Montana Indian Language Preservation Program records
Content Description
This collection consists of the tangible products from each of the eight tribal governments’ language preservation programs. The tribal governments represented in the materials are the Blackfeet Indian Confederacy, Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation, the Fort Belknap Indian Community, the Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, and the Crow Tribe of Montana. Most of the deliverables are curricular materials intended for use in language instruction and as resources for Class 7 instructors. There are also some administrative records included with the deliverables, such as lists of the deliverable materials, information about the product development, and language surveys.
Some tribes’ deliverables consist of born-digital content such as photographs, audio, and video of language instruction and community events, as well as databases and other files used to create language learning apps, dictionaries, and other online content. The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians deliverables consist of many items that were produced by and purchased from the Gabriel Dumont Institute of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Dates
- Creation: 1975-1976, 1997-2021
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for access. For access to born-digital materials, please contact the Research Center.
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright for these materials is held by the original creator.
Unless otherwise noted in the box and folder list, most of the A / V materials in this collection are the masters. For access to these materials, please consult the archivist.
Historical Note
Established: By Montana State Senate Bill 342 in 2013.
Predecessor Agency: Originally overseen by the Montana Department of Commerce
In 2013, the 63rd Montana State Legislature established the Montana Indian Language Preservation Pilot Program through Senate Bill 342 and House Bill No. 2. The main goal of the program was to support Montana tribes in the preservation of spoken, written, and signed Native American languages. The program also assisted with the "preservation and curricular goals of Indian education" as provided for in the 1972 Montana Constitution. Under the provisions of the legislation, the Department of Commerce State-Tribal Economic Development Commission administered the program, and in collaboration with the Montana Historical Society, Montana public television organizations, the state director for Indian Affairs, and each of Montana’s eight tribal governments, adopted program rules and defined performance and output standards.
As part of the pilot program, each tribal government was required to submit 2 copies of each tangible product to the Montana Historical Society for preservation and archival purposes. In total, $2 million were appropriated for the program, with each tribal government receiving an equal portion of the appropriated funds over the 2013-2015 biennium. The tribal governments were required to form local advisory boards. These boards worked with tribal college language instructors and individuals charged with evaluating Class 7 American Indian language and culture specialist licensure applicants to develop and adopt specific quantifiable outcome requirements for their own language preservation programs. Each board was responsible for reporting on expenditures, program progress, and any other items determined by the State-Tribal Economic Development Commission.
The initial program ended with the closing of the biennium period on June 30, 2015. Since the first cycle of grants, the program has been reauthorized by the 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2021 legislatures. In 2020, oversight of the grant program was transferred from the Department of Commerce to the Office of Public Instruction.
Extent
10.5 linear feet
23.64 Gigabytes
Language of Materials
English
Summary
This collection consists of materials created, purchased, or collected by Montana's 13 tribal nations for the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program. The majority of the records are indigenous language curriculum materials for Class 7 instructors in addition to audio and video recordings of community classes and events.
Arrangement
This collection is organized by tribal nation in the following series:
Series 1: Blackfeet Indian Confederacy, 2014-2021
Series 2: Chippewa-Cree Indians of the Rocky Boy's Reservation, 2014-2015
Series 3: Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes, 2013-2021
Series 4: Crow Tribe of Montana, 2014-2016
Series 5: Fort Belknap, 1975, 2014-2019
Series 6: Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, 2014-2021
Series 7: Northern Cheyenne Tribe, 2014-2018
Series 8: Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians, 1976-2018
Physical Location
77:2-4; oversize, 77:3-5
Acquisition Information
These materials were transferred from creating agency or tribe to the Montana Historical Society in accordance with the grant program requirements.
Future Additions
Future transfers of materials created under the Montana Indian Language Preservation grant program are expected every two years.
Geographic
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Montana Indian Language Preservation Program Records, 1975-2021
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by April Sparks
- Date
- 2016; 2022
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latn
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Montana Historical Society, Research Center Archives Repository
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201 United States
406-444-2681
406-444-2696 (Fax)
mhslibrary@mt.gov