MARKSVILLE, LA – The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana has been awarded $75,000 in grant funding for the Language & Cultural Revitalization Program’s Tunica-Biloxi Oral History Project. The oral history project is funded in part by the Tribal Heritage Grant program, through the Historic Preservation Fund, as administered by the National Park Service, Department of Interior.
As part of the Tunica-Biloxi Oral History Project, the Language & Cultural Revitalization Program will develop an archival repository of oral histories, cultural workshops and traditional songs captured on digital video, audio and still photography so that all tribal members have access to their history and culture.
“Grants such as this one from the National Park Service are fundamental in shaping the future of our tribe while also passing down our centuries of history and culture,” said Marshall Pierite, Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. “It’s our solemn vow to our ancestors to keep their legacy alive for generations of tribal citizens to come. As we advance toward a promising future, it is vital that our tribe’s Language & Cultural Revitalization Program receive the funding they need to emphasize that promise to those before us.”
The funding comes from a total of $623,077 in grants for 10 projects across the country, including Tunica-Biloxi’s. All projects will work to preserve historic properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, support comprehensive preservation planning, preserve oral history and cultural traditions, provide training for building a historic preservation program and support cultural and historic preservation interpretation and education.
Administered by the National Park Service, Historic Preservation Fund reserves may be appropriated by Congress to support a variety of historic preservation projects to help preserve the nation’s cultural resources.
“The National Park Service is committed to preserving our cultural heritage and history across the country,” said National Park Service Director Chuck Sams. “These grants further that goal by helping American Indian tribes and Native Alaskan and Hawaiian communities connect with the stories of their past.”
“With the advancement of both time and technology, we need to act now to safeguard our language and culture to cement our history indefinitely,” said John Barbry, Director of Development and Programming. “Grants like this one have a monumental impact on our department, allowing us to achieve our goals in ways we never imagined.
The Language & Revitalization Program was created to establish a structural support for language and culture education, striving to make the Tunica-Biloxi language present throughout the entire community and beyond. The department also keeps an extensive list of online resources to utilize in ongoing education and research of the tribe’s ethnography.
