Opinion Column

Native languages are important to the culture of all Americans

By angela ratto

The Lake Oswego Review, Apr 3, 2009, Updated Oct 30, 2009

I have always had a fascination with Native American cultures. When I was younger I used to watch Disney’s version of “Pocahontas” and run around my backyard acting as if I were a little Native American princess. Native history has always fascinated me, and it wasn’t until recently that I discovered an important link between history, the American culture and native language loss. I believe native languages should be saved from extinction and be preserved in the name of culture, tradition and diversity.

There are multiple reasons for the causes for native language erosion, such as today’s vast English media, aggressive movement to make America an English-language dominated country.

In the past, the older generations of native speakers suffered in relentless battles against disease and were forced to migrate to reservations, which brought about drastic declines in Native American populations and tore apart the community from the inside out. Also the element of forced European education delivered harsh effects upon native languages.

Although no one can give exact numbers, it is estimated that during the time of Columbus and his exploration of the western hemisphere, there were about 2,000 different tongues being spoken by the natives of America. With such an incredible amount of language diversity, it’s hard to believe that more than half of those languages have become extinct over the years due to Euro-American influence. It is also said that of the remaining half of the native languages, there are only about 1,000 speakers of each language. There are currently 10 native languages spoken in Oregon that are being kept alive by Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes.

In the actions of preserving these 10 local languages, the reservations have put in a lot of effort into their youth, so they have a clear understanding of their background and identity. Some of the languages had been lost for several years, and teachers had to go through a great deal of effort to re-learn their native language second hand. Native teachers dedicate all of their time and passion into assuring that the history of their people will be passed on in the following generations.

Understanding some of the connections behind languages and their extinctions is complex. One reason is social status or which tribe was more dominant. Under these circumstances when the Euro-American tribe moved into the scene, the Native Americans were the more dominant tribe. The Euro-Americans had to learn from the natives how to survive on American soil. It wasn’t until later that the Euro-Americans began to grow in number and strength, and their tribe became the more dominant one.

The culture and language of Oregonian Native Americans has suffered greatly over the years, and tribes are finding it harder and harder to draw their youth back into their customs. Many elders fear that their history will die off because native youth have lost interest in their native language and history. Today, with the world progressing as rapidly as it is, it makes it hard for youth not to be pulled into a technology-driven era. As children become progressively more used to the idea of an English-driven society, the ancient ideas, language and customs of Native Americans seem outdated and unnecessary.

In keeping the languages from the past alive, we have the key to the documents of ancient life and understanding. If we keep using this key, we will always have that link to the past. With each language that is lost, thousands of stories, ideas and knowledge is lost. Without knowledge, we would be lost in bewilderment of the world. Without a language to express our knowledge, we would be very solitary creatures.

Lucky for us, we haven’t become a mono-diverse country yet, and we still have the beautiful and vibrant Native American languges to show that Native American culture and history plays a key role in the base of American culture.

Angela Ratto is a senior at Riverdale High School. She writes a column every month for the Lake Oswego Review. Contact her via e-mail at education@lakeoswegoreview.com.

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