The W. K. Kellogg Foundation is giving a 100-thousand grant to help Omaha Tribal public schools preserve their indigenous language. Siouxland Public Media’s Mary Hartnett has this report.
Only about 150 people speak or understand parts of the traditional language. Elders and teachers associated with the Omaha tribe say the remaining 12 fluent speakers are all over 70 years old. The Language Conservancy grant will help create an introductory textbook with an audio CD to distribute to schools within the reservation and in surrounding urban schools where the language is taught. Students from pre-K through high school will be taking part in the program. The (Omaha) Nation Public School, the Walthill Public School and the Omaha Tribal Education Department are all involved in the project. The schools are located within the tribe’s reservation boundary in Northeast Nebraska. For Siouxland Public Media, I’m Mary Hartnett.