Jengo’s Playhouse Presents We Will Speak

Details:

We Will Speak
Friday, April 5 at 7:30pm
Tickets $10
Synopsis: The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity; yet generations of assimilation efforts by the U.S. government and anti-Indigenous stigmas have forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a State of Emergency for the language in 2019. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, fewer than an estimated 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly. The covid pandemic has unfortunately hastened the course. Language activists, artists, and the youth must now lead the charge of urgent radical revitalization efforts to help save the language from the brink of extinction.

Immediately following the screening we will host a discussion facilitated by Working Films with the filmmakers Keli Gonzales, Jacob Koestler, Michael McDermit, Schon Duncan and several community leaders. Stay tuned for updates about special guests.

This screening is a co-presentation organized by UNCW Office of the Arts, WHQR Public Radio, Cucalorus, NC Arts Council, Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, South Arts, National Endowment of the Arts, and Working Films.