By Fox23.com News Staff
SAN MATEO, Calif. — The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is partnering with Rosetta Stone to help preserve and protect its language and culture.
The two will work together in developing a digital course that captures the language’s “sound, rhythm and spirit”. Authentic voices, imagery and cultural context will be used to help tribal members learn Chahta anumpa — the Choctaw language.
“When we speak Chahta, our ancestors speak through us. Sharing our language ensures their voices will never fade,” said CNO Chief Gary Batton. “Each word spoken is the core that strengthens our families and our culture, and secures our identity as the Chahta people. This partnership to share our language is more than a program. It is an act of love for our people and a promise to keep our culture alive for generations to come.”
According to the Choctaw Nation, the number of fluent speakers has decline sharply over the past few decades which was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With the partnership with Rosetta Stone, they say it will make learning the language more accessible to their citizens.
“Language is deeply personal. It connects us to family, history and place,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone’s parent company. “Through our Endangered Languages Program, we’re honored to work alongside the Choctaw Nation to protect not just words, but the identities and cultures they carry.”
