RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Lakota Nation Invitational is more than just a sporting event, it also has many other youth competitions. One of them, the Lakota Language Bowl, celebrates the native language of attendees while helping with the revitalization of the language for newer generations.Students from schools across the region competed in different age brackets, demonstrating their skills in pronunciation, vocabulary, and conversational comprehension. There were even Dakota speaking judges for students coming from east river. Corey Yellow Boy, Lakota Studies Director for the Oglala Lakota County School District, spearheaded the event, which he says helps keep the language alive and well. ADVERTISEMENT “It’s a celebration of language, preserving the language, and displaying what the students have learned over the past year or two,” said Yellow Boy. Corey Yellow Boy, Lakota Studies Director for the Oglala Lakota County School District This year’s winners by division are the following:· High School: Maȟpíya Lúta High School· Middle School: Enemy Swim Day School· Elementary School: Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Lakota Immersion School· K-2: Buffalo ChildrenThe competition also included singing and verb speed rounds, where competitors needed to quickly translate a verb out of the draw of a hat. Unlike other languages, verbs play a major role when it comes to Lakota proficiency. ADVERTISEMENT “The verbs are everything in Lakota,” Yellow Boy continues, “Those are full sentences in themselves. Lakota is so expressive. It’s just such a beautiful language that you can learn thousands of nouns and not be able to speak the language. Everything is in the verbs.”The Language Bowl happens every year at the Lakota Nation Invitational. Schools interested in participating are encouraged to apply early through the LNI website at lakotanationinvitational.com By Per Lundquist Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.

Youth compete in the Lakota Language Bowl at LNI

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Lakota Nation Invitational is more than just a sporting event, it also has many other youth competitions. One of them, the Lakota Language Bowl, celebrates the native language of attendees while helping with the revitalization of the language for newer generations. Students from schools across the region competed in different […]

RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Lakota Nation Invitational is more than just a sporting event, it also has many other youth competitions. One of them, the Lakota Language Bowl, celebrates the native language of attendees while helping with the revitalization of the language for newer generations.

Students from schools across the region competed in different age brackets, demonstrating their skills in pronunciation, vocabulary, and conversational comprehension. There were even Dakota speaking judges for students coming from east river. Corey Yellow Boy, Lakota Studies Director for the Oglala Lakota County School District, spearheaded the event, which he says helps keep the language alive and well.

“It’s a celebration of language, preserving the language, and displaying what the students have learned over the past year or two,” said Yellow Boy.

Corey Yellow Boy, Lakota Studies Director for the Oglala Lakota County School District

This year’s winners by division are the following:

· High School: Maȟpíya Lúta High School

· Middle School: Enemy Swim Day School

· Elementary School: Wakanyeja Tokeyahci Lakota Immersion School

· K-2: Buffalo Children

The competition also included singing and verb speed rounds, where competitors needed to quickly translate a verb out of the draw of a hat. Unlike other languages, verbs play a major role when it comes to Lakota proficiency.

“The verbs are everything in Lakota,” Yellow Boy continues, “Those are full sentences in themselves. Lakota is so expressive. It’s just such a beautiful language that you can learn thousands of nouns and not be able to speak the language. Everything is in the verbs.”

The Language Bowl happens every year at the Lakota Nation Invitational. Schools interested in participating are encouraged to apply early through the LNI website at

lakotanationinvitational.com

Per Lundquist

By
Per Lundquist

Per grew up in Sioux Falls and graduated from South Dakota Mines. He found his passion for weather reporting by the impact it has on the community, both in how people work and how it brings people together through severe weather preparation. He also has a passion for preventing health issues with Air Quality Index awareness. Per can be found enjoying outdoor activities in the Black Hills when the weather allows.