Apache Language Preservation

“Here at the language preservation program for the tribe we are striving to gather as much information as we can from our elders and crafts people to archive and save for our future generations to learn from and to include it in our Resource room. As an ongoing project, we continue to increase our knowledge in all catagories of our Apache lifestyle. With a staff that numbers seven, two being temporary, we are finding ways to increase our collections of important aspects of the San Carlos Apache. The SCAT Language Preservation Program works and operates under the direction of the tribal council and is funded almost entirely by grants. Ensuring we remain operational means we have to increase our knowledge in writing for different grants and understanding our future plans. We have been working under the funding of grants from Administartion for Native Americans and have come a long way in gathering and collecting information from our elders and other dignitaries.
Our biggest goal is to preserve and make available our Apache Language. It is extremely vital for our survival as Apache in identity. Once we lose our language then the rest is soon to follow and we can no longer call ourselves Apache. So everything we put our effort into is vital to the success of the program and we are meeting periodically to discuss new ways to research and do more field activities with our youth to teach them what we have in our databases. From plants, animals, place names, the significance of each to the Apache and its uses are being archived at a good rate. Still we have a long way to go to ensure we do not lose our heritage. With elders interviews, the creation of a new resource room, purchasing of new computers, field activities and collaborations with many different departments and schools, we are working hard to increase our function and to make available what we have researched to the tribal members free of charge. A great understanding of the language is vital with our employees. A great understanding of our culture and the layout of the land is extremely inporatnt to correctly archive information. With the constant writing or searching for grants we can ensure our program will be ongoing and our goal of opening up a resource room will be a great addition to this tribes welfare and history. Historicl trauma and a disappearing lifestyle by force has caused the chain of events that placed us where we are today. We must fight our way back to preserving and teaching our language to our youth so they can carry on our legacy as San Carlos Apaches. Join us as we continue to work towards our future and to keep alive our indentity for our youth and those yet to come. ”
Services we offer:
● Classes to learn the Apache Language
● Community outreach by providing Apache Language for families
● Advocate Apache Language and educational awareness
● Serve as role models and mentors to Early Childhood Staff/Providers
● Engaging Apache elders on the importance of Apache Language
● Apache language & materials
● Apache language certification
Looking for fluent Apache speakers to become certified Apache teacher, recruiting students for outdoor activities ages 5 to 14 years old.