Indigenous sustainable relations: considering land in language and language in land

摘要

In this piece we (as one Indigenous anthropologist writing with a non-Indigenous anthropologist) explore research on how land is also connected to the revitalization of Indigenous minority languages and lifeways, suggesting that projects concerning either the sustainability of language and of land should not be considered separately. Under a framework of 'sustainable relations,' we explore how Indigenous ontologies of language conceptualize the indivisibility of language and land, and land and humans, which leads to a situation in which projects for the revitalization of language and for the reclamation of connections with land are often linked. The vital importance of the land-language connection for the continued sustainability of language, land and Indigenous lifeways is also showcased through an examination of recent studies looking at correlations between Indigenous language maintenance, engagement with the land and overall health and well-being of communities.