#21 PT 2 - Language Resurgence: A conversation with The Language Conservancy

Tribal Research Specialist: The Podcast

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In this episode, the IRC team is joined again by Bob Rugh and Wil Meya from the Language Conservancy (https://languageconservancy.org). The Language Conservancy was founded in 2005 by a concerned group of indigenous educators and language activists in reaction to the severe decline of indigenous language speakers in the United States. Working closely with partner organizations, they have utilized best practice methods, resources, and models to create world-class indigenous language-learning materials and resources. The IRC also had the opportunity to have Aspen Decker (Seliš) on the episode. Aspen is the recipient of the IRC Faculty Research Award where she is developing sign language media to complement Salish language learning. She is an adjunct faculty member at SKC and lending her knowledge of Salish language teaching to the Native American Studies program. She is also a graduate student at the University of Montana in Linguistics.

The IRC team discusses issues present in today's language preservation and revitalization efforts. The episode starts with an audio clip from Agnes Vanderburg (Seliš) in 1979. Agnes Vanderburg was the daughter of Eneas Adams and Adele Kaltomee. She was born in 1901 in Valley Creek, Montana. She started a camp in the early 70’s to teach the old Salish ways as she recognized that they were dying out. She contributed a wealth of knowledge, including songs, stories, knowledge of plants, language and general philosophy and lifeways of the Salish. In the clip, Agnes relates her feeling about the state of language loss during the 1970's. This sentiment carries over into today where the same struggle continues while more and more first-language speakers pass away. The IRC team, Aspen and the Language Conservancy discuss interesting insights on how to breathe life back into language learning.
The IRC team continues the discussion after listening to a clip of Agnes Vanderburg (Seliš) singing a song she remembers her grandfather, Martin Keltomee, use to sing that came from one of his injured horses. This provides a platform for discussion by the IRC, Aspen and the Langauge Conservancy centered on the role of spirituality as a means to preserve, teach, and propagate language in Tribal communities. The discussion highlights experiences and observations in language recovery efforts.
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Guest: Bob Rugh and Will Meya from the Language Conservancy; Aspen Decker
Learn more:
http://www.missoulawritingcollaborative.org/writers/aspen-decker/
https://www.facebook.com/CrowLanguage/
https://languageconservancy.org/
Hosts: Aaron Brien, Kamiah Dumontier, Shandin Pete
Website http://irc.skc.edu
Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/podcast-irc/id1512551396
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/1H5Y1pWYI8N6SYZAaawwxb
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ircskc/
Twitter https://twitter.com/IRCSKC
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/106832977633248/

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1. Agnes Vanderburg (Seliš), 1979. Discussing language loss and learning (00:00:00)

2. Part 1 - Methods and observation on how to restore life to language learning (00:01:48)

3. Personal Song - Agnes Vanderburg (Seliš) - Song from her Sileʔ (Maternal Grandfather) that he obtained from his horse. (00:49:27)

4. Part 2 - Spirituality as a tool to revitalize language (00:50:33)

5. Outro (01:17:02)