Less than 100 years ago, the ancestral languages of the Doyon region flourished and were the first languages spoken by everyone from children to elders. Today, tragically, all nine of the Athabascan languages of the Doyon region are considered severely to critically endangered. If the current trend is allowed to persist, all nine of our Athabascan languages will be lost within the span of a few generations.
In recent years, Alaska Native leaders have increasingly begun rallying around the issue of language loss. The establishment of the Doyon Foundation language revitalization program is just one example.
As momentum continues to builds toward greater protection for and revitalization of Alaska Native languages across the state, the Foundation is positioned to assume a leadership role in Interior Alaska. Our board and staff are committed to ensuring that current and future generations of Athabascan people have the opportunity to hear, to learn, and to speak the language of our ancestors.
The Doyon Foundation language revitalization strategic plan 2015-2017 is our roadmap toward that vision. The plan provides a general strategy for moving forward through the identification of key areas of focus, long-term goals, and short-term actions.
To view the language revitalization strategic plan, click here. For more information, contact Allan Hayton, language revitalization program director, at 907.459.2162 or [email protected].