Award winning game playing a part in language preservation
Nunaka: My Village - Where Language Comes to Play
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - If you want to reach kids, you do it through their electronics. That’s how the game Nunaka: My Village - Where Language Comes to Play is helping teach the Sugt’stun language to kids.
It’s an App created by Chugachmiut, a consortium of tribal groups from the Chugach region of Alaska. An area along the Kenai Peninsula coastline. The Head Start programs in the communities of Nanwalek and Port Graham use the game in their programs. It is free in the App Store for anyone.
Released in 2023 the game has received both national and international recognition.
Designed for preschoolers, users are taken through cultural activities like berry picking and beading. All of the voices in the game are provided by residents of the region.
The goal is the grow the game as its users grow to produce more learners and speakers of the Sugt’stun language.
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