Cite as: 31 CNCA § 606

A. The Council of the Cherokee Nation authorizes the following programs and services under this Act:

1. Cherokee Language Immersion Education: Education and childcare programs in an immersive Cherokee language environment, including early childhood education through high school, the sites for which include:

a. Ꮷꮎꮥꮆꮖꮝꮧ tsunadeloquasdi Language Immersion School located within the Durbin Feeling Language Center in Tahlequah, OK;

b. Ꮷꮎꮥꮆꮖꮝꮧ Ꭶꮅꮙꭹ Ꮒꮪᏻꭺꮫ (Tsunadeloquasdi Galiquogi Niduyugodv), School of Seven Directions

c. Ꮷꮎꮥꮆꮖꮝꮧ tsunadeloquasdi Language Immersion School, Greasy Campus;

d. Such oher sites as shall be formally designated by the Principal Chief, subject to appropriation of capital or operating funds by the Council.

2. Cherokee Master Apprentice Language Program: Educational programs to train language apprentices with master instructors through a course of study to place the apprentice on a path towards fluency and to secure post-apprentice employment using the Cherokee language.

3. Cherokee Language Translation and Documentation Programs: Programs and services, including fee-based services, for the translation of documents and records from English to Cherokee or Cherokee to English.

4. Cherokee Language Creative Arts and Information Technology: The utilization of creativity and information technology to put Cherokee language learning and usage within greater reach of Cherokee citizens, students and the general public and to record Cherokee language speakers for future study and for posterity.

5. Cherokee Language Community Outreach and Enrichment: Programs of outreach and enrichment for fluent Cherokee speakers and for the general Cherokee citizenry to gain exposure to basic Cherokee language learning.

6. Cherokee Speaker Villages: Housing services for Cherokee language speakers designed to address both the housing needs of fluent Cherokee speakers and the strategic creation of Cherokee speaking communities to effectuate the purposes and policies of this Act and as set forth in the Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act of 2022, and any amendments thereto, including:

a. The Bonnie Kirk Village located within the Durbin Feeling Language Campus in Tahlequah, OK;

b. Such other sites as shall be formally designated by the Principal Chief, subject to appropriation of capital or operating funds by the Council.

7. Cherokee Nation Speaker Services: Programs of health, employment, general welfare and housing support for fluent Cherokee language speakers and as set forth in the Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act of 2022, provided:

a. Speaker services is a supplemental program for fluent Cherokee language speakers and shall not operate to supplant eligibility for or services provided by any other Cherokee Nation program or service.

b. To effectuate the purposes and policies of the Speaker Services program, the Language Department shall maintain formal inter-departmental memoranda of understanding with relevant Cherokee Nation departments and entities, including but not limited to Health, Public Health, Human Services and the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation.

8. Ꮳꮃꭹ Ꭰꮒꮼꮒꮝꭹ Ꮪꮎꮩꭵ Ꮧꭶꮺꮅ (Tsalagi Aniwonisgi Dunadov Digaweli) (Roll of Cherokee Speakers): Continued maintenance of a formal roll book of first language Cherokee speakers, designated herein as (Tsalagi Aniwonisgi Dunadov Digaweli or Roll of Cherokee Speakers), which commenced and has been maintained by executive action on or about April 17, 2019, for posterity of language records and for reference in determining eligibility, where relevant, for programs and services authorized by this Act, provided the Principal Chief, by his or her designee, develop and implement relevant policies and procedures pursuant to Section 5 of this Act.

B. Nothing in this Act prohibits the Council from creating language revitalization programs or services or prohibits the Principal Chief from executing language revitalization programs or services otherwise authorized by law.

Historical Data

LA 04-24, eff. January 22, 2024. Amended LA 23-26, eff. June 25, 2026.