Emma Murphy
Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — An education software will now include the language of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Chahta anumpa, following a partnership with the tribal nation.
The Choctaw Nation announced the partnership with Rosetta Stone on Tuesday, Dec. 16 in an effort to preserve the tribal language.
“When we speak Chahta, our ancestors speak through us. Sharing our language ensures their voices will never fade,” Chief Gary Batton said in a statement. “Each word spoken is the core that strengthens our families and our culture, and secures our identity as the Chahta people. This partnership to share our language is more than a program. It is an act of love for our people and a promise to keep our culture alive for generations to come.”
The number of fluent speakers has “sharply declined” and this was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a news release. Learning the language will be more accessible to all Choctaw citizens and allow them to stay connected to their roots.
Chahta anumpa will be part of Rosetta Stone’s Endangered Languages Program which focuses on recording and teaching “at-risk” languages. Over the past 20 years, Rosetta Stone has worked to help preserve several Indigenous languages.
“Language is deeply personal. It connects us to family, history and place,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone’s parent company. “Through our Endangered Languages Program, we’re honored to work alongside the Choctaw Nation to protect not just words, but the identities and cultures they carry.”
The program maps the “building blocks” of the language and works with the community to build curriculum, according to the Rosetta Stone website. The partnerships are “multi-year commitments” and the learning programs are available for use by tribal members.