Chippewa Cree Tribe declares state of emergency for Chippewa and Cree languages

Havre Daily News staff

The tribal council at Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation voted unanimously Thursday to declare an emergency for the native languages at the reservation.

A press release from the nonprofit Mahchiwminahnahtik Chippewa and Cree Language Revitalization said they presented a resolution to the Chippewa Cree Tribal Business Committee Thursday asking for the declaration.

Merle Tendoy, a Chippewa Cree Elder and MCCLR board member started off by addressing the Business Committee in the Cree Language and then translating himself in English.

“Our ancestors brought us to the Bear Paw Mountains, our home, to practice and perpetuate our God-given languages and ceremonies,” he said. “We need to do this for our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and their children.”

MCCLR Board President Dustin Whitford read the resolution to the board.

“I’m afraid for our children, they need to know their languages for their identities as Chippewa Cree people,” he added

The board heard from other tribal elders and community members during an emotional presentation, including speakers and audience members shedding tears, the press release said.

The release said MCCLR is a new organization made up of tribal members who are seeking to begin language revitalization and restoration efforts on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The organization is operated by a seven member board and plans to begin full operation early this fall. The board members at the Business Committee meeting told the committee about the importance of the tribal languages for future generations

The board drafted the resolution, the language of which includes:

“The Chippewa Cree Business Committee has the ultimate authority to declare a State of Emergency or Disaster within the exterior boundaries of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. The Chippewa and Cree Languages of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation are in decline and have reached dangerously low numbers of fluent speakers and require a State of Emergency to begin revitalization and restoration efforts Reservation-wide.

“ … the Chippewa and Cree languages are considered to be living beings and need to be cared for, nurtured and protected.”