Indigenous languages are declining around the world at an alarming rate. Some studies estimate that one language dies out every two weeks. And the United States is no different. Of the 197 living indigenous languages spoken in this country, 193 are endangered. But one, in particular, has experienced a shocking downturn. Cherokee, once the most well-documented and commonly spoken Native American language in North America, is in serious danger of becoming extinct.

Featuring:

• Brooks Bennett, documentary filmmaker and director of A Sacred Thread
• Gil “Doyi” Jackson, Cherokee language instructor
• Dr. Courtney Lewis, associate professor at Duke University
• Tessa Dahlmann, teaching assistant at Duke University
• Jack “Tsegi” Cooper, Cherokee language instructor at Western Carolina University

Links:

• Check out the PBS North Carolina documentary film A Sacred Thread here.
• Learn more about Duke University's Research for Indigenous Studies & Engagement in the United States (RISE-US) program here.
• You can find a transcript of the episode here.

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