The Comanche Nation Language Department receives grant, to help keep language alive.

LAWTON, Okla. (KSWO) - Part of a grant to help keep a Native American language alive is going to The Comanche Nation. They received a grant for a little over one-hundred-ninety thousand dollars from the Indian Affairs Office of Economic Development.

“Let’s all talk Comanche together,” said Dr. Kate Peweonfkit Briner, Director of The Comanche Nation language department.

The Comanche Nation is getting this money after the Indian Affairs Office of Economic Development awarded 7 million dollars in grants under the Living Language Grant Program to 45 American Indian and Alaska Native Tribes and tribal organizations.

Dr. Peweonfkit Briner, said they plan on using it for an online Comanche language program.

“So it’s a software that is sort of like rosetta stone or duo lingo, people are familiar with that but it’s called transparent language online,” she said.

Their goal is for people to always have access to learn the language if they aren’t able to attend the in-person classes or feel they are too old to learn.

“Really it’s to reach every single tribal member whatever age they are,” she said.

The grant will also be used to hire two people to help with the online system. They’re looking for passionate people to fill the roles.

“Really excited about the language and or culture, and want to put time into learning how to work with audio, video, and learn how to do curriculum planning,” she said.

Dr. Briner said the Comanche language is very scarce right now, and it’s extremely important to make sure tribal members have access to learn.

“With Comanche language is, when you think about language and culture it’s really who we are as a people. And we don’t want to get to a point where we don’t want to embrace either of those, because what’s left to make you a people at that point. And the government, it could be an issue of sovereignty, where the government says you’re no longer a tribe,” she said.

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