From: Howard Paden, Cherokee Nation Language Department Executive Director <info@cherokeesatlarge.org>
Date: Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 8:07 AM
To: johngritts@gmail.com <johngritts@gmail.com>
Subject: Want to learn more about the Cherokee language?
ᎣᏏᏲ ᎩᎾᎵ (Greetings friend),
ᎤᏓᏩᏗᏍᎬ ᏗᏍᏆᏂ ᏓᏆᏙᎥ, ᏣᎳᎩ ᎦᏬᏂᎯᏍᏗ ᎠᏂᏫᏒᎩ ᏓᎩᎶᏍᏛᏂᎰ
I'm Howard Paden, and I work in the Department of the Cherokee Language. Our language has existed among our people since our creation as Cherokee People. In fact, we see our Cherokee language as a gift from our Creator.
But now, that gift is in danger. We currently have less than 2,000 first-language Cherokee speakers, with an average age in their late 60s. The Cherokee Nation recognizes that our language is the heart and soul of who we are as a People. Through its language team and our Creator, Cherokee Nation is doing amazing things with a multitude of language projects and programs to ensure our language will always be among the Cherokee. We ask you as a Cherokee to stand up with your brothers and sisters to reinvigorate our precious language.
Our team was excited and inspired when Kevin Stretch informed us that Cherokee language was the most requested topic this year and that this month's edition of ᏣᎳᎩ: Wherever We Are, was going to feature our department and our work on Cherokee language. This tells us that regardless of where a Cherokee might live, the words from your grandparents still live within your hearts. This strengthens us more than you would ever realize. We know that regardless of the difficulty of the task, when Cherokees stand together there is nothing that we can not accomplish! ᏂᎦᏯᎢᏐ ᎦᏚᎩ ᏂᎬᏁᏍᏗ The mind and heart always have the thought of working together. And, as a people we are rising to revitalize our Heart, the Cherokee language!
It is an honor to invite you to the "ᏣᎳᎩ: Wherever We Are, Cherokee Language Edition" on Saturday, November 20 at noon CT. Click here to RSVP now!
It warms our hearts that so many modern Cherokee want to learn more about this critical part of our heritage, wherever you are. (And what a perfect way to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Month!) The Language Department has been developing materials to make our language accessible to all Cherokee, whether that's with adult immersion classes, downloadable fonts and keyboards, children's books, classroom posters, or even Cherokee-language versions of Gmail, Windows, MacOS, and Wikipedia. And we're not just preserving the language -- we're expanding it. We broke ground on the Durbin Feeling Language Center, a central hub for all of our language programs that will empower us to expand the immersion school. And a fellow guest at this virtual event is hard at work creating a comprehensive dictionary of Cherokee language -- one that captures not only the meaning of the words, but their cultural history and significance, too. ᎣᏩᏌᏗᎫᎪᏔᏂᏓᏍᏗ (For Cherokees, by Cherokees).
But I can't say too much about that -- yet. To learn more, will you RSVP to "ᏣᎳᎩ: Wherever We Are, Cherokee Language Edition" today? I'd love to see you at the virtual event on Saturday, November 20 at noon CT.
ᎢᏨᏇᎵᎡᎵᏙᎭ (We appreciate you).
ᏩᏙ (Thank you),
ᎤᏓᏩᏗᏍᎬ Howard Paden
Executive Director
Cherokee Nation Language Department
P.S. Would you like to hear Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. answer your question live on air? Respond to this email with your question about the Cherokee Language and then tune in on Saturday to see if your question was chosen.
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