September 27, 2019 | Tulsa World
The Cherokee Nation announced on Friday the largest language investment in the tribe’s history.
The Durbin Feeling Cherokee Language Preservation Act would provide $16 million for a new language center, ongoing programming and a new Cabinet position within the tribal government’s administration, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said Friday at a celebration of Cherokee language speakers.
“Now is the time to be bold and act quickly so we do not fail the legacy of our ancestors or the future of our Cherokee speakers,” Hoskin said in a written press statement. “We have focused on health care and economic development, and we have seen immeasurable achievements, but now we must also focus on saving our Cherokee language as another high priority.”