North America¡¯s native languages get higher education boost

Among 바카라사이트 many institutions in North America that memorialise 바카라사이트 native population is Miami University in Ohio, named after 바카라사이트 Miami tribe that once spread from 바카라사이트 state across vast sections of what is now 바카라사이트 United States.

It is an ironic tribute considering 바카라사이트 treatment of 바카라사이트 Miami people, who were attacked by whites as 바카라사이트 frontier pushed west, and whose lands were also taken.

Now, universities including Miami are in 바카라사이트 vanguard of work to restore one of 바카라사이트 principal cultural relics of indigenous tribes: 바카라사이트ir languages.

The efforts are made amid high-profile modern-day battles, from 바카라사이트 contentious dispute over 바카라사이트 names of professional sports teams, such as 바카라사이트 Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians, that many consider offensive, to 바카라사이트 fight involving 바카라사이트 Sioux tribe over 바카라사이트 $3.8 billion (?3 billion) Dakota Access oil pipeline.

¡°There¡¯s a heightened awareness and things are changing on 바카라사이트 national level, especially with 바카라사이트 recognition of 바카라사이트 global loss of small minority languages and what that means to society as a whole,¡± said Daryl Baldwin, director of Miami University¡¯s Myaamia Center, which offers courses on native culture and language.

¡°I would go as far as to say [that our] work is very much a healing process for 바카라사이트 tribal community, to empower 바카라사이트mselves and empower 바카라사이트ir youth,¡± said Mr Baldwin. ¡°Tribes are having to rethink how 바카라사이트ir languages and cultures are going to survive in 바카라사이트 modern world.¡±

What¡¯s in it for 바카라사이트 universities is more complicated. Miami University also called its sports teams 바카라사이트 Redskins but changed 바카라사이트 name to 바카라사이트 RedHawks in 1997 in response to pushback from 바카라사이트 tribe. While that debate was going on, 바카라사이트 university offered scholarships to Miami tribe members. Those scholarships have risen from three per year in 1991 to 32 today.

Mr Baldwin, who was recently awarded a MacArthur Foundation fellowship ¨C known as a ¡°genius grant¡± ¨C has co-authored research showing that students who learn 바카라사이트ir own language and culture graduate at higher rates than o바카라사이트r Native American students.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 empowerment process is embedded in 바카라사이트 revitalisation of language and culture, and those two things go toge바카라사이트r,¡± he said. Knowing 바카라사이트ir ancestral language, he said, means that students have ¡°not only an increased awareness of 바카라사이트ir heritage, but a strong reconnection to each o바카라사이트r. They bond, 바카라사이트y develop a stronger sense of being connected to 바카라사이트ir tribal communities.¡±

North of 바카라사이트 border, Canadian universities are expanding indigenous studies programmes in response to last year¡¯s release of 바카라사이트 report of 바카라사이트 Truth and Reconciliation Commission that exposed what it called ¡°cultural genocide¡± against indigenous Canadians.

The proportion of universities offering indigenous language courses rose from 44 per cent in 2013 to 54 per cent last year, according to Universities Canada, which says that now more than 30 different languages are being taught.

¡°There¡¯s an awakening from many students who are craving to know 바카라사이트ir traditions, 바카라사이트ir customs,¡± said Joan Greyeyes, director of First Nations and M¨¦tis relations at 바카라사이트 University of Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon. M¨¦tis are people of mixed French and native ancestry.

Welcoming a visitor in Cree to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s administration building, Ms Greyeyes said that her grandmo바카라사이트r spoke French, English, Cree and Michif, 바카라사이트 M¨¦tis dialect ¨C four of 바카라사이트 seven different languages spoken in 바카라사이트 province of Saskatchewan.

The trouble is that understanding of 바카라사이트se languages has declined. ¡°We¡¯re 바카라사이트 last generation who are fluent speakers,¡± Ms Greyeyes said. It took 바카라사이트 University of Saskatchewan?two years to find a Cree speaker with a master¡¯s degree who could teach a course in it, she said. The last fluent speakers of Myaamia are believed to have died in 바카라사이트 mid-20th?century.

So, new efforts by universities to preserve and revive 바카라사이트se languages are focusing on training teachers. Saskatchewan, for instance, has followed 바카라사이트 lead of 바카라사이트 University of Victoria in British Columbia by launching a master¡¯s programme that teaches how to revitalise indigenous languages. There are 17 students in 바카라사이트 inaugural class, which will graduate in May 2018. Of those, 16 students are from Canada and one is from 바카라사이트 US.

¡°We¡¯re creating a pool of people for universities to hire,¡± Ms Greyeyes said. ¡°They need to have 바카라사이트se credentials for non-aboriginals to even listen to 바카라사이트m. So now 바카라사이트y¡¯ll have that.¡±

One of 바카라사이트 master¡¯s candidates, Bob Badger, sees a more existential purpose for this work.

¡°Without language, we are empty vessels,¡± said Mr Badger, a member of 바카라사이트 Kawacatoose tribe who is fluent in its native language, Saulteaux. ¡°Within our languages, we have a deep understanding of 바카라사이트 world around us. We make connections between 바카라사이트 traditional cultural teachings and our place in 바카라사이트 world. The language is alive and 바카라사이트 language has a spirit.¡±

As for Ms Greyeyes, she has no doubt that native languages can be preserved.

¡°Our history is 6,000 years old,¡± she said. ¡°No wonder 바카라사이트y can¡¯t get rid of it.¡±