We Will Speak
“With fewer than 1,500 fluent speakers left, a small group of Cherokee activists race to save their language from disappearing.”
2023•1h 34m•10.0•Released
Documentary
The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity; yet generations of assimilation efforts by the U.S. government and anti-Indigenous stigmas have forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a State of Emergency for the language in 2019. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. The covid pandemic has unfortunately hastened the course. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge of urgent radical revitalization efforts to help save the language from the brink of extinction.
Director
Michael McDermit
Studio
Blurry Pictures
Cast
Keli Gonzales
Self
Carolyn Swepston
Self
Schon Duncan
Self
Marion Scraper
Self
Eda Scraper
Self
Durbin Feeling
Self
Clifton Petit
Self
Weynema Smith
Self
David Crawler
Self
Betty Frogg
Self
Clara Proctor
Self
Cora Flute
Self
Gil Jackson
Self
Oleta Pritchett
Self
Bo Lossiah
Self
Production
Company
Blurry Pictures
Producer
Michael McDermit
Producer
Schon Duncan
Producer
Jacob Koestler
Producer
Keli Gonzales
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