We Will Speak
9.6
“With fewer than 1,500 fluent speakers left, a small group of Cherokee activists race to save their language from disappearing.”
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.
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Cast
33 people
Michael McDermit Director · Schon Duncan Director Jacob Koestler Editor
United States release March 23, 2023 · Produced in United States · Original title ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ
Production
Blurry Pictures
Production
United States
Produced in
Languages
Original title
ᏓᏗᏬᏂᏏ
Original language
English
Release dates
United States · March 23, 2023
Premiere · Cleveland International Film Festival
Canada
April 23, 2023 · Premiere · Dreamspeakers International Indigenous Film Festival
United Kingdom
October 23, 2023 · Premiere · Native Spirit Film Festival
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