University of Colorado Boulder Intensifies Efforts to Preserve Endangered Arapaho Language

The linguistic heritage of the Arapaho people, deeply rooted in the Great Plains, currently faces a critical juncture. A diminishing number of native speakers, compounded by historical pressures, places this vital language on the precipice of silence. This situation presents a profound opportunity to realign efforts toward cultural continuity and shared understanding.

Leading this crucial preservation work is Professor Andrew Cowell, who directs the Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies (CNAIS) at the University of Colorado Boulder. His dedicated engagement began in 2003, focusing on the meticulous documentation and subsequent revitalization of the Arapaho tongue. This endeavor is more than simply cataloging words; it is about safeguarding an entire ethnohistory, a perspective on the world distinct from mainstream narratives found in conventional texts. The Arapaho language itself is interwoven with the very landscape of Colorado, with place names like Kawuneeche Valley meaning “coyote river,” offering insight into the ancestral view of nature.

The Arapaho Language Project, a key initiative, benefits from significant backing, including support from the National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This collaboration is forging a comprehensive lexical database intended to be a cornerstone for future education and revitalization. Researchers are building a robust digital framework; one component includes a free online dictionary with over 20,000 entries, and a text database containing more than 100,000 Arapaho sentences drawn from recorded conversations and stories with elders. This extensive collection represents data gathered from close to 100 native speakers.

Furthering this commitment to the next generation, CU Boulder's Right Relationship Boulder organization secured funding for the Hinóno’oéí Language and Culture Camp across 2024 and 2025. This camp offers youth unhindered access to language instruction alongside cultural activities, ensuring the transmission of living knowledge. Elders have also creatively adapted the language for contemporary life, translating concepts like 'internet' into 'everything is connected together'. Supporting this vital work from beyond Colorado, the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming plays an essential role by safeguarding irreplaceable resources, such as the Zdeněk Salzmann Arapaho Indian research papers.

Digitization efforts, often supported by NEH grants, are making these archival materials accessible to tribal communities for the first time, transforming historical records into tools for present-day empowerment. A notable cultural preservation milestone involved the translation of the Disney film Bambi into Arapaho, which premiered in 1994 and was later added to Disney+ in October 2022, marking the first Disney movie dubbed in a Native American language. This multi-faceted approach—blending digital technology, community camps, and archival recovery—reflects a collective recognition that language is a fundamental pillar of identity, and its preservation opens pathways to deeper collective awareness.