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Q: I would like to know how I
could get a CD on the Algonquin Language. I belong
to the Algonquin
Tribe,Unkechaug Nation & I belong to the Poospatuck
Reservation. I have been unable to find any CDs. Please have someone
get back to me.
A: Hello, thanks for writing.
One thing that may be causing you trouble in this
quest is that the Unkechaug and Algonquin languages are
different. This is a common point of confusion,
because anthropologists decided to call all the
languages and cultures that were related to Algonquin
by the name "Algonquian." Unkechaug was an
Algonquian language--so are Cree, Blackfoot, Cheyenne,
etc.--but it is different from Algonquin. The
situation is similar to the fact that English is a
Germanic language, but it is not the same as German.
Next, the Unkechaug language has unfortunately not
been spoken since the 1800's, so there are not any CDs
of it. The language was most closely related to
Mohegan, Pequot, Mahican, Wampanoag, and Narragansett,
none of which are spoken natively today (though the Wampanoag,
Mohegans and Pequots have been working to revive their
languages and have had some good success.) The closest related
languages that are
still living are Lenape Delaware and Munsee Delaware.
There is a good audio course in Lenape available and
that may be the one of the most interest to you:
There are also many materials in Algonquian languages
such as Algonquin, Ojibwe, Cree etc., but those languages are
much more different from the Unkechaug language.
Lenape would be the closest language that I know of
having any CD or audio recordings.
Hope that helps!
Native Languages of the Americas
Algonquian language family
Woodland Native Americans
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