Language Chikashshanompa'

Decade of Chickasaw Language

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Governor Bill Anoatubby designated 2022 to 2032 as "Chikashshanompa' Ilanompoli'! (Let's Speak Chickasaw!): A Decade of Chickasaw Language." As it's a vital part of the tribe's rich cultural identity, the Chickasaw Nation is more committed than ever to the preservation and continuation of the Chickasaw Language. Come here to find an expanding collection of stories and explore the channel for interactive activities and resources to help shape your own journey to learn and preserve Chikashashanompa'.

Luther John: Fluent Chickasaw Speakers

Speaker Profiles
Luther John is a fluent Chickasaw speaker who has dedicated his life to language preservation.

Governor's Proclamation

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
Governor Bill Anoatubby proclaims 2022-2032 as the Decade of Chickasaw Language and offers an update on programs and services available to citizens.

Decade of Language Mission

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
Quin Tran is joined by Joshua Hinson to discuss the Governor's active proclamation to preserve the Chickasaw language.

Illustrator Promotes Language

Preservation
Chickasaw Lauren John uses her passion and creativity to illustrate traditional tribal stories that promote learning the Chickasaw language.

Virginia Bolen: Fluent Chickasaw Speakers

Speaker Profiles
Fluent Chickasaw speaker Virginia Bolen shares her story.

Preserving Speakers' Voices

Chickasaw Fluent Speakers
Chickasaw fluent speakers are recorded and transcribed for the essential work of language revitalization and preservation.

Chickasaw Language Public School Curriculum

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
Students at Byng and Ada high schools are connecting with Chickasaw culture and ancestors as language classes thrive.

Chickasaw Language Virtual Learning

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
Dr. Shannon Speed teaches the Chickasaw language to students around the country with virtual learning classes.

Language Revitalization Progress

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
The Chickasaw language remains strong through the dedication of speakers, new learners and resources to reconnect with the ancestral language.

Language Resources 2023

Decade of Chickasaw Language 2022-2032
With a wide range of available resources and even more to come, there's never been a better time to get involved with the Chickasaw language!

Rosetta Stone Chickasaw

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Our language is the thread that binds us together. Immersive lessons, developed with Chickasaw native speakers and Rosetta Stone's award-winning online platform, will enable you to learn conversational Chickasaw phrases used in daily life. Everyone is invited to submit an application to access the full curriculum. The service is free for Chickasaw citizens. There is an associated cost for employees and the general public.

Preservation

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By speaking and sharing the language, Chickasaw people are ensuring its survival for many years to come. Here, discover how Chickasaw linguists and elders are working to preserve their ancestral tongue.

Illustrator Promotes Language

Preservation
Chickasaw Lauren John uses her passion and creativity to illustrate traditional tribal stories that promote learning the Chickasaw language.

The Voices of Our Ancestors

S1 • E2
For centuries, Chickasaw passed down their sacred stories in their native tongue as oral histories, keeping the voices of their ancestors alive.

Preserving the Language

Emma McLeod and Ellen Chapman
Ellen Chapman and Emma McLeod explain that teaching the native language helps to preserve Chickasaw culture and heritage for future generations.

The Timeless Dish of Pashofa

A Chickasaw Culinary Tradition
Pashofa is a traditional Chickasaw & Choctaw dish made from cracked corn, or hominy, and stewed pork.

Picking Wild Onions

A Chickasaw Culinary Tradition
Native Americans, and Chickasaws in particular, have a rich history of using wild onions in their cooking.

Chickasaw as a Living Language

Lisa Billy
Though some Native American languages have been lost, Chickasaw continues to thrive as a living language.

Importance of My Native Language

Lisa Billy
When Lisa Billy's children reached school age, she knew they would never be taught the history of their own people if they went to public school.

Survival of the Chickasaw Language

Catherine Willmond and Pamela Munro
Chickasaw is an endangered language, but its chances of survival are much better thanks to the life's work of fluent speaker Catherine Willmond.

Joshua Hinson

S7 • E6
Joshua Hinson, Director of the Department of Chickasaw Language, is passionate about language and how it emulates culture.

Hearing Elders Speaking Chickasaw

Lisa Billy
Lisa Billy recalls growing up, hearing a large group of elders speaking and praying in Chickasaw, and how it ignited her desire to learn it.

Reviving the Chickasaw Language

Joshua Hinson
Joshua Hinson talks about the efforts to revitalization the Chickasaw language.

The Chickasaw Language Committee

Joshua Hinson
The Chickasaw Language Committee was organized in the 1990s and is comprised of fluent speakers appointed by the Governor.

New Words: The Language Evolves

Joshua Hinson
Joshua Hinson explains how the Language Committee creates new words & how the vocabulary has developed over time through language revitalization.

Joshua Hinson's Goal to Become Fluent

The Chickasaw Nation
Joshua Hinson expresses his goal of becoming a fluent speaker of the Chickasaw language.

Drawn to Our Language

Joshua Hinson
Joshua Hinson describes his fine arts background and explains how he became drawn to art history and native language revitalization.

Sharing Our Language Connects Us

Lisa Billy
Chickasaw speaker Lisa Billy observes that when visitors at the Cultural Center see Chickasaw words around campus it prompts other phrases.

Using the Language to Engage Audiences

Lisa Billy
Teaching a class, Lisa has used her ability to speak Chickasaw to regain students' attention.

A Linguist's Appreciation of the Chickasaw Language

Pamela Munro
Pamela Munro is a linguistics professor at University of California at Los Angeles.

JoAnn Ellis: Teacher of the Chickasaw Language

JoAnn Ellis
JoAnn Ellis remembers learning both Chickasaw and English beginning in her early youth.

Fluent Speakers

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Chickasaw fluent speakers are the driving force in language preservation. Their willingness to share their priceless knowledge with younger generations is essential to the language's survival.

Luther John: Fluent Chickasaw Speakers

Speaker Profiles
Luther John is a fluent Chickasaw speaker who has dedicated his life to language preservation.

Don't Speak Chickasaw

S4 • E5
Chickasaw elders remember times when they were not allowed to speak their native language.

Rose Shields-Jefferson Shares Childhood Memories

S4 • E4
Fluent Chickasaw speaker Rose Shields-Jefferson shares childhood memories about going to school and speaking only Chickasaw.

Church Family

S4 • E3
Chickasaw speakers gather together to share meaningful memories of family.

Church at Christmastime

S4 • E2
Chickasaw elders share joyous stories of Christmas memories speaking in their native language.

Virginia Bolen: Fluent Chickasaw Speakers

Speaker Profiles
Fluent Chickasaw speaker Virginia Bolen shares her story.

Preserving Speakers' Voices

Chickasaw Fluent Speakers
Chickasaw fluent speakers are recorded and transcribed for the essential work of language revitalization and preservation.

Memories of Kullihoma

S4 • E1
Fluent elders share early memories of speaking Chickasaw and the challenges they faced teaching the language to their own children.

Stanley Smith: Department of Chickasaw Language

The Chickasaw Nation
Meet Stanley Smith, the senior language master at the Chickasaw Department of Language.

JoAnn Ellis: Department of Chickasaw Language

The Chickasaw Nation
Meet JoAnn Ellis, language specialist at the Chickasaw Department of Language.

Rose Shields-Jefferson: Chickasaw Fluent Speaker

The Chickasaw Nation
Rose Shields-Jefferson is a Chickasaw fluent speaker who grew up speaking only Chickasaw.

Meet My Mother, Fluent in Our Language

Nacobi Walker, Joann Ellis, and Johnna Walker
Johnna Walker describes how her mother helps keep the Chickasaw language alive for new speakers.

Pauline Brown: Fluent Chickasaw Speaker

The Chickasaw Nation
Meet Pauline Carpenter Brown, fluent Chickasaw speaker and Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee.

Fluent Speakers Sing Hymn

The Chickasaw Nation
Pauline Brown and Jerry Imotichey lead Chickasaw fluent speakers singing a hymn from a Choctaw hymnal.

Chickasaw as a Primary Language

Catherine Willmond
Catherine Willmond is a Chickasaw fluent speaker, an award winning author and a teacher of the Chickasaw language.

JoAnn and Jeremy

JoAnn and Jeremy Ellis
Chickasaw fluent speaker JoAnn Ellis explains why the mission of language revitalization is so important to her.

Jerry Imotichey: Chickasaw Fluent Speaker

The Chickasaw Nation
Jerry Imotichey was a Chickasaw fluent speaker and held an immense amount of pride in his tribe.

Hannah Corsello: Chickasaw Fluent Speaker

The Chickasaw Nation
Hannah Corsello is one of the remaining Native fluent speakers of the Chickasaw language.

Hannah Corsello and Rick Greenwood

Master-Apprentice
Hannah Corsello says new speakers hold the future of the Chickasaw language in their hands.

Emma McLeod and Ellen Chapman

Emma McLeod and Ellen Chapman
Ellen Chapman expresses her joy at learning her native language from a revered community elder.

Fluent Speakers Sing The Gospel

The Chickasaw Nation
Chickasaw fluent speakers sing "The Gospel" from a collection of Choctaw hymns.

Traditional Stories

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Long before the written word, traditional Chickasaw stories were passed down orally from generation to generation. Hear them told by fluent Chickasaw speakers.

Long Ago the Crayfish Made the Land

S3 • E84
In episode 84 of Rosetta Stone Chickasaw, after the crawdad boil, Lili' tells a traditional Chickasaw story.

Long Ago Turkey Put On Hair Around His Neck

S3 • E88
In episode 88 of Rosetta Stone Chickasaw, Grandpa Charlie tells Taloowa' and Nashoba a traditional Chickasaw story.

Long Ago Rabbit's Tail Was Long

S3 • E95
In episode 95 of Rosetta Stone Chickasaw, Lili' tells the traditional Chickasaw story, "Long Ago Rabbit's Tail Was Long."