Unangam Tunuu Program
Unangam Tunuu Achigaasalix (UTA)
In 2019, APIA was awarded a three year language grant through the Administration of Native Americans (90NL0643). Our project goal comes directly from the goals established under the Strategic Plan and focuses on developing a pilot regional Unangam Tunuu teacher certification program. The project’s objective is by the end of the third year (timeline), the Aleutian Pribilof Islands region (population), will increase the number of Certified Unangam Tunuu teachers (indicator) by at least 10 (target). The project will develop a rigorous set of certification requirements that support and assess attainment of language fluency and demonstrated teaching leadership competencies, that will be matched to college credit at the Alaska Pacific University and, will support the awarding of the State of Alaska’s Type M Teaching Certificate. Project Outputs and Activities include an annual cycle of Fall and Spring Teacher Trainings, a Summer Cohort Intensive, training in the ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview assessment, and are planned to support rapid fluency attainment as well as gaining confidence in leading immersion language learning. Student teaching will occur during the Summer Cohort Intensive as well as during the planned Download Camps. A comprehensive Outcome Tracking Strategy that supports measurement of certificate attainment is included.
Teacher Certification program: In order to complete a UTA certification, requirements include: completing an application, prepping and hunting language from speakers, creating and teaching lessons, attending trainings/language intensives/Download Camps, and completing an Oral Proficiency Interview to prove your level of fluency. If you are interested please contact unangamtunuu@apiai.org.
Community Classes: Unangam Tunuu Community Night is held Tuesdays from 6:00pm-7:30pm at the community room at APIA in Anchorage from September through May. Classes are free and Eastern and Atka dialects that are led by Nikkita Shellikoff for the Eastern dialect and Bobbi Dushkin and Darling Anderson in the Atka dialect. To inquire, please email unangamtunuu@apiai.org.
A Special Thanks to our Collaborators/Project Partners:
- The Aleut Corporation: provide donations that support APIA’s regional UT program.
- The Aleut Foundation: works in partnership to support community language classes.
- Atka IRA: Atka dialect core team.
- TGSPI: Eastern dialect core team.
- Cook Inlet Native Head Start: Provides opportunity for cohort members to teach in the classroom.
- Aleutian Pribilof Islands Community Development Association (APICDA) : Provides intern support during Summer Language Intensives.
- Ilisagvik College: Unangam Tunuu College Class syllabus established.
- Alaska Native Heritage Center: Provides opportunity for cohort members to teach at their After-School High School Program.
- The City of Atka: Provides discounted housing during Fall and Spring Teacher Trainings.
- The City of St. Paul Island: Provides discounted housing during Fall and Spring Teacher Trainings.
- Where Are Your Keys LLC (WAYK): Language consultants/ Teacher Trainers.
- Seventh Generation Fund: Provides Unangam tunuu intern support.
- Unangam Tunuu Advisory Committee – The Unangam Tunuu Advisory Committee is an informal working group focused on efforts to preserve Unangam Tunuu, our language. Committee members are Elders, speakers, and community members selected by their respective tribal councils and ratified by the APIA Board of Directors. They provide input and make recommendations for region-wide language preservation efforts conducted by APIA’s Cultural Heritage Department and are members are tribal enrollees of one of the 13 tribes within the Aleutian Pribilof Islands region. The Unangam Tunuu Advisory Committee is committed to: 1) Providing input and support for language projects administered by APIA’s Cultural Heritage Department; 2) Defining goals and objectives for region-wide language preservation efforts; 3) Monitoring and evaluating progress of language projects administered by APIA’s Cultural Heritage Department including, if awarded, a project funded by the Administration for Native Americans Language Preservation and Maintenance program; 4) Participate in quarterly meetings; 5) Assist with acquiring contributions and/or in-kind donations to support language projects; and, 6) Encourage and support the use of the language in our Unangax̂ communities.
Current UTAC Members (as of 2019):
| Lynette Mack | Agdaagux Tribe of King Cove |
| Josephine Borenin-Shangin | Akutan Tribal Council |
| Crystal Dushkin | Atka IRA Council |
| Moses Dirks, Elder/Speaker | Atka IRA Council |
| Sally Swetzof, Elder/Speaker | Atka IRA |
| Liza Mack | Belkofski Village Council |
| Nikkita Shellikoff | False Pass Tribal Council |
| Bobbie McNeley | Nelson Lagoon Tribal Council |
| VACANT | Nikolski IRA Council |
| Bobbi Dushkin | Pauloff Harbor Tribe |
| David Osterback | Qagan Tayagungin Tribe Sand Point |
| Peyton Kuzakin | Qagan Tayagungin Tribe Sand Point |
| Piama Oleyer Robinson | Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska |
| Laresa Syversen | Qawalangin Tribe of Unalaska |
| Iliodor Philemonof, Elder/Speaker | St. George Traditional Council |
| Aquilina Lestenkof | Aleut Community of St. Paul Island |
| Bruce Foster | Unga Tribal Council |