The Luiseño Language Preservation Project

Preserving the Luiseño Language Through Modern Technology 

The Pauma Band of Luiseño Indians provided a $50,000 grant to the CICSC and Palomar College’s American Indian Studies Department to create Luiseño language cartridges for the Nintendo DSi. Dr. Proudfit and her students created the program using the voices of tribal elders and children to teach terms for numbers, colors, animals and other basic vocabulary. The words coincide with uploaded photos, songs, images, prayers, quizzes and stories.    
 
The American Indian Student Alliance assisted the project and distributed about 150 cartridges to Pauma tribal members, as well as to the tribal library and after-school program. In the future, the preservation program plans to expand to include participation from the other five Luiseño bands.

Here are several news links about the project:

• Video Games Teach Traditional Tongue
• Language preservation helps American Indian students stick with college
• Video games to help teach native language