Saving Language & Culture

Joseph Marshall III

Learn ABOUT
(deep listening, information)

  1. What is the history of the boarding
    schools and Native children?
  2. Who first said, “Kill the Indian to save the Man?”
  3. Where are the 38 Native Colleges?
  4. What is the percentage of Native American students who graduate from high school?
  5. What percentage of Native American high school graduates finish college?
  6. What percentage of Native Americans can speak their native language?
  7. What percentage of Lakota, Dakota and Nakota people speak their native language?

Learn FROM
(deep listening, transformation)

  1. Have you ever felt like you were
    being asked to give up some
    important part of yourself in order
    to be considered an “educated”
    person? If so, what did you feel
    pressured to give up? How did you
    deal with that emotionally?
    Intellectually?
  2. What is the key difference between prohibitions or rules that help keep order, and prohibitions or rules that simply oppress the individual? How would you determine whether or not a rule was oppressive?
  3. Can you think of another example (personal or historical) in which a “tool” that was used to oppress was turned around and used to restore freedom, sovereignty or rights (the way “schooling” has come full circle for the Lakota people)?
  4. Are there elements of your personal or family “language or culture” that are in danger of being lost? What might be done about that?