What is happening in relation to the Lakota language revitalization efforts? What about other efforts with other threatened native or indigenous languages?
How do people in the US compare with others around the globe concerning facility with multiple languages? What might account for these differences?
What are the differences between having a particular language as you “native language” and having that language as a “second language”? How do these impact the speaker differently?
What are the elements from Lakota ancestral heritage that contribute to a stronger Global society? Why are these contributions sometimes overlooked?
Learn FROM
(deep listening, information)
What is your “native” language? What experiences have you had with additional languages? How has that impacted you?
What do you think of Mr. Lock referring to recognition of beauty in some other heritage.-including his own Lakota heritage-as becoming “wakeful”? How do you view the process of becoming appreciative of another heritage? What opportunities have you had to do this?
Mr. Lock says,
“The human spirit transcends language and culture and gender and geography and everything…and yet there’s something there that is priceless heritage that we can bring with us now and contribute in the world in which ALL people are bringing gifts.”
What do you think of this statement about how we share our specific cultural gifts while keeping sight of the larger, “human family” picture? What implications might this have in your life? In our country? On our planet?
