Language Courses at UW-Madison
American Indian & Indigenous Studies offers four levels of Ho-Chunk, Oneida, and Menominee language courses. Students may also enroll in Ojibwe and Dakota through the BTAA CourseShare program. Credits earned in these Indigenous language courses may be applied toward the American Indian & Indigenous Studies certificate under the Language requirement.
Additional Indigenous Language Resources
Explore the resources below to support your Indigenous language learning. In addition to materials recommended by individual instructors in our courses, these resources can help you build vocabulary, strengthen your skills, and continue learning outside the classroom.
Students are also encouraged to participate in the Indigenous Language Table Program, a collaboration between ENWEJIG Indigenous Language Advocates and the Illuminating Discovery Hub at the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery. The weekly language tables provide an opportunity to practice speaking, connect with fellow learners, and engage with Indigenous languages in a welcoming community setting.
Dakota
Although Dakota is not a language spoken by one of the Native Nations of Wisconsin, it is still offered to UW-Madison students online through the Big Ten Academic Alliance. The University of Minnesota has provided some Dakota resources such as links to interactive websites, recommended reading and audio material, community programs, and links to Dakota nation websites.
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk (Hoocąk) Nation was provided resources through the Hoocąk Waaziija Haci Language Division. This division provides interactive learning tools and other resources for language learning.
Menominee
The Menominee Nation has commissioned a dictionary with the help of Monica Macaulay and various tribal elders. They also provide several language lessons to aid with language preservation efforts.
Ojibwe
Many resources for learning Ojibwemowin exist, especially as resources can be tied to the greater language family, Anishinaabemowin. The following are resources provided by the Tribal nations of Wisconsin.
- Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – Games and vocabulary support
- Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s Waadookodaading Language Institute – language learning videos, dictionary, and other resources
- Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa – various language tools, online resources, recommended books and audio
Please note that the Ojibwe courses are often taught through the Big Ten Academic Alliance, so language resources from outside of Wisconsin may be recommended.
Oneida
The Oneida Nation of Wisconsin provides language history, structure, games, dictionary, and other resources to aid in Oneida language learning.