Here’s a press release sent out today about work being done to save indigenous languages:
SANTA FE, N.M. — The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians in California recently donated $25,000 to the Indigenous Language Institute in Santa Fe. Check out the Indigenous Language Institute’s Web site.
The contribution will support ILI’s work in Indian Country, which helps Native communities recover and revitalize their languages. The donation follows a generous Verizon Tech Savvy award from the National Center for Family Literacy earlier this year, which was awarded in recognition of ILI’s effective use of modern technology to teach Native children their language and culture.
“These generous gifts reflect the serious consideration that the San Manuel Band and Verizon give to the importance of sustaining Native American language and culture,” says ILI President Gerald L. Hill (Oneida Tribe of Wisconsin). “We are enormously grateful for these contributions, as they will enable us to continue our critical work in Native communities.”
During its 17 years of existence, ILI’s commitment to research, teach and share has resulted in the development of effective learning methods and tools for Native language programs, community projects, teachers, speakers and activists. Presently ILI’s focus is to teach language teachers and activists how to use information and computer technology to generate their own Native language materials.
“These skills and resources are urgently needed at a time when the window of opportunity to keep Native languages alive is rapidly closing as Indian Country loses more and more of its first language speakers,” says Hill.
“We are grateful that the San Manuel Band and Verizon have recognized through their contributions the urgency to continue the important work done by ILI,” says Hill. “This support is vital to us, as funding for ILI and for many deserving non profits has evaporated during our present economic crisis.”
For more information or to make a donation to ILI, please visit our website www.ilinative.org <http://www.ilinative.org> or call the ILI office located on the Santa Fe Indian School campus at (505) 820-0311.
For more information, contact: Inée Y. Slaughter (505) 820-0311
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The Indigenous Language Institute (ILI) was founded in 1992 in Santa Fe, New Mexico and its Board of Directors is majority Native American. The staff of ILI provides vital language-related services to Native communities so that their individual identities, traditional wisdom and values are passed on to future generations in their original languages. ILI works in partnership with national Indian organizations, including National Congress
of American Indians, National Indian Education Association, National Geographic Society All Roads Film Project. www.ilinative.org <http://www.ilinative.org>
Liz Hill
Jodi, I appreciate your posting the ILI’s press release. They are doing such important work in Native communities and, like a lot of small non-profits, are really feeling the effects of the economy. I hope that others may be similarly inspired to help them.
Jodi Rave
Liz: I would like to talk with the ILI people some more about the work they are doing. Thanks for passing on the information for the post.