A free public showing of “Rising Voices/Hotȟaŋiŋpi” will be on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. CST at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. Limited seating will be available for the film, shown in the center’s Education Room.
A reception with film director Larry Hott, the Language Conservancy Director Wilhelm Maya and several cast members will precede the showing at 6:30 p.m. with light refreshments available.
“Rising Voices/Hotȟaŋiŋpi” tells the story of a passionate, dedicated and diverse group of people -- members of the Lakota community and linguists from outside of the community -- who are working together to save the Lakota language and restore it to its rightful place in Lakota, and American, culture.
“Rising Voices” is presented and distributed nationally by American Public Television and will premiere on public television stations nationwide beginning Nov. 1 (check local listings).
“The Cultural Heritage Center is one of three venues across the state providing a screening for this remarkable and powerful film,” commented Jay Smith, museum director for the South Dakota State Historical Society. “It is an honor for us to serve as a host.”
“Rising Voices” offers a snapshot into the day-to-day struggles of one of the biggest American Indian nations, and illuminates the problem of ancestral language loss to American Indian people.
The Language Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that works with American Indian tribes to preserve their ancestral languages by providing educational materials, teacher trainings, dictionaries and other materials that assist in language revitalization. The primary service area for the Language Conservancy is in the American Northwest, including Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.
To see five additional short videos about Lakota language, film credits, a study guide and more press materials, including a full transcript of the film, visit www.risingvoicesfilm.com.
About the South Dakota State Historical Society
The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, the archives, and the historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development offices. Call (605) 773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call (605) 394-1936 for more information.
Additional Contacts:
Yuliya Manyakina, communications & events manager, The Language Conservancy, yuliya@languageconservancy.org, 202-640-2280
Wil Meya, executive director, The Language Conservancy, meya@languageconservancy.org, 202-640-2280
