SAN MATEO, CA – The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (CNO) and Rosetta Stone have announced a long-term partnership aimed at supporting the preservation and continued use of the Choctaw language, which is an important part of Choctaw cultural heritage. The collaboration includes development of an immersive digital course that captures the language’s sound, rhythm and spirit. Authentic voices, imagery and cultural context will be drawn directly from the Choctaw community so tribal members learn Chahta anumpa – the Choctaw language – through lessons that reflect everyday life and ancestral traditions.
“When we speak Chahta, our ancestors speak through us. Sharing our language ensures their voices will never fade,” said CNO Chief Gary Batton. “Each word spoken is the core that strengthens our families and our culture, and secures our identity as the Chahta people. This partnership to share our language is more than a program. It is an act of love for our people and a promise to keep our culture alive for generations to come.”
As the first tribe to cross the Trail of Tears, the Choctaw people endured immense hardship yet kept their heritage alive. Today, that same strength unites more than 230,000 members of the Choctaw Nation – the third largest federally recognized Indian Nation in the United States.
Chahta anumpa has always been a source of that unity, making language revitalization a key pillar in the Nation’s efforts to protect its culture and sovereignty. Through classes, apprenticeships and community programs, CNO promotes Chahta anumpa, working to ensure future generations carry forward the wisdom embedded in every word and phrase – from Halito (hello) to Yakoke (thank you) to Chi pi̱sa la chike (until we meet again).
The number of fluent Choctaw language speakers has declined over the past several decades, with the trend accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic. The partnership with Rosetta Stone is intended to expand access to language learning for Choctaw citizens in Oklahoma, the U.S., and abroad.
“Language is deeply personal,” said Paul Mishkin, CEO of IXL Learning, Rosetta Stone’s parent company. “It connects us to family, history and place. Through our Endangered Languages Program, we are honored to work alongside the Choctaw Nation to protect not just words, but the identities and cultures they carry.”
For more than two decades, Rosetta Stone’s Endangered Languages Program has partnered with Indigenous communities worldwide to preserve, teach and revitalize languages at risk of extinction. Each initiative is a multi-year collaboration that documents pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary while embedding cultural elements – voices, songs, stories and imagery – provided by community members.