Native Languages Center

LANGUAGE PROGRAMS ›

College of Menominee College

Languages

Menominee, Oneida, and Mahican

Academic Programs

Menominee Language I-III courses
Oneida Language I course

The College of Menominee Nation endeavors to be a conduit for Indigenous language and culture. One way in which CMN fulfills this undertaking is through the perpetuation of spoken Indigenous languages in our classrooms. In partnership with community language groups, CMN invites students, staff, and the community to enjoy the “Let’s All Speak the Language” video series. ➚

Language in the Community

The Menominee Nation established the Menominee Language & Culture Commission to promote the continued use of language. Menomini yoU ➚ was established in 2020 and offers community focused language programming.

The Southeastern Oneida Tribal Services (SEOTS) ➚, located in the Milwaukee area (serving Kenosha), supports the Oneida language through cultural programming, language classes, and community events for members in southeastern Wisconsin.

Information about the Mahican language and community can be found through their website. ➚

Language

Menominee is an Algonquin language spoken in northern Wisconsin. The Menominee Language & Culture Commission has been established by the Menominee Nation to promote the continued use of the language.

Oneida is an Iroqouian language of New York, Wisconsin, and Ontario. It is closely related to the languages of the other four nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy): Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and especially Mohawk. Only a handful of people speak Oneida today.

Mohican language (Mahican) is an Eastern Algonquian language historically spoken by the Mohican people along the Hudson and Housatonic Rivers. In Wisconsin the language is associated with the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians who were displaced from their traditional Hudson River Valley homes.

Teaching Requirements in Wisconsin

To teach Native languages in Wisconsin, individuals can obtain an American Indian Language License. ➚ Applicants must demonstrate they are certified to be competent in the associated American Indian language. The certification under this paragraph shall be made by one of the following entities, as determined by the associated Tribal government:
1. The Tribal council.
2. The Tribal language division.
3. The local American Indian parent advisory committee.

Explore More Language Programs

The map below shows the locations of the 37 TCUs across the country. To learn more about each TCU and the language programs offered within those institutions, hover over each pin on the map.

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AIHEC Member Institutions

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Developing AIHEC Member Institutions