Andean Aymara

The Regional Learning Project announced the release of another documentary directed by Dr. Sally Thompson (University of Michigan) which seems like it may be interesting, though I’ve yet to see it.

According to the description on the project website:

Tribal languages are disappearing at an alarming rate. This film reviews the history of indigenous language loss, documents some current efforts to stem the tide, and explores the reasons that these languages matter, not only for the tribes themselves but for all of us.

Why Save a Language? is designed to engage people in thinking about indigenous languages and why their preservation and revitalization matter.

In this film we explore: the history of American Indian language use since the boarding school era; the rationale underlying the premise that these languages matter; and some current efforts to revitalize surviving languages.

The specific content is derived from a video library which includes over 100 interviews with members of 30 tribes conducted since 2001 by anthropologist/filmmaker Sally Thompson, Ph.D., director of the Regional Learning Project, Continuing Education, University of Montana.

Darrell Kipp, Director of The Piegan Institute of Browning, Montana, and Narcisse Blood, Kainai educator and native speaker of Blackfoot from the Blood Reserve in Alberta, served as advisors for the film.

Over three hundred languages were spoken on this continent when the first Europeans arrived. Half have vanished. Of those that remain, many are spoken by only a handful of elderly people. The loss of a language has serious consequences for the affected community.

The Circle of Tribal Advisors to the National Lewis & Clark Bicentennial identifies language preservation as one of their top priorities. Many tribes are trying to re-establish their connection to their language through language immersion programs. Sounds easy, but due to local beliefs and historical events negating the value of tribal languages, the task is daunting.

The film provides cogent arguments for the importance of native languages not only to the people who speak them, but also for the contributions to the world’s knowledge and heritage held in these languages.

I wonder how she fits all this into 30 minutes!