Native America Calling: Racing against the pandemic

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Native America Calling: Racing against the pandemic

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

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The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious threat to people of all Native nations.

But it posed an added danger when Yuchi elder Maxine Wildcat Barnett got sick with COVID-19. She is the last fluent speaker of the Yuchi language.

Fortunately she recovered. But it puts into perspective the importance of Native language revitalization programs.

Some language instruction turned to online classes and social media to keep up momentum during the pandemic. The Cherokee Nation is among those that prioritized fluent language speakers for the vaccine.

Native America Calling will check in with Native language program organizers about how they refuse to let the global pandemic slow the progress of language revitalization.