 Future: The language is highly endangered, with fewer than 140 native speakers still living, all of whom are bilingual or near-bilingual in English. Why the language must be preserved: So much of the Tlingit culture to this day is preserved through memory and oratory communication. Feverish efforts have been taking place to document the knowledge and memories of the elders, but there is only so much documentation can do. Unless youth learn the language, so much of the richness of the culture will be lost. People need to continue to speak and refer to things about the culture using the original language only so much can be translated. We cannot let this language gap continue to expand. Programs: Sealaska Heritage Institute’s language programs “Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) produces Native language curriculum and other education tools through its Language and Education Programs. The institute encourages students and teachers to use its online resources to perpetuate and revitalize Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian languages.” SHI also offers many opportunities to connect people to classes and programs to learn the language. Stanford Special Language Program This is a new program at Stanford that allow for students (2+) to take a class through a distance learning medium. This enables students to learn unique languages beyond the confines of what is offered at the University. Stanford students and students elsewhere could begin to be able to elect to fulfill their language requirements through this outreach medium and dying languages, such as the Tlingit language, could be better preserved. |