Bloomington Leader

A new initiative has been launched to preserve traditional communication practices among Navajo and Lakota communities. The project, titled “Documenting Diné and Lakota Ways of Communicating through Community-Driven, Collaborative Tribal Organization-University Partnerships,” has secured a grant of $449,877 from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Science Foundation.

The collaboration involves the Phoenix Indian Center, Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, and Indiana University's Institute for Indigenous Knowledge. Emmy Her Many Horses, co-principal investigator and Director of the Lakota Language and Education Initiative at Thunder Valley Community Development Corporation, stated that "this project is integral in language revitalization efforts." She emphasized the need to understand every aspect of communication due to the loss of first language speakers.

Jolyana Begay-Kroupa, CEO of the Phoenix Indian Center and co-principal investigator, remarked on the project's importance in connecting future generations with their roots. "This project is a vital step toward honoring our ancestors," she said.

Dr. Richard Henne-Ochoa, principal investigator and Director of IU’s Institute for Indigenous Knowledge, highlighted the transformative potential of this community-driven project. He noted its alignment with UNESCO's principles on indigenous languages.

The project will document traditional communication methods through digital audiovisual recordings. It aims to empower communities by involving them in research processes. Language teams will receive training in documentation techniques this spring. Support will be provided through site visits by Dr. Henne-Ochoa and consultants Brad Kroupa and Logan Sutton.

Workshops will be conducted at CoLang 2026 to build capacity in other indigenous communities. The project seeks to develop a framework for recording traditional communication methods within these communities.

By focusing on language socialization within cultural contexts, this initiative aims to expand research in communities experiencing language shift or loss. The goal is to create digital recordings that aid in teaching new generations how to use their languages meaningfully.

Overall, this effort represents a significant step toward preserving Navajo and Lakota linguistic heritage for future generations.