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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Last Fluent Speaker of Ancient Native American Language Dies at 95: ‘Irreplaceable Loss to Our Heritage'
NEED TO KNOW Edmond Johnson, the last fluent speaker of an ancient Native American language, has died at age 95 The Caddo Nation of Oklahoma announced his death on July 14, describing Johnson as a "vital knowledge bearer of our language" and "treasured elder" The tribe plans to continue their work to preserve the Caddo language following Johnson's deathA Native American tribe is mourning the loss of one of their beloved members — and a "vital knowledge bearer" of their ancient language. On Monday, July 14, the Caddo Nation of Oklahoma announced the death of Edmond Johnson, 95, on Facebook. The tribe described Johnson as being the last fluent speaker of the Caddo language. "Mr. Johnson was not only a vital knowledge bearer of our language and a treasured elder. His passing marks an irreplaceable loss to our heritage, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who mourn with us," they wrote, alongside a photo of Johnson. In the post, the Caddo Nation shared that they would be closing their Tribal Administration Office on Tuesday, July 15, in observance of funeral proceedings for Johnson. "This closure is a moment for reflection, mourning and gratitude for the knowledge and spirit he carried on behalf of our ancestors and future generations," they wrote. "We ask that each of you take this time to honor him in your own way — through prayer, remembrance, or by simply speaking his name." Bobby Gonzalez, chairman of the Caddo Nation, told local ABC station KOCO News 5 that the ancient language is "what makes us Caddo" as he spoke about how it's deeply tied to the tribe's identity. Over the past few years, Johnson — whom Gonzalez said "meant a lot to our people" — had been working with the tribe's language preservation director, Alaina Tahlate, to keep the Caddo language alive. 'He was really good at explaining things, [an] awesome storyteller,' Tahlate told KOCO News 5. 'The language connects every part of our culture together. Use your language however much, or however little, that you know.' To honor Johnson and their rich heritage, the tribe plans to continue working to preserve the language, with the help of a fund they plan to establish. 'We're doing everything we can to preserve what we can with the people that we know that can still understand it,' Gonzalez told the outlet. According to their website, the Caddo people are descendants of agriculturalists whose ancient homelands are what is today Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma. Archeologists recovered ancient items that suggest the tribe existed as early as 900 AD. When Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition entered the region in 1542, the Caddo's thriving communities dispersed along the Brazos, Trinity, Neches, Sabine, Red and Ouachita rivers. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. After "multiple forced removals," the Caddo eventually relocated to what is now Caddo County in Oklahoma. "Twentieth-century efforts to revitalize economic, social, political and religious institutions have enabled Caddo people to maintain a distinctive identity today and continue building toward a hopeful and prosperous future," the tribe said on its website. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Ancient American language dies after last fluent speaker passes away aged 95
An ancient Native American language has now officially died out after its final fluent speaker died at the age of 95. The Caddo Nation of Oklahoma announced on Monday that Edmond Johnson, the tribe's last fluent speaker of the Caddo language, had died. 'Mr. Johnson was not only a vital knowledge bearer of our language and a treasured elder,' the tribe said. 'His passing marks an irreplaceable loss to our heritage, and we extend our deepest condolences to his family and all who mourn with us.' In honor of Johnson, the tribe's administration offices closed on Tuesday to mourn and reflect on their elder's impact. 'We ask that each of you take this time to honor him in your own way—through prayer, remembrance, or by simply speaking his name,' the Caddo Nation added. The Caddo tribe's ancient homelands are what is known today as the states of Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas, and Oklahoma. Ancient items recovered by archaeologists suggest that the tribe has existed as early as AD 900. The tribe's homeland was disturbed when Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto led an expedition to the area. After several forced removals, the Caddo Nation relocated to what is now known as Caddo County, Oklahoma. 'We are an ancient tribe. We've been here since time immemorial. And we will continue to be here,' the tribe's website reads. Bobby Gonzalez, the chairman of the Caddo Nation, told local ABC affiliate, KOCO News, that losing the tribe's last fluent speaker was a devastating blow. He said that their language is 'what makes us Caddo,' adding that 'Edmond Johnson meant a lot to our people.' Now, the tribe is tasked with preserving their language in the wake of Johnson's death. He had been working with Alaina Tahlate, the tribe's language preservation director, to ensure the language endures. But it is feared Johnson's ancestors will never be able to speak Caddo with the same vocabulary as he did and that words as well as phrases are now lost forever. She told KOCO that Johnson had a gift for storytelling and was great at explaining things. 'The language connects every part of our culture together,' Tahlate said. 'We're doing everything we can to preserve what we can with the people that we know that can still understand it,' Gonzalez added. Tributes have already begun to pour in on social media for Johnson, with one comment on the Caddo Nation's post reading, 'As another indigenous person whose language is still here, but we are losing speakers fast, this breaks my heart for his nation and family on the loss of him and your language. 'I hope there are a lot of recordings of him and lessons he taught so you can persevere what you can so its not all lost.' 'As a linguist this crushes my heart, both for his family and for the loss to the tribe. My thoughts and prayers to you all,' another added. 'Condolences to all who mourn. I hope the language perseveres through all who speak it,' a third commented.
