Census finds fewer than a half-million Native American language speakers; majority Navajo

More people speak Navajo at home than any other Native American language, a seemingly promising 169,000 people at a time when some tribes have lost their native tongue or are struggling to retain the words of their ancestors. Evangeline Parsons Yazzie, a Navajo professor at Northern Arizona University, said the figure recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau is no surprise, but can be misleading. The country’s population of Navajos is well over 300,000. For every one who speaks the language, one doesn’t — and those are likely younger Navajos, Yazzie said.The loss of Native languages is rooted in a history that includes the federal government’s attempt to eradicate Native American culture by sending children to boarding schools and punishing them for speaking their language. “That’s one thing all Indian nations suffer from,” Yazzie said. “Youth are ashamed of that because it caused a lot of harm. They internalized it. ... Now we’re trying to turn that around and say, ‘The languages are beautiful.’”

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Indigenous dictionary released on Straddie

A short article detailing the release of an Indigenous dictionary:

"North Stradbroke Island has its own indigenous dictionary, called the Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council Jandai Language Dictionary. The 126-page hard cover book, compiled by The Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council and the Straddie Sand Mining Community Fund, was launched in Dunwich last month. It is published by GEON Group and costs $50 which includes an interactive CD, giving the correct pronunciation to words. Island elder Aunty Margaret Iselin and members of the Minjerribah Moorgumpin Elders-in-Council spent five years on the important task of saving Jandai, the language of the local Quandamooka people. "It might have taken five years to complete, but we now have a timeless record for future generations of our native Jandai language here on Stradbroke Island," she said.

"I was five years old when the two grannies at the Myora Mission decided to teach us the language. The first word they taught was 'myora' which means mission. But after we started learning the language, the authorities came and told us that we weren't allowed to speak it anymore. Now we have the dictionary, the local schools can teach Jandai."

Aunty Margaret worked with family and friends and indigenous residents to write down as many words they could remember in the language. Entries are in alphabetical order and give an English translated meaning. Aunty Margaret said the dictionary came after she found local schools were teaching indigenous languages from other parts of Australia. Mining giant Sibelco developed the Straddie Sand Mining Community Fund to provide financial support for community initiatives on the island.

Order a dictionary on 3409 9723."