Local Partner: Native Conservancy
In order to revitalize dAXunhyuuga’ the community identified the critical need to assist at least six Eyak people in becoming fluent in their own language. Through this project, six Native Eyak language learners will be compensated to work closely with Eyak Language Specialist Guillaume, Guillaume Leduey, to attain fluency, and support will be provided to Dr. Gary Holtonto create an accessible Eyak Grammar text. The goal is to host Leduey for one month in the summer of 2022. Ultimately, this revitalization effort will train Eyak people to become teachers of their own language for generations to come. Our communication and advocacy strategies will focus on empowering and engaging Alaska Native youth to get more involved with heritage and language preservation efforts
In 2022,ECF was able to build out its e-learnings program and hold twenty virtual workshops for Eyak language learners to gather online. Facilitated by linguist and Eyak Language Expert Guillaume Leduey, these workshops centered on culturally appropiate language learning customized to the skill levels of the participants. We saw an increase in interest and attendance by Eyak community members over the course of the year. We also were able to continue providing advanced lessons at no cost for dedicated Eyak learners achieving fluency. These community members are now able to keep the language alive for future generations.
Local Parther:
Native Conservancy is a nonprofit 501(c)3 public charity organization based in Eyak (Cordova), Alaska. Dune Lankard (Eyak Athabaskan) founded Native Conservancy in 2003 to empower Alaska Native peoples to permanently protect and preserve endangered habitats on their ancestral homelands. It was the first Native-led and Native-run land trust in the United States. Native Conservancy strives to maintain and secure titles to Native lands in conservation trusts to strengthen inherent rights of sovereignty, subsistence and spirituality. Native Conservancy’s vision is to create resilient futures for Indigenous peoples by preserving, repatriating and restoring ancestral homelands, traditional food sources and subsistence practice to revitalize Native culture, habitat, health and spirituality. Today, Native Conservancy’s three main program areas are: Food Sovereignty, Habitat Restoration, and Native Land Conservation. All of these programs are actively empowering Alaska Native people in the region.
