Crow Language Consortium

CROW LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION PROJECT

EXPLORING CROW HISTORY [CROW HEROES AND CROW PEOPLE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT BOOKS WILL HELP SITUATE CROW YOUTH IN THE HISTORICAL CONTINUUM AS WELL AS SHARE CROW HISTORY TO ALL LEARNERS.] [PURPOSE: THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO RESTORE CROW LANGUAGE, WHICH IS CONSIDERED TO BE SEVERELY ENDANGERED, THROUGH THE CREATION OF A NEW GENERATION OF SPEAKERS, AND PROVIDE NEW RESOURCES IN THAT LANGUAGE FOR THE STUDY OF CROW HISTORY, THEREBY SUPPORTING THE TRIBAL COMMUNITY IN EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN CONNECTIONS TO ITS ANCESTRAL CULTURE AND LINGUISTIC HERITAGE. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: THE RECIPIENT WILL PRODUCE TWO TEXTBOOKS: CROW HEROES, WHICH WILL GIVE STUDENTS CROW ROLE MODELS WHO HAVE OVERCOME SOME OF THE SAME STRUGGLES CONTEMPORARY CROW STUDENTS FACE; AND CROW PEOPLE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT, A BOOK AND WEBSITE, WHICH WILL WALK READERS THROUGH CROW HISTORY AS IT RELATES TO WESTERN HISTORY. THE TWO NEW TEXTBOOKS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS ON THE CROW RESERVATION. CROW PEOPLE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT WILL BE WRITTEN IN BOTH CROW LANGUAGE AND ENGLISH, THUS FACILITATING THE BROADER INCORPORATION OF GRANT MATERIALS INTO SCHOOL PROGRAMS BEYOND THE CROW-SPEAKING WORLD. EXPECTED OUTCOMES: THE NEW TEXTBOOKS AND WEBSITE WILL ACTIVELY ENRICH THE NARRATIVE OF AMERICAN HISTORY BY SHOWING THAT THE HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA IS JUST AS LONG, COMPLEX, AND INTERESTING AS THE HISTORY OF EUROPE AND THE WEST. IN THIS WAY, THE TEXTS WILL HELP DECOLONIZE AMERICAN HISTORY FOR ANY STUDENT WHO WISHES TO ENGAGE WITH A MORE INCLUSIVE HISTORICAL NARRATIVE. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: ALL OF THE MATERIALS AND PROGRAMS THE RECIPIENT PRODUCES SERVE THE CROW TRIBE, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE RECIPIENT HAS OVER 13,000 ENROLLED MEMBERS, WITH THE MAJORITY RESIDING ON THE TRIBAL RESERVATION IN THE YELLOWSTONE RIVER VALLEY OF MONTANA. THE ONLINE EDITION OF CROW PEOPLE IN THE GLOBAL CONTEXT WILL BENEFIT THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS OF U.S. HISTORY THROUGHOUT THE NATION AND THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD. SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE RECIPIENT DOES NOT INTEND TO SUBAWARD FUNDS.]