Attendees, young and old, of a past Dhegiha Language Conference. Photo from Facebook

The Quapaw Tribe of Oklahoma is holding its Youth Language and Cultural Preservation Camp this week.

Few members can speak the Quapaw language fluently. That's why Ardina Moore, 84, is working to pass it on to younger generations.

"I want the younger people to learn the language before it’s lost," Moore told The Joplin Globe.

Youth aren't just the focus either. The tribe will start language classes for adults in September, the paper said.

The Quapaw language is closely related to Osage and Omaha. The tribes that speak those languages formed the Dhegiha Preservation Society to keep them alive.

The Quapaw Tribe is hosting this year's Dhegiha Language Conference on July 29 and July 30.

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Quapaw Tribe working to pass on native language (The Joplin Globe 7/23)