In the May 2 issue of the ADN, there was a very interesting article on the Kotzebue tribal school’s immersion program. It was very enlightening to read.The foundation of the Alaska Native societies are the tongues spoken within the Alaska Native groups. In western Alaska, it is Yup’ik, and this is the first tongue I grew up speaking. In 1958-1959, I was one of the students selected to attend the Wrangell Institute Boarding School. While there, we were punished and disciplined for speaking our Native tongues. It was hard for me to understand why this happened. This was wrong then, and it is still wrong.
It is important for the immersion programs to continue in Alaska. It was enlightening to read the article, and in particular, that the administrators of the immersion program in Kotzebue reached out to the elders in seeking their wisdom and guidance on issues and words on issues they needed help.
Thank you to all the people who are involved in the immersion programs across Alaska.
— Nelson Angapak, Sr.
Anchorage
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