The Demise of Native American Languages and Cultures By J.R. Peterson, Contributing Writer
Memphis, TN - May 16, 2002 (Youth Wire) - The U.S. based Indigenous Language Institute, head-quartered in New Mexico, has issued a press release stating that "only 20 Indigenous American languages will survive the next 60 years." Today there are only 175 of 300 indigenous American languages spoken and many Native American youth are not speaking their language. Most Native American speakers are middle-aged adults or tribal elders. The gradual demise of Native American languages and culture is related to the genocide campaign carried out by the U.S. government during the late 19th century. "When the federal government forced American Indians onto reservations in the late 1800s, it passed a variety of laws aimed at destroying Native cultures. Perhaps the most devastating was the requirement that all Indian children attend government, and later Christian, boarding schools. There, students were dressed in military uniforms, had their traditional long hair cut short and were taught all that was expected to make them successful in a non-Indian world. One of the rules most stringently enforced at boarding schools right up to the latter part of the 20th century was the banning of all indigenous languages," writes 7am News. Filed on 5/16/02 at 05:00 EST Read comments on this article: http://www.youthwire.com/messageboards/index.pl ---------------------------------------------------------------- Web Site designed by Barutiwa.com, Inc. This page Copyright � 2002-2003 Youth Wire Inc., All Rights Reserved YouthWire.Com domain name is trade marked SM, All Rights Reserved [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit and show your support for the Grass Roots Oyate http://members.tripod.com/GrassRootsOyate Clemency for Leonard Peltier. Sign the Petition. http://petitiononline.com/Release/petition.html ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?b1ddNB.b2HgmN Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
