Lakota Language Being Saved By The Young

It calls to the heart when you see young people stepping up to save their treasured cultural heritage. Here’s a prime example, a video featured on the United Nations Human Rights page ( http://www.standup4humanrights.org/en/highlights.html). Background, from a Twitter post: “18-year-old Claudia is one of the few remaining speakers of Lakota, a critically endangered language in the U.S. Her generation believes that saving the Lakota language is vital to their cultural identity and human rights. Watch her story: ”

No one knows the value of human rights more than the indigenous peoples of the world, including those in the U.S., who must strive every day for the freedom to simply exist in their own cherished culture. Nearly subsumed by the cruel philosophy of “Manifest Destiny” here in America, these people continue to rise with one quiet voice after another to assert their rights of expression and lifestyles. Yes, they are Americans, and they disproportionately step forward to defend America when its threatened, but their culture is a pure jewel which the larger culture continues to ignore and at times debase. The irony is obvious.

Yet, they manage to endure and persevere. One day, I predict, they will once again return to prominence and dominance while the larger culture turns to dust amid its greed, avarice and self-destructive profligacy. And when they do so, I believe they will truly Make America Great Again, in the right way.

Here is another link to a similar effort in the Hopi lands: http://www.hopischool.net/

This beautiful project to perpetuate the Hopi culture continues to thrive, despite hardscrabble funding for continuing operations. The photo features a quilt made by pupils to raffle off for school funding. It’s a yearly event deserving your attention and possible support. Tickets only cost $1.

Brightest blessings to you and to all of those around you.

Aho & Namaste,
Bob