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Cherokee speakers, leaders break ground at site of future language center

Oklahoma tribes protect languages as COVID threatens older speakers

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.

Tribes try to preserve languages amid pandemic: 'We wanted to take care of our speakers'

The Cherokee Nation Infuses Cash Into Language Revitalization Efforts

Reviving the Cherokee Language Is a Full-Time Job – Literally

Now, as a young adult, the Tahlequah, Oklahoma, resident is taking part in a unique program to train Cherokee Nation citizens and those interested in Cherokee culture to become highly proficient in the language by paying them to study it. It’s one that is quickly disappearing. “It’s in my family and I would like to kind of like, build it back and strengthen it back amongst some of our younger generation that we have and then, it’s just a passion that I’ve had probably since senior year of high school,” Chavez says. “I just wanted to have that part of my identity and I’ve just been working on it ever since. And I took a couple classes in high school and in college and then now I’m in this program.”