Bodéwadmimwen

Perrot has taught Bodéwadmimwen for more than three decades, serving as a “resource” for the Potawatomi bands. He was a consultant for the Hannahville Indian School in 1997 and joined the staff full time from 1998 through 2003.

2015, Christopher Wetzel, Gathering the Potawatomi Nation: Revitalization and Identity, University of Oklahoma Press, page 86

In 2021, the Bodéwadmimwen language was in danger of disappearing. The tongue traditionally spoken by Potawatomi Native Americans had only eight people who’d learned it as their first language, and the average age of the remaining speakers was over 80 years old.

2023 January 23, Sylvia Goodman, “Native American Languages Are Disappearing. Colleges Could Help Preserve Them”, in The Chronicle of Higher Education

You don’t have to be a member of a tribe to help protect native languages. In Oklahoma, public students can choose to take Indigenous language courses like Bodéwadmimwen, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Comanche and others for school credit — an empowering step toward recognition and respect. Many tribal nations, including CPN, also offer free resources such as language apps, workshops and virtual lessons open to learners of all backgrounds and abilities.

2025 June 19, Robert Collins, “Learning an Indigenous language in Oklahoma is a living link to tribal ancestors”, in The Oklahoman, archived from the original on 23 Oct 2025