Language Healers (2014)
We learn about the importance of Native languages and cultures in Alaska from a Yup'ik dog musher and a Tlingit carver of wood and metal. The film then takes us to a school in Wisconsin where we hear the story of a seventh grade girl who was recently punished for speaking a few words of the Menominee language. We learn more about the fight against language loss through visiting a Euchee (Yuchi) immersion school in Oklahoma where only four fluent elder speakers remain. We also meet National Geographic Fellow and Swarthmore College linguistics professor K. David Harrison who introduces us to his innovative online talking dictionaries project for Indigenous languages. Finally, we travel to Montana where an inventive Arapaho professor has developed an effective method to quickly save these disappearing national treasures. (In English and various Native American languages).
Primary Title
- Language Healers
Date Broadcast
- Thursday 22 January 2015
Release Year
- 2014
Start Time
- 13 : 00
Finish Time
- 13 : 40
Duration
- 40:00
Channel
- Media Services
Broadcaster
- The University of Auckland Libraries and Learning Services
Programme Description
- We learn about the importance of Native languages and cultures in Alaska from a Yup'ik dog musher and a Tlingit carver of wood and metal. The film then takes us to a school in Wisconsin where we hear the story of a seventh grade girl who was recently punished for speaking a few words of the Menominee language. We learn more about the fight against language loss through visiting a Euchee (Yuchi) immersion school in Oklahoma where only four fluent elder speakers remain. We also meet National Geographic Fellow and Swarthmore College linguistics professor K. David Harrison who introduces us to his innovative online talking dictionaries project for Indigenous languages. Finally, we travel to Montana where an inventive Arapaho professor has developed an effective method to quickly save these disappearing national treasures. (In English and various Native American languages).
Classification
- Unknown
Owning Collection
- Television Vault
Broadcast Platform
- Television
Captioning Languages
- English
Captions
Live Broadcast
- No
Rights Statement
- Made for the University of Auckland's educational use as permitted by the Screenrights Licensing Agreement.
Subjects
- Language obsolescence
- Language schools
- Language revival
- Indians of North America--Languages
- Yupik languages--Alaska
- Tlingit language--Alaska
- Menominee language--Wisconsin
- Documentary films
- Yuchi language--Study and teaching--Oklahoma--Immersion method
- Arapaho language--Study and teaching--Montana
Genres
- Documentary
Contributors
- Brian McDermott (Director)
- Brian McDermott (Writer)
- Rochelle Adams (Interviewee)
- Phillip Blanchett (Interviewee)
- Conrad Fisher (Interviewee)
- S. Neyooxet Greymorning (Executive Producer)
- Brian McDermott (Producer)
- EmpathyWorks Films (Production Unit)
Subjects
- Language obsolescence
- Language schools
- Language revival
- Indians of North America--Languages
- Yupik languages--Alaska
- Tlingit language--Alaska
- Menominee language--Wisconsin
- Documentary films
- Yuchi language--Study and teaching--Oklahoma--Immersion method
- Arapaho language--Study and teaching--Montana