By: Camryn Johnson
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (UATV) – With more than 450,000 citizens worldwide, the Cherokee Nation is among the largest of the Native American tribes. But despite its numbers, a large piece of its culture is disappearing – the language.
CNN reports only 2,000 Cherokee citizens are considered native speakers. Growing up on the Reservation outside Jay, Oklahoma, University of Arkansas student Jamie Black was once part of that number.
“I spoke it all throughout my childhood,” she said. “I grew up that way.”
But that would not always be the case.
“I lost the language over time, which is something that happens to a lot of other kids my age.”
Black attributed this to a lack of emphasis from former administrations on connecting with the heritage. But she also said it had to do with a generational disconnect.
Before he passed away, Black’s father was adamant about staying in touch with the heritage and found it important to continue speaking the language. But her grandmother, who grew up attending boarding schools that Black said literally beat the idea of speaking Cherokee out of her, saw it differently.
“My dad was always the one who really pushed for us to stay in tune with our culture whereas my grandma was like ‘I just want to not think about that side and focus on moving forward.’ So it was difficult trying to navigate an in-between for that.”
And it has provided similar challenges for citizens all over. In recent years, the Cherokee language has been considered a dying one. But new leadership is reminding people of its importance.
“[The language] is the center of our culture,” Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner said. “It’s the center of our being. It is what makes us distinctly unique as a Native American tribe here on the North American continent.”
Alongside Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr, Deputy Chief Warner has pushed for the heritage to be recognized and included in classrooms.
“We’re getting into more universities,” he said. “Individuals are being able to take those classes for college credit, which is key because we feel like, as Cherokees, once we start to find the value, we reconnect with our culture.”
In the fall of 2022, the University of Arkansas began offering elementary Cherokee courses.
“I was just so amazed because, for native students, we don’t think about going to the U of A because it’s not a predominantly native school,” Black said. “So it was a big shock to me that this was something on peoples’ radars at all. It was really exciting.”
Beyond teaching the language, the university has made efforts to highlight various aspects of native cultures through the Native American Student Association – an organization Black was once the president of.
“I was fortunate enough to be involved heavily with them,” she said. “Knowing there was this community and this population that I had no idea of, it was so comforting.”
Even with the recent recognition of the Cherokee culture, Deputy Chief Warner said it is not just about keeping it alive.
“We’re not looking to preserve anything,” he said. “We’re looking to perpetuate things.”
A notion Black said can be seen in the reemergence of the native tongue.
“I always heard growing up, ‘It’s a dead language. There’s no point in learning it because no one’s going to speak it.” Well that’s just not the case anymore.”