The Nęyękwawętaˀθkwáhshek Tuscarora Language Program (NTLP) has taken many forms before it finally evolved into what it is today. Fortunately, past, and current Tuscarora speakers worked to preserve much of our language for us in writings and audio recordings. It is now NTLP’s duty to use these resources, to the best of our abilities, to create speakers.
The Tuscarora Nation of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy is situated in New York State east of the Niagara River, between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Our language is an Iroquoian language, belonging to the same language family as Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, Cayuga, and Cherokee. In a community of approximately 1,200 there are a total of six second language speakers who are at an ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Intermediate – Advanced level. Our language is an 8b – Nearly Extinct on the EGIDS (Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption) Scale.
NTLP formally came into existence in 2015, although the organization has operated informally since 2004 as the Tuscarora Language Group (TLG). In 2017, Bundled Arrows Inc. became our parent 501(c)(3) organization.
Many volunteer hours have gone into our various projects. These include:
In 2006, members of the TLG were introduced to the highly successful Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa (OK) Kanyen’kéha immersion program and immediately began working with Onkwawenna to redesign our language program. We also began to seek funding to create a similar program for the Tuscarora language.
In 2015, Nęyękwawętaˀθkwáhshek Tuscarora Language Program (NTLP) was formed as an organization. In April 2017, we applied for and received 501(c)3 Not-For-Profit designation and Bundled Arrows Inc. was established. The creation of Bundled Arrows Inc. allowed NTLP to receive grants and donations. Since 2017 NTLP has received approximately $500,000 from different sources, including the Tuscarora Council of Chiefs and Clan Mothers, federal and private grant sources, as well as numerous individual donations.
These funds were used to complete the Tuscarora Language Immersion Project (TLIP). The goal of TLIP was to translate the content of OK’s 2-year Kanyen’kéha adult immersion curriculum to the Tuscarora language, and to develop supplemental instructional resources where necessary. This work has allowed us to operate the 2-year Tuscarora language adult immersion program based on OK’s Root-Word Method. Though NTLP is primarily an adult language program, we support language efforts at every level in the community and assist with the creation of content to use at all age levels.
In January of 2022, NTLP began its first Year 1 adult immersion class, with eight students. Our first Year 2 class will graduate in the Spring of 2024.
NTLP employs a Program Director, 4 Teacher/Curriculum Development Assistants and the current class’s adult students. Bundled Arrows Inc. has 6 Board Members and employs an Executive Director. Bundled Arrows Inc will need to hire a Bookkeeper/Administrative Assistant in the near future.
NTLP has many plans for the future:
For Tuscarora to be the language spoken in our community
More information on NTLP can be on our website.
We can be contacted through these email addresses: