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Ojibwe Declared Official Language at
Red Lake
Red Lake
By Michael Meuers
At a special meeting of the Red Lake Tribal Council held on April 27th, 2010, the
Council voted unanimously to declare Ojibwe as the official language of the Red
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
The resolution declared that many (of America’s) Indigenous languages are in
danger (of disappearing) if they are not preserved or promoted, and that the Tribal
Council strongly supports the preservation of the Ojibwe language for the benefit of
future generations.
Red Lake has already begun a multifaceted approach to preserve the language at
Red Lake, and has been for years in a variety of ways. This included sponsoring a
two-day language summit held just about this time two years ago in June 2008.
Other efforts include teachings on line, teaching in the schools and community
education, and are exploring other ways...including language immersion.
Language revitalization is an exciting multidimensional stratagem that is going on
throughout Indian Country and in the State of Minnesota. Members of the Tribal
Council say they will support initiatives to encourage the state of Minnesota to
adopt Ojibwe as an official language of the state. After all the Ojibwe language
(and other Indigenous languages) were spoken in Minnesota hundreds if not
thousands of years before English was spoken here.
It is important to differentiate this type of effort as an official language from say
French as an official language of Canada, or the controversy of Spanish speakers
in the southwest. Ojibwe and other Indigenous languages are the original
languages of the land and not imported tongues as are French, Spanish, or
English.
Much is being done in the area of language revitalization initiative among tribes,
state, local organizations, and other entities. Indeed the Minnesota state
mandated Dakota and Ojibwe Language Revitalization Volunteer Working Group
(a half million dollar grant being administered by the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council) will be meeting in Red Lake the week of June 14th 2010. Look for more
stories on Indigenous language revitalization in the next couple of months.
At a special meeting of the Red Lake Tribal Council held on April 27th, 2010, the
Council voted unanimously to declare Ojibwe as the official language of the Red
Lake Band of Chippewa Indians.
The resolution declared that many (of America’s) Indigenous languages are in
danger (of disappearing) if they are not preserved or promoted, and that the Tribal
Council strongly supports the preservation of the Ojibwe language for the benefit of
future generations.
Red Lake has already begun a multifaceted approach to preserve the language at
Red Lake, and has been for years in a variety of ways. This included sponsoring a
two-day language summit held just about this time two years ago in June 2008.
Other efforts include teachings on line, teaching in the schools and community
education, and are exploring other ways...including language immersion.
Language revitalization is an exciting multidimensional stratagem that is going on
throughout Indian Country and in the State of Minnesota. Members of the Tribal
Council say they will support initiatives to encourage the state of Minnesota to
adopt Ojibwe as an official language of the state. After all the Ojibwe language
(and other Indigenous languages) were spoken in Minnesota hundreds if not
thousands of years before English was spoken here.
It is important to differentiate this type of effort as an official language from say
French as an official language of Canada, or the controversy of Spanish speakers
in the southwest. Ojibwe and other Indigenous languages are the original
languages of the land and not imported tongues as are French, Spanish, or
English.
Much is being done in the area of language revitalization initiative among tribes,
state, local organizations, and other entities. Indeed the Minnesota state
mandated Dakota and Ojibwe Language Revitalization Volunteer Working Group
(a half million dollar grant being administered by the Minnesota Indian Affairs
Council) will be meeting in Red Lake the week of June 14th 2010. Look for more
stories on Indigenous language revitalization in the next couple of months.
| Click on poster for larger view |
| Red Lake Chairman Floyd Jourdain, Jr. |
