Roscinda Nolasquez facts for kids

Roscinda Nolasquez (born in 1892, died February 4, 1987) was an important woman from the Cupeño people. The Cupeño are a Native American group from Southern California. Roscinda was the very last person to speak the Cupeño language fluently.

When she was young, Roscinda spoke Cupeño and Spanish. Later, as a teenager, she attended a school called Sherman Indian School. This is where she learned to speak English. In 1903, the Cupeño people had to move from their original homes to the Pala Indian Reservation. Roscinda Nolasquez lived most of her life on this reservation. Even in the 1960s, she still spoke Cupeño with other older people living in Pala.

Helping to Save a Language

Roscinda Nolasquez worked hard later in her life to help save the Cupeño language. She knew it was important to keep her language alive, even if she was the last fluent speaker.

Working with Language Experts

She teamed up with special language experts, called linguists. Two of these experts were Jane Hill and Roderick Jacobs. Together, they worked to write down and record the Cupeño language.

Sharing Stories and Words

With Jane Hill, Roscinda helped create a special book. This book had stories and words in both Cupeño and English. It was a way to make sure that the Cupeño language and its history would not be forgotten. This book, called I'i Muluwet: First Book of Words in the Cupeño Indian Language of Southern California, was published in 1975. It helps people today learn about the Cupeño language and culture.

See also

In Spanish: Roscinda Nolasquez para niños