This portion is dedicated to the many individuals and institutions that have contributed so greatly to the burgeoning renaissance in Native languages.
*NOTE: THIS SECTION IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT. More Names and Organizations will be added in the near future.*
Indian Country–its people, communities, and leaders.
The strength of Indian Country lies in its people, its communities and its leaders. Never was that more evident than in the recent passage of legislation to expand the Federal native language program (HR 4766). Throughout Indian country, Native peoples, communities and leaders united to proclaim the central important of assuring the vigor of their languages and expressing this to Federal officials.
Codetalkers
In the best Native tradition of service to this land, our languages came to the defense of the United States in World War II, with the enormous contributions of the Navajo Comanches, Choctaws, Kiowas, Winnebagos, Seminoles, Hopis, and Cherokee Codetalkers. A number of these Codetalkers made the arduous journey to Washington, DC to argue for Federal support of Native languages, opening the hearts and changing the minds of many key decisionmakers. In particular, Native Code Talkers, Clarence Wolf Guts (Lakota), Samuel Tso (Navajo), Keith Little (Navajo), Merrill Sandoval (Navajo), and Peter MacDonald (Navajo) were great champions for successful passage of H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservation Act of 2006.
Esther Martinez
Esther Martinez was one of the great Indian educators, a true champion of Native languages and an inspiration to countless many. Federal legislation to expand Native language programs was renamed in her honor following her death in September 2006. On September 14, Esther Martinez of Ohkay Owingeh was awarded a National Heritage Fellowship in Washington, DC. She died at 94 years of age in Espanola en route home after attending a ceremony at the National Endowment for the Arts. For more information on Esther Martinez, please visit http://voices.cla.umn.edu/vg/Bios/entries/martinez_esther.html or http://wilson.house.gov/NewsAction.asp?FormMode=Releases&ID=1338
National Indian Education Association.
NIEA has been Indian education’s best friend and most aggressive advocate in Washington, DC. NIEA has a distinguished and dedicated board and an outstanding staff who have made great contributions to the passage of Federal native language legislation, including coordinating the successful national effort that took place in 2006 on HR 4766.
National Congress of American Indians
NCAI, the largest and most influential national Indian organization, lent its considerable support to the effort to secure passage of H.R. 4766 and has always strongly supported Native language and education initiatives.
Congressional Leaders in the Fight to Save Native Languages, 109th Congress
The following played key roles in passage of H.R. 4766, the Esther Martinez Native American Languages Preservaation Act of 2006.
- Rep. Heather Wilson (sponsor of HR 4766)
- Rep. Tom Udall (HR 4766 co-sponsor)
- Rep. Rick Renzi (HR 4766 co-sponsor)
- Rep. Stevan Pearce (HR 4766 co-sponsor)
- Rep. Charles Taylor (HR 4766 co-sponsor)
- Rep. Madeleine Bordallo (HR 4766 co-sponsor)
- Rep. Dale Kildee
- Rep. Buck McKeon
- Rep. George Miller
- Rep. Earl Pomeroy
- Rep. Thomas Petri
- Rep. Stephanie Herseth
- Rep. Raul Grijalva
- Senator John McCain
- Senator Byron Dorgan
- Senator Pete Domenici
- Senator Tim Johnson
- Senator Jeff Bingaman
- Senator Lisa Murkowski
- Senator Daniel Akaka
- Senator Daniel Inouye
- Senator Jeff Sessions
The Navajo Nation Washington Office
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