Rising Above

Benjamin E. Frey (Eastern Band Cherokee) is an assistant professor of Cherokee language and culture at the University of North Carolina–Asheville. He is the coauthor, with John D. Loftin, of People of Kituwah: The Old Ways of the Eastern Cherokees.

“Rising Above unearths the systemic roots of language endangerment and plants the seeds of language persistence. Benjamin E. Frey illustrates dozens of ways to fearlessly use Cherokee as he generously shares his extensive knowledge of the language. Engaging and beautifully written, Rising Above is a must-read for language teachers and learners, scholars of Cherokee, and anyone seeking connections between Cherokee language and lifeways.”-Ellen Cushman, Cherokee Nation citizen and author of The Cherokee Syllabary: Writing the People’s Perseverance “Benjamin Frey is an excellent teacher and storyteller. Rising Above will make an important contribution to the cultural sovereignty of the Cherokee people and to the study of language shift, Native studies, cultural studies, and modern Indigenous history. Rising Above makes a powerful argument that will change lives.”-Gregory D. Smithers, author of Reclaiming Two-Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal, and Sovereignty in Native America

• List of IllustrationsList of TablesAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians1. Coming Home through Language2. Language and Relationships3. The Piercing of Our Container via Trauma and Violence4. Where’s the Joy?5. Living in a Good WayAppendix A: Recommendations for Language Reclamation InitiativesAppendix B: An Incomplete List of Cherokee Language Learning and Revitalization ResourcesNotesBibliographyIndex