Every culture has a set of attributes that contribute to its uniqueness. LnThe language of the indigenous Cherokee people has become endangered and has started posing a severe threat to the Cherokee Nation. This language has been vital to the Cherokee people’s identity, connecting them with their cultural origins.

The Trail of Tears was a series of events in the 1830s which describes the traumatic forcible relocation of the Cherokee people  In addition to taking many lives, the United States government planned to forcibly relocate the Cherokee people from their ancestral lands, which in turn destroyed the social cohesion of Cherokee communities. Families were split up, severing the links between elders and the younger community members and interfering with the oral transmission of the Cherokee language across generations. The U.S. government’s assimilation tactics worsened the collapse of the Cherokee language as if the Trail of Tears weren’t terrible enough. English was imposed on Native American communities, with the intention of erasing their culture.

Native American languages, like Cherokee, are rapidly disappearing in the modern globalized world due to the widespread influence of English in media, such as television, movies, and the internet. Indigenous communities have to resist the overwhelming power of a dominant culture to preserve their languages and customs, which is a clear example of the effects of modern cultural suppression. The death of thorough educational support and materials for learning the Cherokee language worsens this linguistic catastrophe. The lack of organized language programs makes preserving and reviving this language more difficult, which increases the consequences of past injustices.

Nevertheless, several revitalization initiatives have been made in light of these dire circumstances and the Cherokee language’s impending extinction. The Cherokee language has become more widely available through the use of online resources, educational materials, and programs based on language immersion. However, community involvement is still a crucial element of protecting this unique culture.

Operation Envoy is a project that aims to help spread awareness and give to people losing their native languages and cultures. Keep an eye out for upcoming VOF articles, and to stay up to date on our project, follow our Instagram account @operationenvoy.

Works Cited

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Cherokee language”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Jan. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Cherokee-language. Accessed 26 December 2023.

National Park Service. “The Trail of Tears and the Forced Relocation of the Cherokee Nation (Teaching with Historic Places) (U.S. National Park Service).” Www.nps.gov, 20 Feb. 2020, www.nps.gov/articles/the-trail-of-tears-and-the-forced-relocation-of-the-cherokee-nation-teaching-with-historic-places.htm.

Reporter, CHAD HUNTER. “Cherokee Nation, Others Weigh in on Language Struggles during Pandemic.” Cherokeephoenix.org, 21 May 2021, www.cherokeephoenix.org/culture/cherokee-nation-others-weigh-in-on-language-struggles-during-pandemic/article_6237b518-bfb9-11eb-87f3-93c4578aecf2.html.