We are proud to announce the establishment of Life's Language Lodge, the first Aaniiih and Nakoda language immersion center on the Fort Belknap Reservation. Located in Hays, Montana, Life's Language Lodge is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and revitalizing our languages. For more information, visit Life's Language Lodge.
Our organization provides technical assistance to Life's Language Lodge and collaborates closely with their curriculum staff to develop new Aaniiih and Nakoda language materials. Our long-term goal is to increase the number of fluent Aaniiih and Nakoda speakers and enhance the curriculum available to learners.
We understand that language is vital for preserving our culture and honoring our ancestors. It plays a crucial role in enhancing our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being. Since the indigenous bilingual movement gained momentum in the 1970s, there has been a concerted effort to revitalize our Nakoda and Aaniiih languages.
We deeply respect our elders as the keepers of knowledge and welcome their guidance in teaching their wisdom to our children, parents, and community members.
For more information about our Nakoda & Aaniiih language resources, please visit the link(s) provided.
This is a link to the online Nakoda (Assiniboine) Dictionary courtesy of Indiana University Nakoda (Assiniboine) Dictionary.
This is a link to a Nakoda Beginner's Dictionary https://www.amazon.com/Nakon-ia-Beginning-Indigenous-Languages-Beginners/dp/0889776628
This is a link to a Nakoda Concise Dictionary http://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496229724/a-concise-dictionary-of-nakoda-assiniboine/
This is a link to the Aaniiih - Whiteclay Annotated Bibliography https://ftbelknaplanguagepreservation.com/Documents/Bibligraphy.pdf
This is a link to the Aaniiih Quizlet - Word of the Day https://quizlet.com/class/1033765/materials
Meet Gabriel Werk, Nakoda Language Resource Specialist
Hą́ dagúyebi, Įté Sába cažé mitáwa. (Hello relatives, my name is black forehead.) my english name is Gabriel Werk. Iʾve lived here on the Fort Belknap Indian reservation for all of my life. I belong to the Aaniiih and Nakoda Nations. I am currently working on transcribing Nakoda stories into the Fort Belknap Nakoda orthography, so that they may be used to further the language acquisition of future learners. I am a certified native games trainer and enjoy crafting.
Meet Meriah Horseman, Aaniiih Language Resource Specialist
Meriah is an enrolled member of the Aaniiih nation and serves as the Aaniiih Language Resource Specialist. She is dedicated to preserving our Aaniiih language and is currently revising the Aaniiih dictionary to support language acquisition and also contribute to new language curriculum development.