Twenty-five strong: the current state and potential future of Ararahih (the Karuk language)

Abstract

Research on various language apps, app building, language learning, Indigenous methodologies, and American Indian law and policy has made for a sound argument to kickstart the support of a Karuk dictionary app, eventual language learning app, and Karuk data sovereignty. The purpose of this work is to take in the broad academic discussion to think critically about it and build upon it in order to determine an Indigenous methodology for language apps and raise up Karuk community language regeneration efforts. In this paper, the themes addressed include Indigenous methodologies, the influence of language in life, legal implications for Native American Tribes in the United States wishing to practice data sovereignty, developing themes in Indigenous Methodologies for language apps, discussion on both Tribal and Western language apps, and app construction. To ensure wide reception, this work is written with the intention of being discussed by Karuk scholars and community members, and the broader academic and general audience of both Native and non-Native backgrounds.