Lynda Grove-D’Wolf presents language app

Every language has its roots, and every root is grounded by history. Preserving the language and traditions allows the history to grow, and once the attention of continuing the traditions diverts, the history is drenched to the ground from once it stood

Preserving history and traditions was the main topic discussed during the meeting of International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors (ISWNE) on Saturday, June 28. Editors from all over the nation gathered at the Southern Ute Cultural Center and Museum seeking information surrounding the influences of native culture.

Topics at the meeting included education development within the tribe, the establishments of tribal government, even the topic about the Washington Redskins name. Southern Ute Tribal Chairman Clement J. Frost spoke about the importance of keeping Ute culture alive, followed by the presentation of an educational IPhone application developed by tribal elder, Lynda Grove-D’Wolf.

The application titled Kavia Nuccie Nú-u-apá ga-pi is a downloadable program that allows users to learn words of the Ute language through a presentation of illustrations and sounds. It is Grove-D’Wolf’s intention to reach out to tribal members to study the language and keep the tradition at its roots.

Grove-D’Wolf addressed to the assembly with concerns, “I don’t want our language to die. We are such a small tribe, and we need to bring the language back to our people … we look for ways of trying to educate them.”

The application can be downloaded off the Apple App Store for the price of $4.99. The app sorts a number of Ute words through categories including animals, commands, greetings, and feelings. The application also educates the language through a series of familiar tales.

“I created this to tell stories coming from our people,” she said. “The language is presented through nursery rhymes so our children can truly feel it and remember it.

The application is available for all Apple products. Grove-D’Wolf stated that keeping the traditions preserved would allow the culture to grow stronger as long as people don’t lose sight of their history.

“Do not lose your language, do not lose your culture … that is who we are as people,” she said.

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