-to-preserve-language.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
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