GREAT FALLS — Thursday evening, the C.M. Russell Museum of Art in Great Falls, hosted Dr. Lanny Real Bird to deliver a presentation on the revitalization of endangered indigenous languages. His speech was paired with a comprehensive look at the use of Indian sign language in the paintings of Charlie Russell.
Since 1997, Real Bird has been tasked with leading efforts around Montana, Canada, and the rest of the Plains States, to educate native children and adults alike on language acquisition.
“I’ve been working with, different universities, different tribal colleges, different schools, different, non-profits. Here in Montana, we have like, close to 11 languages,” says Real Bird. “We had encampments like, for example, over in Arlee. We had camps over in the Bighorn Mountains, the Little Rockies on the Fort Belknap Reservation, as well as in Crow agency proper.”
Real Bird has even worked with other leading language experts, previously known for helping to restore endangered Hawaiian and Maori languages.
Currently there are around 6,700 people in Montana who can speak an indigenous language. Just over 4,000 of them speak Apsalooke, the language of the Crow nation. Dr. Lanny Real Bird is a Crow himself.
Though his work is positive, Real Bird says he encounters many challenges in his field. Namely, he says, the amount of time dedicated to language education is lacking.
“Many of these, people who have intentions of learning the language as well as learning about their culture, don't have enough contact time,” he says.
Real Bird says this hinges on local governments and school board members to facilitate more growth with a cohesive plan of action. He says the average language takes about 2200 hours to learn.
“If a language was taught to like, maybe some ten year olds, one hour a week, it's going to take 52 years for them to become fluent. But if we had close to like, maybe about 20 hours, we're looking at increase in fluency within 2 to 3 years,” remarked Dr. Real Bird.
He says by developing a plan of action, Native educators can help stymie non-friendly narratives from administrations and provide a love for learning.
“With proper teaching methods, effective teaching methods, they can fill that void and provide inspiration and empowerment and even, an inspiration to where the that they could take directions with the use of the foundations of their culture and language,” says Real Bird.
