Educational Media Reviews Online

This film explores the growing trend among Native American populations to teach and educate their children in their native languages. A pilot program created by the Indigenous Language Institute follows a group of Indian teenagers who are learning their native Tewa language for the first time. Since language is intricately linked with culture and ritual, the integration of all of these elements becomes important when teaching the language. Many of the traditional dances, ceremonies, and songs that the teenagers grew up with become revitalized now that they understand the connectivity between the language and the rituals. Interviews regarding forced boarding school attendance and relocation of Native American Indian populations are included to provide context. A fascinating documentary on this topic.