Lynda V. Maps
Seattle Times staff reporter
December 11, 2008
Full article can be viewed at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008493591_language11m0.html
Recently the Seattle Times published an article recognizing the Tulalipa Tribe for their contribution to education. The Tulalipa Elementary school is one of many public schools that offer different Native languages as a foreign language option.
There are some where like 16 native languages still active in Washington. A few of the languages being taught in k-12 throughout the state are: Makah, Okanagan, Klallam, Quileute, Lushootseed.
In 2006-07 school year there were 14 instructors were certified by different tribes to speak their language. It has speculated that before Christopher Columbus’s arrival there was over 300 languages spoken. Today there is an estimated 175 indigenous languages still spoken.
In the Tulalip Elementary school over 80% of their students’ identify as Native American. Because of the success of the program as well as the race against time, the Native Community is compiling dictionary of their oral languages. For the first time in Native history their will be a documented history of culture and language for further generation to learn from.
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