Joshua Brown

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2003

Joshua Brown

Salish Language Perpetuation Project

St. Ignatius, Montana, United States

Arts, Culture, Humanities, Community Improvement & Economic Development

The Bold Idea:

Preserving the Salish language by educating and empowering Salish youth in St. Ignatius, Montana.

Of the 6,000 tribal members in the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal Nation, less than 80 are fluent Salish speakers and almost all are over the age of 50. As a result, the language is at risk of disappearing altogether, a potentially devastating cultural loss and one faced by other tribal nations. The Salish Language Perpetuation Project promotes revival of the language by forming a Salish language immersion school for youth, publishing a master document of statistical and historical data, building a coalition of community partners and archiving elders’ stories. The organization also tackles issues of alienation and apathy, improves community pride and fosters cross-generational relationships, ultimately strengthening the identity and self-esteem of the Salish people.