Corey Roberts teaches language revitalization at Elon, bringing together students and community members to do more than just learn, but make a cultural impact.
Assistant Professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies and linguist Corey Roberts teaches “Yesa:sahį́ Language Revitalization I,” where students get an introduction to the Yesa:sahį́ language, part of a broader effort for Roberts to revitalize the language.
“Students will be given the information early on that they are going to be learning the language, but they are also going to be helping rebuild the language because it takes the efforts of students and community members alike, all hands-on deck,” said Roberts.
The Yesa:sahį́ Language Revitalization classes are not like taking a Spanish or French class; they demand a different type of complexity. The Indigenous language is constantly changing, and there are times when someone must fill in the blanks left by history.
“There are different ways you can go about reconstructing it, and sometimes that requires you laying out dictionaries from 26 or 27 different languages and making comparisons,” said Roberts.
Those taking the class are not only going to be learning the language but also helping to fill in the gaps when they occur. During Winter Term, Elon students will get the chance to work alongside community members who are taking the course with them. Roberts said it was a dream for him to get a job in higher education near his home state, Virginia, allowing him not just to teach and also create relationships with the Occaneechi tribe, going to the tribal center and working with the elders.
“It’s a lot of legwork on both sides to make it all come together, but when it comes together, it feels like a thing of beauty,” said Roberts.
Roberts first learned he was Occaneechi in 2017 when his father passed away, and his family started to open up about their history, leading him to want to learn more about the Indigenous language.
“It’s a way to connect to the culture without being too intrusive. I discovered the language and decided I’ll help rebuild it however I can,” said Roberts.
Even before Roberts understood he was Occaneechi, he understood that he wanted to work on the language. He spoke five other languages at the time and because of that skill, he focused on what people say and how vowels are produced. Roberts was four years old when he remembered his first memory of language.
“I remember everything that happened surrounding it and the difference between spelling and writing language,” said Roberts.
Roberts knew learning about the language would require training in linguistics, so he earned a master’s degree in Native American Languages from the University of Arizona. Now, he is working on a doctorate in linguistics with a minor in American Indian Studies.
Before teaching at Elon, Roberts taught in the community, continuously striving to teach in an interactive and fun way: “I have a background in theater, so I tend to want to make things fun,” said Roberts.
He likes to work on designing games while teaching because that becomes an engaging way to offer instruction to Elon students and the language community (consisting of a few American Indian tribes). Roberts works on language revitalization for the Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation (OBSN) as well as other tribes in Ohio and Virginia. During Winter Term, tribal members from both OBSN and the Saponi Nation of Ohio will be joining virtually. The class allows students to learn the language, help design games and design instructional materials and work with community members at the same time.
He highlights the importance of language in maintaining cultural identity and mental health, noting that language revitalization can reduce depression and suicidality in Indigenous communities.
“People come to me to ask to make sure that the ancestors understand them when they cross over to the other side,” said Roberts.
He understands that he cannot reconstruct the language exactly as the ancestors spoke it, but he can do his best to make sure that it is comprehensible for them. Language is a way to connect to the land. Roberts recalls a time while in Arizona when there was a big meeting of different tribes where they could exchange ideas. Someone from a different tribal nation said, “I believe that language is the key, that if you don’t have the language, you don’t have the culture.” Roberts raised his hand in objection and said, “For those of us who have experienced a major loss of language I would not argue that we have lost our culture. I would argue that the culture that is represented through language has kind of gone to sleep and is waiting for us to wake it back up.”
Roberts states that language revitalization has a direct correlation to the mental health and well-being of populations that have been decimated throughout the course of history and colonialism.
“Give them their language so that they may thrive,” said Roberts. His goal is to uncover as much information as he can and then teach everyone in the tribal communities that are willing to learn. The way for the language to stay active is for people to learn as much as possible and to continue to pass along the information.
Language revitalization in every context looks different. Roberts is working mostly from texts for the Indigenous language Yesa:sahį́. There are situations where you have few speakers left, so those then must work to record this information as quickly as possible.
“Most of the time, those situations have people who are in their 60s or above,” said Roberts. Then, there are situations where they do not have texts available. This is why language revitalization looks different because the set of skills varies based on the community you are working with.
Roberts will continue his efforts to uncover as much information about Yesa:sahį́ and the language of the Occaneechi as possible and teach it to students and the tribal community to ensure the language’s preservation beyond his lifetime.
“Taking the class and working with community members will get you involved in the process on the ground,” said Roberts.