Groups and individuals meet to help preserve the Salish language

By Lailani Upham

PABLO — The Salish and Pend d’Orielle Culture Committee invited groups and individuals who work with the Salish language to gather at the Longhouse last Friday.

A small yet core group of elders, along with Salish and Pend d’Orielle Culture Committee members, Salish Kootenai College language instructors, Native American Language Teacher Training Institute staff members, Nkwusm representatives, and other interested language learners attended the meeting to discuss new and current efforts to retain and bring back the Salish language.

The idea developed out of the Culture Committee deciding to get groups together to discuss curriculum that is being taught and what project efforts are currently out in the community.

“We started out wanting to meet with the other groups to find out what everyone is doing and if they needed help and it grew from there,” said Salish and Pend d’Orielle Culture Committee Language Specialist, Shirley Trahan.

The Culture Committee is currently seeking to increase the collaboration with people interested in saving the Salish language.

The Friday meeting was the third of an going effort of the groups and individuals dedicated to preserving the language, according to April Charlo, spokesperson for the Native American Language Teacher Training Institute.

The collaboration is currently discussing ideas on how to increase funding for all groups, according to Trahan.

Meetings have been held once a month; however, following the Friday meeting, language officials decided to meet twice a month to make a stronger impact on revitalizing the language, according to Charlo.

The Culture Committee invited these groups, allowing them to share the curriculum they are teaching, projects they are working on, as well as the opportunity to ask for help. The Culture Committee is seeking the collaboration of all people interested in saving the Salish language.

The next meeting will be held at the Longhouse on December 4, at 9 am.

The Culture Committee and planning groups would like to invite everyone interested in participating in the revitalization of the Salish PendO’reille language to join them on Dec 4th.

The groups extend their encouragement for all folks to become involved whether a fluent speaker, a teacher, or simply working with the language to come and participate; all input and support is vital to keeping the language alive.

“The only requirement is the desire to help make history by saving the Salish language,” stated Charlo.

If you are not able to attend, but would like to participate, your ideas and/or concerns can be submitted to Shirley Trahan via email shirleyt@cskt.org

Elders that require transportation, please call DHRD transportation at (406) 675-2720 at least 24 hours in advance.

For more information please call Shirley Trahan at (406) 675-2700, ext. 5306.
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