The Fight To Save The Dying Languages Of Alaska

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  • čas přidán 18. 09. 2019
  • Alaska's 20 native languages are in crisis, and millennial Alaskans are calling for their revival. But many languages aren't completely cataloged, and the parental generation can't, or won't, speak them. So Alaskans are racing to collect the elders' knowledge, and design a pedagogy that breaches the generational divide. Will they be able to stop their languages from dying out?
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Komentáře • 439

  • @howzitcruzinthrulife9146
    @howzitcruzinthrulife9146 Před 4 lety +657

    Our Hawaiian language was a dying language as well. My grandma wasn’t allowed to speak Hawaiian so for almost two generations it was almost lost. Now our language has flourished once again with Hawaiian studies and various programs.
    We cannot change the past, but we can change our future.
    Aloha 🤙🏽

    • @TheKalihiMan
      @TheKalihiMan Před 4 lety +23

      I am not indigenous, but I briefly studied the Hawaiian language. In the past, it was not only the language of the indigenous people, but of all inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi regardless of ancestry or origin. ʻAʻole ka ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi no nā Kānaka Maoli wale no (please excuse any mistakes, it’s been a while since I first learned).

    • @richie3802
      @richie3802 Před 4 lety +8

      Beautiful! So happy to hear that our sister languages of the pacific are being revitalized. Aroha Mai ❤

    • @zimbabwe-wz5iw
      @zimbabwe-wz5iw Před 3 lety +3

      Thats a good saying

    • @merlin6625
      @merlin6625 Před 3 lety +1

      Mahalo

    • @merlin6625
      @merlin6625 Před 3 lety +3

      I'm part Native American, I can relate to this. A'HO Hiy Hiy

  • @tyrranicalt-rad6164
    @tyrranicalt-rad6164 Před 4 lety +595

    I'm native American and my language is slowly going extinct. It's a big reason why I chose to study linguistics.

    • @funDAYsmiling
      @funDAYsmiling Před 4 lety +15

      TyrranicalT-Rad It should be offered to be taught in schools. I studied Spanish for four years myself, along with French for two years even though I already knew English and Spanish. I’M WHITE and would’ve happily studied and mastered any of the native languages still spoken here in Florida.

    • @militarylife5534
      @militarylife5534 Před 4 lety +5

      It is because of The STUPID USA

    • @maritzamartinez5376
      @maritzamartinez5376 Před 4 lety +6

      I’m studying linguistics for the same reason.

    • @DCM88
      @DCM88 Před 4 lety +1

      ​@o k English is a confusing mess that uses the same words for multiple meanings like "i'm reading a magazine while cleaning my magazine in the magazine room". It doesn't have an official apparatus that regulates the language planning and linguistic prescription to ensure its stability like the Royal Spanish Academy or the French Academy. Its for now a "convenient" lingua franca.

    • @DCM88
      @DCM88 Před 4 lety +2

      @o k Superior in which way? German is more logic and technical. The only reason is so "hard" to learn for most people is because is not a lingua franca unlike English. French and Spanish have superior literature.
      English has this, "We must polish the Polish furniture", "He could lead if he would get the lead out", "The insurance is invalid for the invalid", "they were too close to the door to close it", "I did not object to the object",etc. Again, doesn't make any sense. But yes, to make shit up as you go is the perfect language.

  • @fionamay852
    @fionamay852 Před 4 lety +344

    Speaking Irish in schools was banned by the English, its taught as a subject now but majority of Irish people cant speak fluent Irish now. Such a shame......

    • @jenisedai
      @jenisedai Před 4 lety +38

      Same thing about Scottish Gaelic- the English tried to wipe it out and now it's a dying language, too.

    • @MrApplehair
      @MrApplehair Před 4 lety +44

      Fiona May it’s a cultural genocide. English were the best at it

    • @john.dough.9423
      @john.dough.9423 Před 3 lety +5

      This is probably the worst case of them all, i saw a map about the last place in Ireland where people speak irish and it's in a very remote place in Connacht. Same happened here in Britanny, France, although alot of people are starting to learn breton

    • @dailysandwich4838
      @dailysandwich4838 Před 3 lety +2

      Id say these days the problem is all the immigrants in ireland not learning irish and in result making ppl speak in english with them...

    • @lekhwaramit
      @lekhwaramit Před 3 lety +1

      @y z it is because indian politicians and businesses encourage mostly services sector(depends too much on English speaking nations) and not manufacturing sector. Also some tamilians who know that hindi is most popular language in india, they tried to promote English as substitute of hindi and discourage even their native tamil language.

  • @drrd4127
    @drrd4127 Před 2 lety +79

    I am from Scotland. People ask me all the time "can you speak Scottish Gaelic?", I am so embarrassed to say no but it almost never existed in my school. I did speak Scots and got told by the teachers I needed to speak "proper English", it was so frustrating.

    • @rachiebabii916
      @rachiebabii916 Před rokem +6

      Than try to learn it.

    • @allisonguthrie8257
      @allisonguthrie8257 Před rokem +2

      It’s never too late to learn it. There are resources! The internet is amazing for language revitalization. If you put in the work of learning it is an adult, if you have kids/nieces and nephews/etc someday, you can pass that gift on to them so that they have the gift of being raised already knowing it.

    • @Alaskan-Armadillo
      @Alaskan-Armadillo Před rokem +3

      It is sad because there are still regions of Europe that speak languages different from what is deemed the official language.

  • @ALFRABEIRA
    @ALFRABEIRA Před 4 lety +193

    When a language dies, a world dies with it.

  • @rpgabe7554
    @rpgabe7554 Před 4 lety +251

    The Duolingo Bird needs to see this.

    • @marmot1434
      @marmot1434 Před 4 lety +24

      Duolingo bird: either the languages die or you die

    • @Nehmi
      @Nehmi Před 3 lety +2

      Yeeesssssss!!!!!

  • @NatalieL523
    @NatalieL523 Před 4 lety +245

    Loss of culture leads to a loss of belonging and purpose. It is a hard thing to deal with when you feel no one truly accepts you.

    • @SerHuntsReviews
      @SerHuntsReviews Před 4 lety +1

      @Agent Orange ikr

    • @NatalieL523
      @NatalieL523 Před 4 lety +16

      You can’t deny that it happens. Don’t be so triggered 🙄

    • @gypsysoul1245
      @gypsysoul1245 Před 4 lety +10

      Exactly, feeling rootlessness causes despair, a lost of belonging, lost in tradition as well which prevents many culprit acts, Japan is an example of a strong tradition that's why their barley any crimes in a nation of over a hundred million

    • @richie3802
      @richie3802 Před 4 lety +1

      @Agent Orange don't you have a culture

    • @kittydollsxo189
      @kittydollsxo189 Před 4 lety

      @@gypsysoul1245 I don't think that's the reason but *because of they're culture* it's why their are less crimes *not* because it's a strong tradition some cultures are okay with violent acts which causes crimes.

  • @kieranbrown9234
    @kieranbrown9234 Před 4 lety +228

    As a Alaskan Native I'm deeply concerned of how the English language is conquering most of our heritage and language but time will tell if our languages will survive or be eradicated

    • @akariel123
      @akariel123 Před 4 lety +14

      Hopefully efforts like this will help them survive.

    • @kieranbrown9234
      @kieranbrown9234 Před 4 lety +7

      Only time will tell and I'm not one of the speakers of my heritage which im trying not to be one of the only people with one language spoken

    • @scj3188
      @scj3188 Před 4 lety +13

      Yeah europeans(white colonizers) tend to attack anything that isn't white.

    • @MsEliteForever
      @MsEliteForever Před 4 lety +1

      English wins thank God,so I dont have to learn others. Im bad at other languages. Yet you all shouldn't forget your own.

    • @MsEliteForever
      @MsEliteForever Před 4 lety +4

      @@jamesrusselleriii8284 wow

  • @nataliep9651
    @nataliep9651 Před 4 lety +76

    I really REALLLY REEAALLLY want them to succeed. Language is a beautiful thing that tethers you to your culture, heritage, and our past. I think that I would lose my second language skills would completely change me as a person

  • @arcticpolyglots
    @arcticpolyglots Před 4 lety +30

    “Each time a language dies, another flame goes out, another sound goes silent.” ― Ariel Sabar

  • @hi-ln6ur
    @hi-ln6ur Před 4 lety +70

    In Ireland gaelic was almost lost,now it's a mandatory & an entire sem-large part of the country where gaelic is the primary language.All it takes is patience & time

    • @dreadpiraterobertsii4420
      @dreadpiraterobertsii4420 Před 3 lety +1

      So Irelands been independent for 100 years now so surely you all must be fluent.

    • @dreadpiraterobertsii4420
      @dreadpiraterobertsii4420 Před 3 lety

      @@RanchDressingPop-Tarts so a hundred years isn’t enough? 200 hundred? If a hundred years to you is short sighted how many years isn’t?

    • @haleyharding4732
      @haleyharding4732 Před 3 lety +5

      @@dreadpiraterobertsii4420 pretty sure they didn’t reincorporate it into public schools until 2001. Lol the brits are still so hung up on the Irish yet they ignore the grooming gangs in their streets.

    • @NoxaClimaxX
      @NoxaClimaxX Před 3 lety +5

      Irish Gaelic is still struggling though

    • @Fatblue246
      @Fatblue246 Před 2 lety +2

      Gaeilge while increasing in numbers of speakers, is still very much a minority language that is in danger. Things like gaelscoil are helping but when compared to how the Welsh who are still in the UK managed to revive their language it really has failed as a revival. This in part is due to poor policy by the Irish state, but also IMO in part due to the culture around speaking Gaeilge. For a long time speaking Gaeilge was not seen as like a "cool" thing to do, and many people feel very insecure about the fact that they don't have much irish, which makes them not want to use the minimal amount they do have. It just creates a culture of people not using the language. I will say, that thankfully that does seem to be changing especially amongst the younger generation, which is a hopeful sign. But honestly for total revival you would need to implement strategies like the Israeli government did when reviving Hebrew.

  • @cynthiavanteylingen7922
    @cynthiavanteylingen7922 Před 4 lety +66

    interesting video more languages please vice its good to know about these cultures and their worries.

  • @alaskasfinest726
    @alaskasfinest726 Před 2 lety +9

    Thank you VICE
    this touched my heart to see a video like this.
    I was born 1989 in Fairbanks, AK. Lived in Venetie(small village along the Chandalar river)It’s been 22 years since I’ve seen my mom in person. So a video with Athabaskan elders trying to save our language is the greatest!!! Just to hear them speaking is awesome and I wish I knew more of my language. I’ve picked up a few words in his video. Thank you again

  • @takesha959
    @takesha959 Před 3 lety +12

    My heart goes out to these people. I’m happy that you have this opportunity to save your language and culture.

  • @user-wi8gp7zw8i
    @user-wi8gp7zw8i Před 3 lety +10

    my family immigrated from Sicilia. learning the language is difficult for me because most people consider it a dialect, not a language. also my extended family situation is complicated so i was never exposed to other speakers. resources are limited and it’s impossible to become fluent because of it.
    i noticed an interactive tool called Woolaroo, that offered learning for endangered or uncommon languages. i was incredibly grateful that Sicilian was one of the languages available.

  • @MsMoses-hs5cz
    @MsMoses-hs5cz Před 4 lety +35

    I’m so happy for them that they know the importance of their language. Inherited traditions like ceremonies and clothing are just as important to the revitalization of their people.

    • @SeareanMoon
      @SeareanMoon Před 2 lety +1

      so is ending the ongoing #indigenous #genocide...there are no innocent bystanders...

  • @sheeeitmayn4384
    @sheeeitmayn4384 Před 3 lety +9

    So proud to be an Alaskan.

  • @gia9551
    @gia9551 Před 4 lety +17

    This is the state of the ‘dialects’ in Italy or will be in the next 10 years. They are individual cultural languages that standard Italian is derived from. It’s sad. My family’s language is so different from standard Italian and it’s slowly dying

  • @gustavogoikoetxea4524
    @gustavogoikoetxea4524 Před 4 lety +55

    ❤️ don’t let it die!!

  • @fuzzydeborah
    @fuzzydeborah Před 4 lety +9

    Thank you for taking the time to hear Alaskans.

  • @dannyy3438
    @dannyy3438 Před 4 lety +19

    Things like these breaks my heart. A language is a big part of culture and when a language dies its culture eventually goes as well. I hope all these indigenous language are learned and spoken fluently again ❤️

  • @justincastillogayray
    @justincastillogayray Před 4 lety +53

    All of these languages need to be preserved in library textbooks. Keep duplicates somewhere safe and secret like a bunker. I mean, remember how the Navajo language saved America?

    • @EnigmaticLucas
      @EnigmaticLucas Před 4 lety +9

      jacob f Look up the Navajo Code Talkers. They helped us a lot in WWII.

    • @TheKevinGee
      @TheKevinGee Před 3 lety +10

      The Navajo PEOPLE, not just the language.

    • @BaraJFDA
      @BaraJFDA Před 3 lety +10

      Yea at first USA (especially the military) tried to assimilate Indigenous speakers and torture them if they resisted. But conveniently they "found use" for Indigenous speakers during the world wars and spared their tribes from outright elimination. The Diné or Navajo people were not the only Indigenous Code Talkers. There were also Cherokee and Choctaw Code Talkers during the first world war. Then there were the Assiniboine, Comanche, Cree, Mekwaki, Mohawk, Muskogee, and Tlingit Code Talkers.

    • @thomasmoch8111
      @thomasmoch8111 Před 3 lety +2

      @@BaraJFDA respect, man ✊

  • @superunknown314159
    @superunknown314159 Před 4 lety +1

    Glad to see this type of content being created

  • @ryangardner7223
    @ryangardner7223 Před 3 lety +2

    I know Joan personally and have had the pleasure to work with her in another capacity. Extremely honored to be graced by her presence.

  • @redman4233
    @redman4233 Před 3 lety +6

    I just wanted to say that I speak Navajo and I can clearly understand what they are saying and probably or maybe communicate with them it's very similar to our language, could be related like the Athabaskans

    • @haileyh2761
      @haileyh2761 Před 3 lety +6

      all in the na-dene language family, the mutual intelligibility is pretty interesting

  • @kytastrophe-
    @kytastrophe- Před 3 měsíci

    My grandmothers spoke the Lower Tanana Athabascan dialect in interior Alaska (Nenana and Minto). I wish I had spent more time with them and learned the language, however my Grandma Hester John Evan did a lot of work with UAF in documenting the language and local medicinal herb knowledge. I'm currently trying to pull together everything she and her sister (Grandma Celia John Peterson) did...they both passed before I was an adult--finding the audio of their interviews made me burst into tears as I thought I'd never hear them speak again. I'm hoping to send the information to my sister and cousins, as well as make sure TCC and Doyon are aware of the knowledge. Rest in Peace, Grandmothers...we miss you and will do our best to make sure your culture doesn't end with our generation. I

  • @danirezaeva3934
    @danirezaeva3934 Před 3 lety

    Love and support to you all))

  • @paulitikox
    @paulitikox Před 3 lety

    So proud of them

  • @matthewrocco4138
    @matthewrocco4138 Před 4 lety +1

    Thank you!!!!!

  • @SeattleSlots
    @SeattleSlots Před 4 lety +14

    This is also a problem of the native tribes in Washington surrounding seattle....

  • @I0goose0I
    @I0goose0I Před 7 měsíci +2

    I think it's harder to revive a language when cultures like mine, Tlingit, are like so many where our language, the land, our songs and material objects with our history are all connected and we can't have just one. We can't just save our language. If we just save the language, people won't know how to preform a task in that language, having never done it. Tlingit is a language that comes from the land, and our neck of the woods is along the coast. We have no water sports and very few traditional watercraft. We can't be more connected unless all of us are brining up our kids in our language on the land with so much of our old ways. Gunalchéesh tléin for this episode, there's lots of people doing good work and there's a lot of people gatekeeping language and knowledge just so they can be the one who's brining it to you.

  • @suzannerexford488
    @suzannerexford488 Před 4 měsíci

    Beautiful

  • @CaptainCaterpillars
    @CaptainCaterpillars Před 4 lety +4

    This was a very well done video. It broke my heart to hear that their language is being lost. I grew up in Hawaii and the Hawaiian language is being taught in school up till high school. But even in high school, there are tons of Hawaiian classes to take from hula, agriculture, marine studies, history, & so on. This has helped to revamp the Hawaiian culture that has been dying for so many centuries.

    • @fuzzydeborah
      @fuzzydeborah Před 4 lety +2

      I am from Alaska and lived in Hawaii. Hawaii has -seemingly- done such a good job to preserve it's language and culture. Alaska needs to work on it. You rarely hear people speak in an Alaskan language these days.

  • @connorm1181
    @connorm1181 Před 10 měsíci

    At 5:32 when Myra Thumma said it makes her very happy when kids say things like 'how are you' because "there is a part of them that belongs to them" was such an emotionally powerful and humbling thing to hear. I truly hope for future peace and successful resilience of all indigenous cultures, languages, rights to land , and right to self-govern. Love from NY

  • @hineaweedwards1104
    @hineaweedwards1104 Před 4 lety +3

    keep fighting the fight to take back what was taken, kia kaha ❤️

  • @colbyw3575
    @colbyw3575 Před 2 lety +1

    I went to elementary school in alaska, the culture present was an unforgettable experience and i miss it deeply, one of the most positive long term influences on me and my brain 😅

  • @fullmetaljoker666
    @fullmetaljoker666 Před 2 lety +4

    As a member of the Eyak tribe we also struggle with this. The last native speaker died in 2008. I unfortunately did not grow up speaking the language and was only able to say a few words, even though I grew up in my native village.

  • @KeanuG95
    @KeanuG95 Před 3 lety +3

    My roots lay in the moluccan islands. Before colonisation and indonesia taking over they spoke a language what kinda sounds like hawaiian and maori-ish. Same as other cultures, they weren’t allowed to speak it.The language hasn’t died out yet, but only a few people still speak it.

    • @firstlast2602
      @firstlast2602 Před 3 lety +3

      what's the language? you should also mention the languages so that people could take interest in the language and document it digitally or physically.
      Jangan Hilang Bahasanya (Don't lose The Language)

  • @noam1879
    @noam1879 Před rokem +5

    Im sad i cant do anything, but as a hebrew speaker i belive every language can revive, we cant change the past but we can change the future.

  • @nani5987
    @nani5987 Před 4 lety +58

    When Indians lost their religion no one bothered.....
    Now their language is set to enter history books...

    • @gauravthorat6497
      @gauravthorat6497 Před 4 lety

      Why r u saying these

    • @goldshadow534
      @goldshadow534 Před 3 lety

      This program is meant to record their language for the history books. It will be preserved in libraries

    • @studymail5946
      @studymail5946 Před 3 lety

      Even in india minority ethnic are about to get extinct and some are extinct. What religion are you talking about tho ?

  • @BaraIsrael
    @BaraIsrael Před 4 lety +107

    people talking about white genoside while this happens

    • @kowloon1608
      @kowloon1608 Před 4 lety +2

      @Jane Doe Square dancing came from England lmao

    • @kowloon1608
      @kowloon1608 Před 4 lety

      @Jane Doe A very likely story.

    • @nice2835
      @nice2835 Před 4 lety +2

      Jane Doe it likely came with the prospectors is my guess, in the 1900s. That and the rural feel that Alaska can have at times.

    • @nice2835
      @nice2835 Před 4 lety

      Jane Doe honestly though that’s actually probably a really interesting question. @VICE news care to check out how the phenomenon of square dancing spread? I’m sure there’s an NPR segment on it somewhere

    • @nemesiszer0708
      @nemesiszer0708 Před 3 lety

      Ikr

  • @miracassidy4802
    @miracassidy4802 Před 2 lety +2

    I'm a high school senior from South Carolina that loves languages. I'm going to University of Alaska Fairbanks to study linguistics and learning about the native language crisis makes me want to learn them too and contribute what I can as a linguistic student, if communities will have me. I found this video curious to hear what the languages sound like and Gwich'in is honestly the coolest language I've ever heard

    • @JustinG1057
      @JustinG1057 Před 2 lety

      Good luck! The native languages are a treasure and they need good people to help save them.

  • @ezrasleet2028
    @ezrasleet2028 Před 3 lety +1

    I hope that the pandemic hasn’t taken the lives of these beautiful people but knowing how it has been handled I doubt many of them have survived. I hope that they’ve been able to get their work out there and finish this to pass it on since most of them are so old. I hope more steps like this are taken in the future for the rarer languages. All so unique and full of culture, most dying out because of the history of how we treated the speakers. It’s awful, but we’ll right the wrongs of our ancestors. Protect the indigenous hunting rights, their languages, and most of all their land and religious practice for the younger generations. I hope that it will extend caring about their quality of life when living on reservations as many youth are learning about them who aren’t indigenous, and recognize change needs to come and it needs to come now. Thanks to the upsides of certain platforms (tiktok and CZcams mostly) we can learn to advocate for them, but most importantly with them. Bring awareness to the ongoing genocide of indigenous women and peoples. Please if you have the time, at least talk to your friends and family and have them look into MMIWG. Bringing awareness about issues is one of the best ways to help. It leads to organizing and fighting for change. The same goes for BLM.

  • @sandhanam8789
    @sandhanam8789 Před 3 lety +5

    I love inupiaq I am very interested in learning it love from India ❤

  • @sonievkay
    @sonievkay Před 4 lety +26

    it the language is available online, i would absolutely learn it.

    • @sonievkay
      @sonievkay Před 4 lety +1

      jacob f why not?

    • @sonievkay
      @sonievkay Před 4 lety +7

      jacob f there are many reasons and to learn. not just being able to talk to 3000 people. my choices does not concern you so, whats it to you what i learn?

    • @sonievkay
      @sonievkay Před 4 lety +1

      jacob f so tell me why im lying

    • @sonievkay
      @sonievkay Před 4 lety +2

      jacob f u making asumptions about how i feel is funny. what make u so sure u know which language I knew existed or not? u dont even know me, lol. stop trolling and sounding like a sexist.

    • @sonievkay
      @sonievkay Před 4 lety +2

      jacob f u trying hard to get a reaction from me, eh. all this time i thought i was typing to a narrow-minded, sexist but i see ur also a racist. Also, china isnt the only country in asia so, if ur going to label someone....try using ur brain and make an intelligent geuss, other then calling every asian chinese.

  • @deviafan3480
    @deviafan3480 Před 2 lety +2

    Oh my goodness, I know some of these folks personally. Woah!! Grandma Irene!!!!

  • @premnatarajan7072
    @premnatarajan7072 Před 3 lety +1

    I hope they succeed. I'm 14 but Gwich'in and Iñupiaq(as well as Inuktitut and Kalallisut-->Greenlandic) have intrigued me for a while

  • @Tejah
    @Tejah Před 3 lety +1

    What a valuable treasure they are preserving.

  • @gequitz
    @gequitz Před 2 lety +2

    Man it's sad to think how so many ancestral languages have been taken. I'm glad the Gwich'in are doing something about that.

  • @hondajohn6948
    @hondajohn6948 Před 4 lety +5

    Loss of language is so sad, when you lose the language you lose the culture. As an Italian American it’s so sad to see kids that don’t know what being Italian is, don’t know culture or the language is they just know what being American Italians is.

    • @francescoody4993
      @francescoody4993 Před 4 lety +1

      It's very complicated being American. The young people you speak of Are American Italians. In a country that is not your native one there must be assimilation. But you can teach them about " the old country ", as my Greek grandfather used to say. Especially the language.

    • @Ketenkrad96
      @Ketenkrad96 Před 3 lety +1

      Then dont live in usa if you wanna be italian. OFC they dont know, cuz they arent italians anymore, their parents may have been, but the kids aren´t.

  • @evangelinejohn9993
    @evangelinejohn9993 Před 4 lety +2

    Yaw^ko this makes me sooo happy🙌✨💗✨

  • @Rabaru
    @Rabaru Před 3 lety +3

    I hope that more places where indigenous people live, from Australia to the Americas, people will pick up the languages spoken there before colonization. Preservation of one’s language empowers the individual.

  • @KhmerKandal
    @KhmerKandal Před 4 lety

    Hoping that the new generation will continue to learn.

  • @lizrathburn8603
    @lizrathburn8603 Před 3 lety +10

    As an irish language speaker I'm so happy to see other indigenous groups struggling to revive their language as well

  • @jumblack7684
    @jumblack7684 Před 4 lety +4

    I was named after a fish from my mom's village. In Alaska. I only know a few words. In Alaska exspecially it is difficult to preserve the language when the villages are scattered and low population. Preserving a language even in text form is important in a world that came to conquer and left a dying culture.

    • @jumblack7684
      @jumblack7684 Před 4 lety +1

      @@phillylove7290 I'm talking about the video and individuals making written dictionaries in modern times.

    • @jumblack7684
      @jumblack7684 Před 4 lety +2

      @Agent Orange I didn't say I wasn't white though. I'm more Irish than anything else.

    • @fuzzydeborah
      @fuzzydeborah Před 4 lety +3

      @Agent Orange there are white Alaskans with native heritage 🤦‍♀️

  • @samueldunham6411
    @samueldunham6411 Před 8 měsíci

    I really want to show this video to my Alaska Studies class in Anchorage, but the suggested video that pops up at the end of this one (the one chosen by the makers, not suggested by CZcams) is something I could not risk flashing across the screen in a public high school. VICE News, please change that.

  • @adam-edtorres2260
    @adam-edtorres2260 Před 3 měsíci

    Beautiful language, it reminds me a bit of the Diné I heard in Arizona years ago.

  • @jimmymartinez1892
    @jimmymartinez1892 Před 3 lety +3

    So many beautiful languages lost due to idiocy and tyranny and it's saddening that the world has lost so much already. I can only hope that what is left will flourish once more.

  • @antonioleto991
    @antonioleto991 Před 3 lety +3

    we need to do this in Sicily with sicilian

    • @user-wi8gp7zw8i
      @user-wi8gp7zw8i Před 3 lety

      woolaroo is a newer language tool that offers Sicilian. i’ll definitely be using it.

  • @Pixelpro-uz9zg
    @Pixelpro-uz9zg Před rokem +1

    I have been into learning languages for a few years and I might have to put a native Alaskan language onto my list but I don’t know where to get the resources and I also wouldn’t have any use compared to my second and third (German and some Spanish) which are 2 of the larger languages compared to a nearly dead one, I lived in Alaska when I was younger and I never heard any other language than English and now looking back I am so disappointed that English has been dominating all other smaller languages, if anyone can help link me to other resources that can teach me this, it would be very much appreciated.

  • @ChrisHargrave23
    @ChrisHargrave23 Před 4 lety +6

    Check out 7000 Languages Project. It's a free languages learning site that crowdsources it's content. I worked with an AK native foundation out of Fairbanks to produce video language lessons for 4 different dialects and 7000.org played a big part in the project. Good stuff.

  • @BigKarl519
    @BigKarl519 Před 4 lety

    mahsi' choo Vice.

  • @831mrscardoso
    @831mrscardoso Před 4 lety +45

    it's sad that this country has killed off all these beautiful languages

    • @BlueJohnXD
      @BlueJohnXD Před 4 lety +18

      @Soturian Indigenous languages didn't "naturally" go extinct. They did so because the European colonisers forced the indigenous people to stop speaking their language, and speak English/French/Spanish etc instead. There is nothing natural or evolving about it, it is and was simply a violent attack on indigenous cultures.

    • @BlueJohnXD
      @BlueJohnXD Před 4 lety +9

      Soturian it doesn’t overlook basic linguistics. Indigenous peoples being forbidden to speak their own language and instead another being forced upon them is the root cause for the extinction of most indigenous languages, and the endangerment the ones that remain are currently in. You cannot say after centuries of colonisation, it was a mere “natural process”. Again, nothing natural about it. It was and still is a violent attack on indigenous cultures. If they were left to their own devices as they should have been, it is highly likely that many of the languages now extinct, and those that are critically endangered, would still be spoken today.

    • @Trgn
      @Trgn Před 3 lety +1

      Languages? Entire ethnics and cultures went completely extinct, wiped from exitence as part of systematic genocide.

  • @garrison9595
    @garrison9595 Před rokem

    I loved it, try understanding language, and like more of it. . .

  • @FalconsEye58094
    @FalconsEye58094 Před 3 lety +3

    Hawaii native language was threatened a while back but they’ve resurrected it

  • @juice8431
    @juice8431 Před rokem

    This country is huge

  • @gdj777
    @gdj777 Před 4 lety +53

    Teach the language to an AI.

    • @YesterdaysWonderland
      @YesterdaysWonderland Před 4 lety

      Giovanny De Jesus right!!

    • @gdj777
      @gdj777 Před 4 lety +3

      @@phillylove7290 So if there is no system of grammer/records supporting it how will they keep it alive?

    • @blueraspberrylemonade32
      @blueraspberrylemonade32 Před 4 lety

      If AI is inevitable, we need to make them invincible against the test of time to preserve knowledge, a book that would run from the wildfire and sail away during floods

  • @bluerose8255
    @bluerose8255 Před 4 lety +13

    Even khoi language in southern africa is dying out and its the hardest language that mostly composed of clicks!
    NATIVE PEOPLE AROUND WORLD.♥️♥️♥️♥️

    • @autobotdiva9268
      @autobotdiva9268 Před 3 lety +1

      Its not. But thank u & its khoe. Its the N!uu that is on the list

  • @matthewmann8969
    @matthewmann8969 Před 4 lety +1

    They are still not completely gone

  • @Monksees
    @Monksees Před 4 lety +2

    i wanna learn

  • @mr.sushi2221
    @mr.sushi2221 Před rokem

    This is one reason I want to work on film restoration. To keep the past alive and educate the young. Not the same but similar

  • @eb.3764
    @eb.3764 Před 3 lety +4

    It needs to be in the domain of education and business life. If one can't conduct business in their language, they will have a hard time living

  • @JohnSmith-td7hd
    @JohnSmith-td7hd Před 4 lety +9

    It's interesting that probably the most valuable thing that Native Alaskans could offer the world is what the world told them to forget.

    • @Jas0nH
      @Jas0nH Před 4 lety

      Alaska native here and this is the dumbest shit i've ever read. All native languages provide zero economic value, these people need to leave the villages asap.

  • @asenseofsense
    @asenseofsense Před 4 lety +6

    We tried making everyone the same, when in reality our differences are what make us the same. Our families, our languages, our culture. We are different but one. Beautiful video.

  • @sanuku535
    @sanuku535 Před rokem

    6:22
    Beautifull and poinent

  • @someanimation6807
    @someanimation6807 Před 2 lety

    Kinda similar to my language and we are migrated from Siberia to central many many years ago😀

    • @MadGunny
      @MadGunny Před 2 lety

      What language if you don’t mind me asking? I used to study Ket which is an interesting, nearly threatened language from Siberia. I’m always interested in the linguistic history of that region.

    • @someanimation6807
      @someanimation6807 Před 2 lety

      @@MadGunny kyrgyz language which is turkic language

    • @someanimation6807
      @someanimation6807 Před rokem

      @CuriousGolden if its not related how come I am able to understand some of the words

  • @angrysocialist1553
    @angrysocialist1553 Před 4 lety +19

    Such a shame that our racist leaders tried killing these beautiful languages.

    • @saurabhraj19
      @saurabhraj19 Před 3 lety

      It was a part of conquest, the colonials tried it and ruled half of the world by these tactics, the king's did this too in the old days they would try to kill the culture and language of places they conquered that way people lose their identity and voila 2-3 generation down the line nobody remembers.
      Such a shame but at least people are now taking proactive steps to preserve their heritage and people are now proud of their culture

    • @dreadpiraterobertsii4420
      @dreadpiraterobertsii4420 Před 3 lety

      Beat and subdue same in Ireland same in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa America Australia then take the fertile land

    • @NoxaClimaxX
      @NoxaClimaxX Před 3 lety +1

      This is a cornerstone of colonialism, no matter who the invaders are. We are fortunate to be at a point where we can acknowledge the crimes committed and work to reverse at least some of the damage.

    • @redacted7060
      @redacted7060 Před 2 lety

      Manifest destiny is the american version of Lebensraum

  • @maxzorin9425
    @maxzorin9425 Před 4 lety +9

    Language exists and evolves for reasons of practicality, to effectively communicate. Too many people look at culture through a sentimental lens, sentimentality has no place. If your culture is important to you, you will adopt it and inculcate it into your life. If it is not, you will not. It is a personal choice. I am not advocating for any point of view, other than the one that says people make decisions, and live with the benefits and the consequences. I would support teaching of local languages in local schools. But your country, and mine, like most countries, need to spend more on education and less on the military.

  • @Seabass1206
    @Seabass1206 Před 4 lety +17

    look what happened in south america

    • @azure8696
      @azure8696 Před 4 lety

      Exactly

    • @MsEliteForever
      @MsEliteForever Před 4 lety +2

      What happened?

    • @azure8696
      @azure8696 Před 4 lety

      @@MsEliteForever Gojira stomped through it.

    • @jenisedai
      @jenisedai Před 4 lety +5

      @@MsEliteForever Spanish colonization wiped out indigenous languages along with indigenous cultures.

    • @kimmuller9960
      @kimmuller9960 Před 4 lety +1

      @@jenisedai arab colonization did the same in midel east . colonization is bad

  • @2557carla
    @2557carla Před 2 lety

    Gwichin is related to Navajo language.

    • @MadGunny
      @MadGunny Před 2 lety

      It might be. If the Dene - Yeniseian hypothesis is true, then some remote Siberian Inuit languages would be related to Navajo as well. Pretty wild. A lot of linguists aren’t sold on that however. I had a brilliant linguistics professor who dosnt believe they are related.

  • @riccohall79
    @riccohall79 Před 4 lety +1

    It is very good when positive actions are started and completed to help people, the Earth, and/or other natural life. It is very important victims experiences are told and remembered. A primary reason it's important is because from victims past experiences people with the resources and other power to make the future better for current, past, or future victims know who, what, when, where, and why their focus should be. Hopefully, there will be a day all people with the resources and other power to make the many changes the world needs use the resources and other power to make the needed changes. Currently, many people needed for resources, etc. are not helping as they should and/or can.

  • @KurdForever
    @KurdForever Před rokem +1

    The same is happening with Kurds, in Turkey many new Kurdish generations feel like a Turk, not a Kurd anymore, which is sad.

  • @repairdrive
    @repairdrive Před 4 lety +7

    5:55 homeboy had on a Redskins hat??? What the hell?! Lol

  • @mastersonogashira1796
    @mastersonogashira1796 Před 4 lety

    Now see this is way better than that book club shit

  • @pwzone3132
    @pwzone3132 Před 4 měsíci

    I can’t say that Belarusian is dying language but not so many people speak it. So, as a belarusian who lives in Russia, I started to learn it

  • @KpopNiDontStop
    @KpopNiDontStop Před 3 lety +1

    Whats crazy is this is basically a native Asian language of America.

  • @mattiegonzalez2817
    @mattiegonzalez2817 Před rokem

    I think what Paul Williams says at 3:44 is gonna stick with me a long time, it contextualizes the issue of cultural preservation and colonialism so well. "We became theirs, you know. They said 'our natives.' I didn't like that word. It hurt me. Hurt me real bad." Really makes you consider the flaws in understanding someone or something as simply being tied to a place, rather than a place and a cultural context in time and in human life that's greater than a border. In this case, being defined as native is something objectifying and othering for Paul and for the Gwich'in, simply because it's a way of stripping down the uniqueness and sovereignty of being Gwich'in and replacing it with a new idea and dichotomy that's not theirs. Calling someone "native" is in some senses reducing them to ties to a place rather than understanding them as their own people with their own ties to their home and the world around them, even if it's well meaning. I don't think anyone intends to be reductive or offensive in calling a person "native", many people even self-identify with the word, but these people have their own names and their own stories and words to use, and I think everyone should be able to have that. I hope the Gwich'in and all other American Indians/"Native Americans", and all other people around the world with cultures in danger of disappearing, the best in saving their language and their identity. Much love from a mixed white/Latino from Lenapehoking

  • @cjware316
    @cjware316 Před 2 lety +2

    My girlfriend is a native from Alaska, Yup'ik to be exact. She is very fiery and emotional. Almost feral, but in a positive sense, if that makes any sense. Very appreciative to be hers considering how unique of a human she is. Beautiful, strong, independent and intelligent woman.
    Love ya Emily! 🙂

    • @diouranke
      @diouranke Před 2 lety +3

      u made her sound like an animal

  • @gagechelsea1796
    @gagechelsea1796 Před 3 lety

    The 500 number is most likely wrong.. each language also had multiple dialects

  • @lopezfielitz
    @lopezfielitz Před 3 lety +1

    From german dialects to native american languages, all are dying. I'd love to speak Mapuzungun or Quechua

  • @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit
    @Idkpleasejustletmechangeit Před 8 měsíci

    Interesting language.

  • @jokotri2186
    @jokotri2186 Před 3 lety +1

    Not to brag or anything but in Indonesia you cross a state you hear new language, you cross an island you hear another language, hell even just crossing a county you could find another language..
    Just saying

  • @Sucknutz_
    @Sucknutz_ Před 3 lety +1

    Well the United States has no official language but i never really saw that as it’s up to people to keep that those languages alive. But also languages change and die. In 100 years words won’t mean the same as they do today and some won’t exist. It’s just harder for these folk sense there is so little of them. Interesting but sad story. Hope they succeed

  • @samuelboles8566
    @samuelboles8566 Před 3 lety

    Why can't we find those people that were teaching and abusing these children for speaking their language their own beautiful language can you believe how disgusting that is I think we need to go and find everyone of those people that are grown adults now we need to go to them and we need to go to the people that were in charge back then and where the hell are they and how come they haven't been tracked down and punished and I mean punished how can these people weren't tracked down and dealt with publicly humiliated and tied to a polewhere are the men the politicians the legislators that ordered this action where are those men right now where are those men and women right now where are they the men and women that were in charge of these places that ordered these actions where are they we need to find them they are guilty

  • @tyrobb9357
    @tyrobb9357 Před 4 lety +1

    Hey boys

  • @mesilounela7399
    @mesilounela7399 Před 4 lety

    Wou

  • @arnabmitra4348
    @arnabmitra4348 Před 3 lety

    The Alaskan language is sounds very similar like Scandinavian language group 👍

    • @joelandrew9688
      @joelandrew9688 Před rokem +1

      Which Alaskan language, theres like 20 of em ?

  • @gardengnome6518
    @gardengnome6518 Před 4 lety +2

    So many languages are dying and with it so many cultures. Globalization can be a good thing but it has also erased so many beautiful cultures and have disconnected so many people at the same time

  • @MaxiMillianMusFan
    @MaxiMillianMusFan Před 4 lety +19

    Everyone gangsta till people start speaking english

  • @Gunner77269
    @Gunner77269 Před 4 lety +29

    It's pretty cool that they're recording all these languages. That's amazing anthropology, but make no mistake, the purpose is to record. Not to save them. If no one under 50 speaks the language then it's already dead.

    • @tanyavolansky5042
      @tanyavolansky5042 Před 4 lety +2

      There can still be hope

    • @jenisedai
      @jenisedai Před 4 lety +1

      They're doing it so the kids can learn it, so it can be preserved by them speaking it.

    • @Ketenkrad96
      @Ketenkrad96 Před 3 lety

      There´s no point tho, it´s an absolutely useless language, instead of teaching them something that can be used in like two families they could teach tem ENG and ESP and youre basically capable of talking to the whole world.