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TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation recently received a grant to study current fluency levels in the Cherokee language among Cherokee people and develop a plan to increase Cherokee language usage.

The grant, which totals nearly $50,000, comes at a critical time for the survival of the Cherokee language. Estimates show that only about 15 percent of the Cherokee population has any understanding of the language. The grant will help determine levels of literacy and fluency among the Cherokee people.

The grant, funded from the Administration for Native Americans, will help the Cherokee Nation determine the current status of the Cherokee language among its citizens and help develop a 10-year plan to increase the usage of the language in the home, community and Cherokee Nation work setting.

"Although certain barriers in the past, such as financial means, have hindered the Cherokee Nation from successfully assessing the language status among the citizens, the Cherokee Nation now has the resources necessary to analyze language status and develop a plan for the preservation of the Cherokee language", said Margaret Raymond, a member of Cherokee Nation's Solutions group.

The grant will help the Cherokee Nation develop surveys that will measure language capabilities, select field interviewers from the community, and summarize the findings of the survey for the development of a long-range plan. Although not every registered Cherokee will receive a survey, a representative sample will be drawn from the population and will enable an accurate assessment of the Cherokee language capabilities.

"Today is a critical time for the survival of the Cherokee language", said Chad Smith, Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. "This grant we will help us assess the current status of the Cherokee language, which will enable us to develop a plan for the preservation of the Cherokee language in the future. This project is an important step in preserving not only the language but also the culture, which is the foundation for the Cherokee way of life."