Culture & Language Revitalization with Wacey

Transcript

Let’s hear from Wacey, a first-generation descendant of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate tribe. Wacey brings a powerful purpose to his education as he works to revitalize the Salish language through SKC’s Culture and Language Studies program. Let’s hear how he’s preserving Indigenous knowledge for future generations. Wacey, you’re up.

– Growing up, I always heard Salish spoken by elders who are no longer with us today. Their voices remain in my memory, inspiring my desire to learn our ancestral language. Living near the longhouse where the Salish Culture Committee is based, I was always surrounded by cultural knowledge and tradition. I was fortunate to join the language apprenticeship program at the Longhouse, dedicating two years to learning the Salish language. Afterwards, I entered the Cultural Language Studies program, or CALS, at SKC. Now we apply our language skills in the field through hands-on cultural practices. In the fall, we gather mountain tea and foliage to make traditional teas, and in the spring, we harvest cattails to weave mats. We also create tools such as fish traps, cordage, and fire kits from Native plants. These traditional ways of being have been honed over many generations as scientific observations guided our people to become some of the first naturalists, scientists, manufacturers, and managers of their homelands. The CALS program is truly unique, and SKC is one of the few colleges offering such an immersive cultural experience. The surrounding Mission Valley serves as a living classroom, helping students engage with their education on a much deeper level. Thanks to the language apprenticeship and CALS programs, I’ve become the first proficient Salish speaker in my family in nearly a century. SKC supports every student’s journey, whether you know your path or are still finding it. That’s all for me. Back to you, Alex.

– Wacey, your dedication to language revitalization and traditional knowledge shows how SKC supports academic and cultural excellence. We’re so honored to hear your story guided by your heart, your language, and your land. Thank you for carrying your ancestors’ voices forward into the future. Keep up the amazing work, Wacey. Thanks again.