Metlakatla Indian Community

The Metlakatla Indian Community will conduct a language preservation project to address the loss of fluent Sm’ algyax speakers, which is now a critically endangered language of the Ts’msyen (Tsimshian) people, with just one fluent speaker remaining in Metlakatla. Project activities include hiring a language mentor and a language student; acquiring the technology needed to archive the language and learning aids; and producing audio archives, training, and educational materials. The mentor and student will participate in community language classes throughout the project, as well as teach other paid and volunteer students. The Cultural Heritage Department will also host language immersion events featuring intensive language classes. As a result of these services and programming, Tribal members will have improved audio archives, increased knowledge of the Sm’ algyax language, and deeper cultural connections and understanding.