Education Committee Hearing Highlights Decline in Native American Languages, Efforts to Reverse Trend

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Witnesses before the U.S. House Education & the Workforce Committee today highlighted the relationship between Native American languages and other fundamental elements of Native cultures, while expressing concern about the steady decline of Native languages throughout the country.  Members of the Native American community and other educators testified in support of a variety of viable solutions to the downward trend, including organized Native American language recovery and preservation efforts.

“Sadly, in Native American communities across the country, Native languages are in rapid decline,” said Committee Chairman Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-CA).  “It is estimated that only 20 indigenous languages will remain viable by the year 2050.  To lose these languages is to lose an entire culture and a significant piece of American history.  As a result of this rapid decline, some communities across the country have made language recovery and preservation one of their highest priorities.  The link between education, language, and culture is considered by many as paramount to preserving the identity of Native Americans.”

Ryan Wilson, President of the National Indian Education Association, discussed with Members of the Committee the link between Native languages and other key aspects of Native American cultures. 

“We conduct our ceremonies, prayers, stories, songs, and dances in our Native languages just as we have done since the beginning of time,” Wilson told the panel.  “Our languages connect us to our ancestors, our traditional ways of life, and our histories.  For us, the survival of our cultures and identities is inextricably linked to the survival of our languages.  If our languages die, then it is inevitable that our cultures will die next.” 

Kimberly J. Tabahe, a student at Window Rock High School in Fort Defiance, Arizona, echoed Wilson’s comments.

“Some say our language is on the verge of extinction and my generation has a chance to save our language,” noted Tabahe.  “From experience, I know my Navajo tradition has made me see beyond what I have thought and wondered about my whole life.  Our weapon in society is our language, and that gives us strength to go on and pursue our dreams.”

In response to the decrease in Native languages, in February 2006, Representative Heather Wilson (R-NM) introduced the Native American Languages Preservation Act (H.R. 4766) to establish grants for Native American language educational organizations, colleges, governments, and groups that work to preserve Native cultures and languages through language immersion programs.  Wilson hosted today’s hearing.

“Native languages are part of our rich heritage as New Mexicans,” said Representative Wilson.  “These languages will be preserved with attention and effort.  Once lost, they can never be recovered.”

Dr. Carol Cornelius with the Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin said Representative Wilson’s legislation is crucial for the survival of Native languages. 

“Just as our language was taken away by forbidding our children to speak, so should the revitalization of our languages begin with our children being in language nests,” said Cornelius.  “I applaud the authors of this legislation for recognizing that we must begin with the children and their families.”

Amadeo Shije, Chairman of the All Indian Pueblos Council (AIPC) in Albuquerque agreed.

“With so many Native languages and traditions becoming near the brink of extinction, the AIPC firmly believes that access to education through Native language immersion programs can be used to help preserve rather than replace Native culture,” Shije said.  “For the 19 Pueblos, the link between education, language, and culture is fundamental and cannot be stressed enough as we preserve to maintain our identities.”

Language immersion initiatives are not new.  With their support, Native language programs and curricula are being developed at the local level in various parts of the nation to combat the decline of Native language proficiency.  Christine Sims, Professor of Language Literacy at the University of New Mexico, spoke of the increase of community-based education systems to help recover Native languages.

“Within the last several decades, as the growing phenomenon of language shift towards English has evolved in many Native communities, this concern for language survival has driven many tribes to consider establishing native language initiatives in schools,” Sims explained.  “The significance of these developments, therefore, is that they have set in motion a whole new set of precedents concerning the treatment of Native languages in schools.”

Sims continued, “Consider that states like New Mexico, for example, have in place statutory laws that not only support the establishment of heritage language programs as a new category of state-funded bilingual programs but have also acquiesced to tribes the development of their own processes for certifying tribal members as language instructors in the public schools. “

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