One of the Cherokee Nation’s first immersion school graduates told U.S. Senators this week funding to help preserve Native languages must be a priority.
Lauren Hummingbird testified before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Hummingbird said the Cherokee immersion program is helping bridge the gap between elders and younger generations, preserving the tribe’s culture.
"I would do anything for my culture and my people, and I know that learning my language is one of the most important things to them," Hummingbird said.
Health and Human Services Administration for Native Americans Commissioner Jeannie Hovland said those connections are between elders and younger members of a tribe are important.
"It’s building communities, and healthy, strong communities help with academics, help with the substance abuse and other issues that we face in our communities. And so, there’s a lot of positives that come out of it," Hovland said.
Hummingbird said learning Cherokee also improved her overall academic achievement. Dr. Christine Sims with the American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center said a closer look at those extralinguistic benefits is in order.
"The cognitive benefits that come with young children — as young as 2, 3 — learning these languages and becoming fluent, we don’t know enough about the value of what they’re learning in a different communicative system," Sims said.
According to figures from the Cherokee Nation, less than 0.5 percent of its citizens are fluent in Cherokee, and the tribe is ahead of many others at language preservation. The average age of the tribe's 1,200 fluent speakers is 65.
Congress requires at least $12 million in federal funding be spent annually on Native language programs. Speakers told the Senate Indian Affairs Committee many native languages may die out without increased funding.
Hummingbird said she is willing to help teach Cherokee, whether informally or by earning her teaching certificate and working in the immersion school or a master-apprentice program for adults.
