Lakota Language Weekend Aimed a Preservation and Revialization

Published February 7, 2019

RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Lakota Language Consortium is returning to Rapid City, South Dakota on February 9 – 10 for the first Lakota Language Weekend of 2019.

The weekend will be an intensive and fun crash course on the Lakota language and culture. With only 1,500 Lakota speakers left, engaging people to revitalize the language is critical for its survival.

Learners of all levels will gather at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel on Saturday and Sunday at 9am. They’ll learn basic sentence structure to more advanced concepts. Participants will leave with the basic tools they need to pursue their own path of self study.

Wilhelm Meya, Lakota Language Consortium Chief Executive Officer, stressed the importance of these events.

“These language weekends are key to getting young new learners engaged with the language. The future of the language depends on getting people interested in speaking through these kinds of events. It makes language learning fun and lets people feel like it is a doable goal,” says Meya.

150 Lakota speakers must be gained each year for the language to become sustainable again. There are various reasons people choose to learn Lakota. These include connecting with heritage, teaching their children their native language, or learning Lakota as an act of indigenous activism. It’s our hope that programs such as this inspire tomorrow’s leaders in the Lakota language revitalization movement.

Tickets are $25 a day, but group discounts are available upon request. You may register online to reserve your spot here.

The Lakota Language Consortium is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving Lakota language and culture by publishing learning materials, hosting educational events and raising awareness for the importance of sustaining Lakota. Visit their website to learn more about the mission the LLC strives towards.