zogazûê

Thank you to Mrs. Halay Turning Heart, member of the Yuchi Nation (Tsoyaha or Coyaha Nation) for sharing this recording of the Yuchi word for Little Bluestem. Halay’s part of teaching the next generation of Yuchi language speakers at the Yuchi Language Immersion School in Glenpool, OK.

The Yuchi Nation’s homelands are in the southeastern part of the USA including parts of modern day eastern Tennessee, northern Georgia, western South Carolina, and northern Florida. They were forcibly removed from their homelands due to the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

The Yuchi language is a unique language, not known to be related to any other language. According to a 2011 documentary, We are Still Here, on the Yuchi language, the number of first-language speakers had declined to five by 2011.

More young Yuchi people are learning the language in recent years, thanks to the efforts of teachers like Halay and the amazing staff at the Yuchi Immersion School!