From May 11-13, 2009 the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian held the summit From Code Talkers to Immersion: Native American Language Summit. 

This important meeting brought together tribes from across the country to discuss the import efforts to rescue critically endangered Native American languages—some of which have only a handful of elderly speakers.

One such effort was represented by Lanuguage Coordinator Richard Grounds, of the Euchee Tribe, who spoke on the second day of the summit. 

With fewer than a handful of fluent speakers of the Euchee language left, the tribe is racing against time to preserve their heritage and teach their children.

SAVING THE LANGUAGE

The Euchee (also, known as Yuchi) are a small band originally from the southeast in Georgia. When they were forcibly removed to Sapulpa, OK, the US Government placed them under the Muskogee Creek Nation.

The Euchee language is unique. It is considered to be an isolated language by experts, meaning it did not derive from any other language or cultural group.

Beginning with approximately ten fluent speakers, a number that has now dwindled to four, local Euchee tribal members formed the Euchees United Cultural, Historical and Educational Effort (E.U.C.H.E.E.).

E.U.C.H.E.E. has made CD-ROM recordings of elders speaking the language, created teaching materials, and recorded words in writing.

It is not enough to archive the language, though, and their efforts are now focused on teaching their children fluency in Euchee.  Today, the tribe holds immersion classes for children and has cultural lessons to involve their parents as well.

Running Strong supports E.U.C.H.E.E.’s efforts to teach the Euchee culture to the younger community members through grants that provide general support for their efforts. 

We hope that future Euchee children will be able to praise their ancestors in their traditional tongue. 


REMEMBERING EUCHEE ELDER MAGGIE MARSEY (June 2008)

Running Strong would like to remember and honor Euchee elder Maggie Cumsey Marsey who passed on May 15, 2008.

Maggie's many achievements during her long lifetime included:
• being a gifted speaker of the Euchee language and one of the last women to speak in the old way
• promoting the language in many different ways including teaching classes, doing translations, and allowing herself to be recorded for posterity
• contributing to an ongoing effort to create a Euchee language dictionary

In 1997, Maggie Marsey was recognized by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights for her language work.

She [Maggie Marsey] was always helpful and an inspiration to all of us.  She will be deeply missed.  Although Maggie has gone on to a better place, she will always be with us in our hearts and memories that each of us share with her.  Maggie, zA n@ feg@ nÔ ya, we will not forget you.
-Euchee Language Project June Newsletter

Read the Full Memorial for Maggie Marsey.