Charlie Vaughn, the 54-year-old Chairman of the Hualapai Tribal Council, thinks many in his 2,300 strong tribe have tried too hard to assimilate with the dominant English-language culture of the U.S.

Many in the tribe work seasonally in the lumber industry and elsewhere which tribal officials has contributed to an erosion of the community and the Hualapai dialect. Funding from the state of Arizona for bi-lingual courses at school has been cut, so fewer Hualapai children are learning their native language, Vaughn said. (The  2,300 strong tribe become known worldwide earlier this year for its Skywalk over the rim of the Grand Canyon)

In response, the tribe has launched Hualapai lessons. Once a week a class meets in reservation, where teacher Cheryle Beecher (left) leads a group range from children under the age of ten to adults in basic Hualapai conversation.

If we can promote the language we can also promote a sense of community and belonging among our children, said Lucille Watahomigie, director of education and training for the Hualapai tribe.

She added that while many Hualapai children do not speak the language they understand it when it is spoken to them.

Lucille Watahomigie (right) gave Reuters a brief example of how the Hualapai language sounds. Listen here

Tribal Council Chairman Vaughn said he worries that there is not enough funding nor enough community backing among the Hualapai for the language lessons.

The decline of our native language will continue if we dont make more of an effort to preserve it, he said.