Ray George entered the world of Onyota’a:ká: naturally, as did his ancestors before him, from birth. Onyota’a:ká:was the lingua franca in Ray’s home and much of his community in Canada. Thus, through a natural progression of his communications skills, Ray became an adept in his native tongue.

“I never spoke to my father in English,” said Ray. “Both my grandmothers spoke Onyota’a:ká:, and I’d speak to them only in the language. I was born in the language, and it always comes back to me even if I’ve been away from it.”

Yet, Ray realizes that the language is more difficult to learn when not introduced in infancy. In his opinion, those students who do succeed in learning it possess an affinity toward Onyota’a:ká:. “Learning this language requires more than a mediocre interest,” said Ray. “You have to go home with it, sleep with it and come to work with it.”

The challenges are tremendous. Building upon the Berlitz method, Ray said the class is expanding sentences more than stressed in Berlitz. Perhaps the most daunting element for students is recognizing the subtle differences in tenses – past , present, future. Students can memorize each verb ending, matching it to the correct person – singular and plural, but it’s tough keeping it all straight.

Progress is forthcoming, however. Ray feels confident that the language will survive partly due to the supplemental language materials that are now available. A comprehensive dictionary is one tool at students’ disposal, and one that Ray is expanding upon as long-forgotten words come back to him. But despite all the accumulated knowledge available, people have to be willing to learn the language in order for Onyota’a:ká: to thrive, he said.

Once people do learn to speak, the key is to consistently use Onyota’a:ká: in conversations. To remain on the vanguard of the language’s survival, the optimal means would be to introduce it to children at home and in school, said Ray.

“I feel obligated to restore the language back to its original homeland,” said Ray. “This language was around long before I existed. A lot of people have tried to keep the language going before but without much success. There is a lot of good material for people that was never available before, which can help them learn Onyota’a:ká: I’m happy I played a role in safeguarding Onyota’a:ká: and that people may remember me for it.

“For myself, when I retire, I plan to take a language, too: Italian.”