Preservation of Culture and Identity
We looked at the cultural diversity of the First Peoples before the Europeans arrived in North America and discovered rich, diverse, and often complex cultures. They passed these cultures on to each generation through their stories, ceremonies, governmental structures, art forms, music, and traditions. We explored how the intrusion of another culture disrupted the fluidity of cultural transmission. We have examined how culture provides a sense of place, value, and identity. In this unit, we will explore the reclamation, restoration, and preservation of cultures that are on the brink of extinction and will ask the question, "How do Aboriginal people retain their culture and live in a country that has been called a 'mosaic'?" Click on the 'Preservation of Culture and Identity' to begin.
Linguistics - Why Save Native Languages?
Published on March 20, 2014
Directed by Sally Thompson
More than half of the 300 indigenous languages of North America are now extinct. But a movement by Native peoples to resurrect and preserve these languages is thriving in many places around the continent. In this film, Native people from various tribes and languages discuss the heart-wrenching loss of indigenous languages and the importance of keeping what remains alive. An important film for any interested in linguistics, saving Native American Indian languages and saving global languages.
For those interested in linguistics, endangered native languages, and Native American issues will find this short film valuable and educational.
Language represented here are: Kainai (Blackfeet), Cuyuse- Walla Walla, Pikuni (Blackfeet), Lakota, Osage, Hidatsa, Yakama, Mandan - Hidatsa, Cayuse-Nez Perce, Couer d'Alene, Elwha Klallam, Mandan, and Wasco, to name just a few.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Dr. Thompson has spent over thirty years working with native tribes of the West. She has worked as an archaeologist, ethnographer, and ethnohistorian. As founder of the Regional Learning Project, she oversaw a team of specialists with a focus on regional history, geography, and culture, interviewing over 200 elders of 37 tribes and used the results to produce several documentaries and three websites. More recently, she worked with traditionalists from the Kootenai and Blackfeet tribes on a book about their traditional seasonal grounds through the Crown of the Continent, with a focus on Glacier National Park. PEOPLE BEFORE THE PARK is due out in 2014.
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In this powerful talk, Kwak'wala language teacher Joye Walkus passionately shows the cultural and spiritual significance of saving indigenous languages and culture for future generations. Joye Walkus, a member of the Kwakiutl Nation on Vancouver Island, is well known for wearing a 300-year-old indigenous blanket owned by her late grandfather to her University of Victoria convocation. She is well educated in the Indigenous Language Revitalization, earning a Bachelor of Education from the University of Victoria. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx