Title
A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHEROKEE AND OTHER NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES THROUGHOUT OKLAHOMA
Body
WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation since time immemorial has exercised the sovereign rights of self-government in behalf of the Cherokee people; and,
WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation is a federally recognized Indian Nation with a historic and continual government to government relationship with the United States of America;
WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation has been played an integral and important part of the history and culture of the State of Oklahoma;
WHEREAS, significant part of the history and culture of Oklahoma is the several Native American languages that are spoken and written in Indian Territory, including the Cherokee language whose writing was developed by the great Cherokee Citizen Sequoyah;
WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced in the Oklahoma Legislature that, if passed, would mandate that English be the “official” language of the State of Oklahoma;
WHEREAS, the Cherokee Nation takes extra-ordinary steps to further the Cherokee language such as establishment of Cherokee language immersion classes, for which the curriculum has been approved by the State Department of Education;
WHEREAS, the State and Nation’s commitment to preserve Cherokee language is further evidenced by the State Board of Regents’ approval of a Cherokee Language degree program at Northeastern State University, and the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation’s development of a state test for Cherokee language teachers to be implemented in September, 2007;
WHEREAS, much progress has been made and such legislation would be contrary to the development and preservation of the Cherokee language and all Native American languages;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cherokee Nation supports all efforts to preserve, develop and encourage the use of the Cherokee Language in spoken and written form.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Cherokee natio...
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