The Cherokee Nation is preparing to enact the largest language initiative in the tribe’s history.
A $16 million total investment will move all the nation’s language programs into a language center at the former Cherokee Casino Tahlequah and put another $1.5 million a year into language programs for children and adults.
Delivering a message from Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Chief Richard Sneed, language instructor Bo Lossiah said the Cherokee language is in a state of emergency, and every citizen must do their part.
"We must overcome our fear of failure, our fear of making mistakes, and begin speaking the language to one another in public, at work and, most importantly, in our homes," Lossiah said.
There are only about 2,000 first language Cherokee speakers out of more than 370,000 Cherokee Nation citizens. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. — who does not speak Cherokee — said future generations won’t judge today’s leaders on their business successes or improvements in health care.
"They will judge us by whether we did what we need to do in 2019 to keep alive for future generations what it means to be Cherokee," Hoskin said.
The language program investments are part of the Durbin Feeling Cherokee Language Preservation Act, which is expected to pass the full Council of the Cherokee Nation soon. The legislation and the language center it establishes honor Durbin Feeling, the linguist who wrote the Cherokee dictionary and developed digital syllabaries so the language could be used on computers and smartphones.
Feeling was in the hospital Friday when the announcement was made at the tribe's annual Celebration of Cherokee Speakers. Tribal officials said it was the largest gathering of first language Cherokee speakers in at least a century, with more than 500 in attendance.
Feeling's wife, Chris, could speak Cherokee when she met him, but he taught her to read and write the language. She said she’s proud of Hoskin for pushing the language initiative.
"And I know Durbin is deserving of it. And I’ve lived with him 39 years, and I know we’re living Cherokee every day of our lives," Chris Feeling said.
The language preservation act will also create a cabinet-level position, Cherokee Nation secretary of language, culture and community.
The tribe already spends more than $6 million a year on its language department, immersion school, master apprentice program and radio programming.
