Preserving Culture Through Tribal Language Programs
Native American culture has flourished in Washington state for thousands of years. Tribes in Washington are working to ensure native culture continues to be an integral part of our regional identity. One way Tribes are accomplishing this is through tribal language programs. Language is at the heart of tribal identity. It is the foundation of religious and ceremonial practices and cultural heritage, and it’s an irreplaceable part of Tribes’ self-preservation, self-determination, and sovereignty.
Here are a few of the many programs across the state that are preserving and revitalizing tribal languages and dialects:
Puyallup Tribal Language Program
The Puyallup Tribe of Indians’ Tribal Language Program was created to revitalize the Twulshootseed language by incorporating it into daily conversation. The program cultivates Twulshootseed language usage in school—it’s taught in the K-12 Chief Leschi School, at the University of Washington, and online—as well as at home, at work, in social settings, and through media and storytelling. Learn more on the program’s website, explore their youtube channel, or find them on social media.
Kalispel Language Program
The Kalispel Tribe of Indians developed the Kalispel Language Program to reclaim and preserve their Salish language and create a new generation of native language speakers. The program includes a curriculum that spans all age groups, learning materials like workbooks, songbooks, language software, and the Kalispel Language Immersion School for grades K-5. Salish is also taught to Junior High and High School students in the area. Learn more on the program’s website.
Kalispel Language Program founder and Language Director JR Bluff with a Kalispel Language Immersion School student.
Cowlitz Coast Salish Language Revitalization
In 2020, the Cowlitz Indian Tribe launched a partnership with The Language Conservancy to revitalize the use of the Cowlitz Coast Salish Language, which had been extinct for nearly 50 years. After reconstructing the language from old documents and recordings, the Tribe has developed a collection of learning tools, including an alphabet book, two picture books, an online dictionary, and a “Cowlitz Vocab Builder” app. Learn more on the Tribe’s website or in this recent article in Big Country News.