Indian sign language conference

First Indian sign language conference in 80 years will be held in August

By Pam HughesRepresentatives from seven tribes will convene on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation Aug. 12–15 for the first hand talkers’ conference held since 1930.

The conference is an important part of a National Science Foundation funded project led by Dr. Jeffrey Davis of the University of Tennessee, Dr. Melanie McKay-Cody (Chickamauga Cherokee/Choctaw) of William Woods University and James Woodenlegs (Northern Cheyenne) to document hand talkers from Northern Cheyenne, Assiniboine, Sioux, Crow, and several other tribes.

The mission is to preserve Indian Sign Language through the cooperation of sign language linguists with deaf and hearing members of the North American Indian signing communities through research, video recording and a dictionary.Comment:  For more on the subject, see Indian Sign Language Endangered and Indian and American Sign Languages.