Chikashshanompa’ ilanompola’chi [We will speak Chickasaw]: The significance of Chickasaw language decline and revitalization

December 30, 2013, marked a monumental loss for the Chickasaw Nation as it mourned the passing of its last monolingual speaker. Born in the 1920s, this valued elder surely witnessed unprecedented and relentless change within her community as mainstream American values were increasingly imposed on and even embraced by other Chickasaws. In the face of hostile federal policies that sought termination of tribal governments and the assimilation of Native people into mainstream society, the continued use of the Chickasaw language—Chikashshanompa’—as a sole language of communication reflects, in many ways, a remarkable act of resistance.

Chew, K. A. B. (2014). Chikashshanompa’ ilanompola’chi [We will speak Chickasaw]: The significance of Chickasaw language decline and revitalization. The Journal of Chickasaw History and Culture, 16(2), 26–29. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6434c4bf05407e8a1a78b100307cd13c/ [read here]