Loss of Lakota Language and Culture

photo of Tina Merdanian

In my PWR class this quarter, we read about a young Lakota man who grew up in the midwest not knowing anything about his culture until he reached Dartmouth and took formal classes on his culture and language. I was intrigued by the story and have always had an interest in the conservation of culture, so when I found an article addressing the decline in the use of Lakota language, I was intrigued. The article provides a brief history of the mission era during which the Spanish set out to destroy the Lakota culture. The natives were forced to enter missions where they were converted to Catholicism and forced to learn Spanish. One elder remembers being thrown against a wall as a child for speaking Lakota with his brother in class. This type of oppressive erasure of culture had profound effects on the retention rates of the Lakota language. The Lakota who grew up in the missions associated their native language and religious traditions with shame and punishment, so they consciously chose not to pass on these traditions to their children. They came to believe that if their children spoke Lakota, they would be uneducated.

Now that their kids have their own families and live in an environment that is no longer hostile to their culture, there is growing interest in reviving the language and rediscovering the Lakota heritage. However, the parents of these children are not fluent in Lakota and remain widely ignorant of traditional practices. Teachers fluent in the language are now attempting to teach the children the language, but they elders claim they are not able to connect with students and/or mispronounce important words. There is also a lack of material for instruction and no set curriculum, so the language programs differ greatly across Rapid City and the rest of the state. Many believe the family is responsible for teaching the children at home, but sadly, this just isn't happening. Not all parents speak the language, and even when so, the children often resist learning it because it is 'uncool.'

What I found most interesting about this article was the clear connection it made between language and culture. For the Lakota, it seemed to be the single most important aspect of their culture they wished to preserve. The author writes that one young woman was "proud of a heritage and culture that hinges on the very thing that erodes more each year: the language of her people." Founder of the Piegan Institute on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, MT, said the language is like a family heirloom, like a grandmother's wedding ring or a family member's old shawl. Another tribal member, Tina Merdanian said that knowing the language defines one's Lakota identity and that there are certain expressions and phrases that you cannot find the words for in English. She also links the Lakota language to the spirituality of the people. In a personal narrative, Robert Bennett, a Lakota, wrote that “I believed [learning] the language would return some of my identity."

For this tribe, the preservation of their language means more than simply preventing its extinction; it is their closest link to their culture and heritage. They see it as a key to their past and religion. This is important to remember when we talk about language; it's not simply a mode of communication but also an important part of identity and culture.

SOURCES: http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_3986038e-474f-11df-be8c-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_cd98cfea-4752-11df-ae10-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story

"Why Didn't You Teach Me?" Robert Bennett