Indianz.Com > News > Chuck Hoskin: Cherokee Nation works to keep language alive
International Decade of Indigenous Languages launched from Cherokee Nation Reservation
Tuesday, January 18, 2022
Cherokee Nation
For a few days this month, Cherokee Nation was the global center of the movement to save Indigenous languages. Language leaders from all over the world gathered in Tahlequah to kick off the United Nations’ International Decade of Indigenous Languages. For the 10-year period from 2022 to 2032, all 193 countries of the UN have committed to supporting the language rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The multi-day event was a combination of in-person dialogue on our reservation in northeast Oklahoma and virtual presentations from around the world. It was a unique opportunity for Indigenous leaders to collaborate, learn from each other and promote effective language-saving initiatives.
The effort grows out of the 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages, a celebration the UN successfully sponsored two years ago. I was privileged to speak before the UN about Cherokee Nation’s efforts at the time. That year was a good beginning of this worldwide effort, but it also showed world leaders how much more work must be done to preserve Indigenous languages and language rights over the long term.
Cherokee Nation hosting this summit reflects how we have built a preeminent model for Indigenous language programs. Without doubt, Cherokee Nation is home to one of the best and most creative language departments in the world, which supports the master-apprentice program, Cherokee Immersion School, the translation team and many other services. It was a huge honor for our employees to help plan this historic gathering and share our successes with other language warriors.
We are all working together toward the same goal, and the summit was a way to learn from successful programs around the world that are actively creating new speakers in their respective languages. We could share the best practices that have been discovered through trial and error. I am excited to see the new ideas and inspiration that our Cherokee language experts take away from this gathering.
This collaboration is urgently need. According to language experts, one of earth’s 7,000 languages is dying every two weeks on average. The Cherokee language is in a stronger position than many, but Cherokee Nation still only has about 2,000 fluent speakers left, and most of them are elders.

Chuck Hoskin Jr.
is the 18th elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the largest Indian
tribe in the United States. He is only the second elected Principal Chief of the
Cherokee Nation from Vinita, the first being Thomas Buffington, who served from
1899-1903. Prior to being elected Principal Chief, Hoskin served as the tribe’s
Secretary of State. He also formerly served as a member of the Council of the
Cherokee Nation, representing District 11 for six years.

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