The Chickasaw language is viewed as a gift from the ancestors for all Chickasaw people. Chickasaws believe that the language was given to them by Chihoowa or Abaꞌ Binniꞌliꞌ (God), and that it is an obligation to care for it: to learn it, speak it and teach it to children.
The Chickasaw Nation Language Revitalization Program began in 2007 and the language department was founded in 2009. The job of the language revitalization program is to help people access that gift.
Programs offered by the Chickasaw Language Revitalization Program
In 2015, the Chickasaw Nation partnered with renowned language experts, Rosetta Stone, to establish a contemporary educational tool for language learning.
Rosetta Stone is an award-winning language learning software platform. Rosetta Stone Chickasaw has three engaging levels incorporating video, audio and still images. These lessons were developed in conjunction with native Chickasaw speakers. Users are able to work through lessons at their own pace and learn conversational Chickasaw phrases that can be incorporated into daily life.
Rosetta Stone is now available free to Chickasaw citizens, to Chickasaw Nation employees and the general public at an associated cost. Visit Chickasaw.net/RosettaStone for more information.
Chipota Chikashshanompoli (Youth Speaking Chickasaw) language club meets in Ada, Ardmore, Oklahoma City and Tishomingo. Students learn the Chickasaw language through total physical response activities and song. Students compete each year at the annual Oklahoma Native American Youth Language Fair. Visit Chickasaw.net/YouthLanguageClub for upcoming classes.
Chickasaw community language classes meet once a week in Ada, Ardmore, Sulphur and Tishomingo. Each class is taught by a fluent speaker or fluent speaker with facilitator. East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma offers four course levels and is taught in the fall and spring.
The Chickasaw Basic app is the first of its kind to be developed by a tribe or nation. The app features hundreds of Chickasaw words along with phrases, songs and videos. Available to download from the desktop app is the Chickasaw Basic App Review and Assessment Workbook, a companion guide featuring language puzzles and quizzes.
Chickasaw Basic is available for desktop and Android devices www.Chickasaw.net/anompa. Apple users may download the app for free from the iTunes App Store.
Chickasaw.TV
With the introduction of Chickasaw.TV, learning the Chickasaw language became more easily accessible. Chickasaw.TV has a channel dedicated to learning the Chickasaw language through lessons, songs, games and stories. Visit the Chikashshanompa' channel on Chickasaw.TV.
For more information, contact the Chickasaw Nation Language Revitalization Program.