Language
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- do good works
- do good
Osage Nation Language Department
The mission of the Osage Nation Language Department is to sustain the integrity of the Osage language while advancing its integration into the everyday lives of our people.
Meet the Osage Nation Language Staff
Our Background
Our Foundation
Established in 2003 by resolution of the 31st Osage Tribal Council and Principal Chief, the original Osage Language Program was created with a dedicated operating budget in order to preserve and perpetuate the Osage language. The 2006 ratification of the Osage Nation Constitution reaffirmed this commitment, explicitly recognizing the protection and promotion of our language as an inherent right of the Osage People. Following the governmental reform, the program continued as a high-priority operating within the executive branch as the Language Department.
Today, the Osage Nation fully supports the Language Department with an annual budget, dedicated staff, and robust resources. We are committed to the revitalization of the Osage language through:
Rigorous Research: Analyzing approximately two centuries of preserved language captured from fluent speakers.
Educational Initiatives: Developing comprehensive classes, learning materials, and resources.
Community Integration: Advancing the visible, active presence of the language in community spaces.
Digital Accessibility: Sustaining the usability of spoken and written Osage across modern technologies.
Strategic Priorities: Remaining aligned with the vision of the Osage people, honoring our inherent right to preserve and foster our historic linguistic and cultural lifeways.
Our Direction
The voice of the Osage people, as made explicit in the Osage Nation Strategic Plan, calls for a revitalized language “spoken at a basic level by the vast majority” of Osage Nation members. To achieve this goal, we are deepening our understanding of spoken Osage through research of historical recordings and our cognate languages, while developing better quality, effective curricula. Recognizing that our people are geographically dispersed with varying time to dedicate to learning, we are focused on developing flexible, widely accessible classes and tools. Ultimately, we strive to produce a diverse pathway toward speaking basic Osage while thoughtfully navigating the complex challenges of reconstructing lost areas of the language and guiding its natural development into our current lives.