The Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana is reviving a language whose last fluent speaker died in 1940.
Students are learning to speak Chitimacha at school. Classes are also offered for adults and elders, many of whom rarely heard the language growing up.
The language would have been lost entirely but the federal government had recorded and studied tribal members during the early 1900s. The tribe used recordings and field notes to develop a curriculum.
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Tribal voices rise again
(The Lafayette Daily Advertiser 1/14)
Relevant Links:
Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana - http://www.chitimacha.com
Chitimacha Tribe revives long-dormant language
Friday, January 14, 2005
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