Reclamation of Native Identity: An examination of Language Revitalization Efforts

Brittney J. Wagner
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:30:00 PDT

The Native American peoples of the United States have faced a history shaped by systemic oppression with the government since European settlers landed in the North American continent. This project focuses on Native American community efforts in revitalizing their languages, cultures, and ways of being. One of the traumatic long-lasting events that have affected Native American communities and individuals is federally and/or church run boarding schools. In the United States, there were approximately 300 schools that were open from 1860-1978. My hope with this project is to explore the history of assimilation and oppression the federal government attempted with these institutions, as well as look at modern day community efforts in revitalizing what we have lost due to them. Language immersion schools are very important to tribal communities and language speakers because it helps keep a language alive. There are multiple teaching methods that can be implemented into these schools to ensure the children in these schools are learning the language. This project was done using Indigenous Research Methodologies (IRM) and it examines the histories of boarding schools, language loss, and language revitalization through published articles. It is important to acknowledge our histories, but also to celebrate our futures. Our communities are coming together to move forward, for the benefit of our people, which starts with teaching our children our cultural ways of knowing.