George Lang
Special to Oklahoman
As COVID-19 vaccines are being distributed in Oklahoma, a particular effort has been underway to vaccinate Native language speakers. For so many tribes, the survival of their languages is important to preserving culture and history for future generations, and the prospect that many older citizens could be impacted by the pandemic sent tribal leaders into action.
But the roots of this plan actually predate coronavirus. Cherokee Nation Chief of Staff Todd Enlow said the effort to identify both fluent and conversationally proficient speakers started in the 2010s, which revealed that less than 1% of Cherokees spoke the language. While larger tribes like the Cherokee Nation and the Chickasaw Nation have active programs in place to preserve their languages, a powerful virus could threaten the continuation of those traditions.
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