Tomorrow, February 21st is United Nations International’s Mother Language Day, which celebrates all languages as
“the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our tangible and intangible heritage … and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue.”
We’re calling out to Lakota speakers, learners and supporters to claim this day for your own, and call it “Lakota Language Day.”
Some reasons to honor Lakota with tweets and words on February 21st could inspire you, and help you inspire others:
Remember the elders who kept Lakota songs, traditions and ceremonies alive;
Remember the generations silenced in the boarding schools;
Remember the Code Talker soldiers of World War II, who had to keep their service a secret for so long;
Remember the civil rights activists of the 1960s and ’70s who fought for Native cultures’ and languages’ right to exist;
Honor the speakers who have brought their understanding of the language into classrooms and have done their best to find a way to teach it;
Honor yourself and your fellow students for your commitment to learning.
Even if it’s just one word or phrase, sharing the Lakota language with the world around you will support your “Lakota thinking.”
To make it a worldwide party, several language-preservation organizations have set up a social media campaign, asking speakers and learners to Tweet in your language, however much you can.
They suggest:
Step One – Tweet in Your Mother Language
Throughout the day, tweet using your mother language. Please share “why is it important to use your language on the Internet?” or tweet greetings or your favorite words/phrases in your language. You might also choose to tweet a translation in order to encourage speakers of other indigenous and minority language communities.
Step Two – Add Hashtags
- Add the hashtag #MotherLanguage
- Add the hashtag of the language (i.e. #Lakota, #Yoruba)
Step Three – Join the Conversation!
- Find others using the #MotherLanguage hashtag and retweet them
- Follow others tweeting in your mother language. Search for the hashtag of your language.
- Connect with other people celebrating language diversity 🙂
Have fun!
(We think that last step – Have fun! – is the most important step of all.)
Travis Condon and Daughter
What will you say in #Lakota? Check out the conversation threads on Facebook at “Lakota Language-LEARNING” and “Lakota Language for Beginners” for ideas and help with sentences. Find your basic words in the New Lakota Dictionary, either in the print book or the online English-Lakota translation page.
