A Look into Saving Polysynthetic Languages in Indigenous Communities

Indigenous cultures have historically been mistreated and disregarded in North America due to years of colonization and forced assimilation. In America, these communities are part of the most vulnerable with levels of formal education consistently lower than that of non-Indigenous peoples. This inequitable access to education ultimately leads to socioeconomic disparities furthering the harmful cycle (4). Indigenous communities too are rich in culture and tradition, yet knowledge is not being handed down at a rate sustainable for the preservation of these vibrant customs. With each passing generation, cultural knowledge and personal experiences are forever lost (12). It’s a race against time to revitalize these Indigenous communities. <a href="https://medium.com/words-for-thought/a-look-into-saving-polysynthetic-languages-in-indigenous-communities-0404f9435f80">Website</a>