Due to the rapidly decreasing health of creative and fluent Native language speakers, the Native languages within the Doyon region are not being passed on quickly enough to ensure its survival. There is an urgent need to promote and foster language opportunities for non-speakers.

In 2009, Doyon Foundation created the language revitalization committee to respond to this need and begin creating a region-wide language revitalization program that would address one of the Foundation’s vision elements for a Strong Demonstration of Native Traditional Language and Culture.

In 2012, the Doyon, Limited board of directors, along with full support from Doyon President Aaron Schutt, agreed with the language revitalization committee and awarded start-up funding to establish the program.

Immediate Program Goals

• Expand the organizational capacity of Doyon Foundation to effectively and efficiently develop, implement and sustain a Native language revitalization program.
• Develop a language revitalization program that will ensure the cultures and languages of the Doyon region are taught, documented and easily accessible.

In implementing these goals, the Doyon Foundation board believes that every shareholder and descendant should have the opportunity to learn their language and culture.

The Doyon Foundation language revitalization program is not intended to replace the current efforts of tribes, groups or organizations across the region or state, but rather to collaborate with and bring them together. Through the program, Doyon Foundation seeks to partner with like-minded organizations and to align language groups, efforts, goals and resources.

For more information on Doyon Foundation’s language revitalization program, please contact Doyon Foundation at foundation@doyon.com.