Shawnee language facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shawnee |
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| Sawanwa, Savannah, Sewanee, Shawano | ||||
| Native to | United States | |||
| Region | Central and Northeast Oklahoma | |||
| Ethnicity | Shawnee | |||
| Native speakers | 260 and decreasing (2015)e18 | |||
| Language family |
Algic
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| Writing system | Latin script | |||
Distribution of the Shawnee language around 1650
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The Shawnee language is a special language spoken by the Shawnee people. You can find them mostly in central and northeastern Oklahoma, USA. It's part of a bigger language family called Algonquian.
Long ago, the Shawnee language was spoken across a large area in the eastern United States. This included places like Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. Shawnee is similar to other Algonquian languages, such as Mesquakie-Sauk and Kickapoo. In 2015, about 260 people spoke Shawnee, but this number is getting smaller.
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Why is the Shawnee Language Endangered?
The Shawnee language is in danger of disappearing. Many Shawnee speakers have started using English instead. Most of the 200 or so people who still speak Shawnee are older adults.
One reason for this decline was the "assimilation program" at Indian boarding schools. Children who spoke their native language were often punished. This harsh treatment sometimes affected their families too.
How Many People Speak Shawnee Today?
The number of Shawnee speakers is very low across different groups:
- Out of 2,000 members of the Absentee Shawnee Tribe, over 100 speak the language.
- For the 1,500 members of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe, only a few elders are speakers.
- Among the 8,000 members of the Loyal Shawnee in Oklahoma, fewer than 12 people speak Shawnee.
Because so few people speak it, and most are elders, Shawnee is called an endangered language. There are also not many books or technology tools available for the language. Some parts of the Bible were translated between 1842 and 1929, and a dictionary exists.
Efforts to Keep Shawnee Alive
People are working hard to save the Shawnee language. This is called language revitalization.
Learning Shawnee: Classes and Resources
Absentee-Shawnee Elder George Blanchard, Sr., used to be the governor of his tribe. He teaches Shawnee classes to young children and adults. These classes are held at the Cultural Preservation Center in Seneca, Missouri. His work was featured on a TV show called The American Experience in 2009. These classes help families use Shawnee more at home.
The Eastern Shawnee have also offered language classes. You can find conversational Shawnee booklets and CDs. There is also a website where you can learn the Shawnee language.
