reviously.
Today, Hupa language elders are bilingual. Some have traveled to other countries, and many have communicated with people from other continents. Today's Hupa language students live in a global community as well. They participate in electronic networking that includes e-mail, the internet, interactive videos and CD's, and extends worldwide.
Rather than decrease the value of the Hupa language, however, the worldwide basis for communication has increased it. For the Hupa language students, study of the Hupa language enlarges their range of communication.
There is interest in the Hupa language by many from outside the community. Bilingual skills enable Hupa speakers to share their language as a way of participating in international discussions.
The Hupa project is one of many for Native Americans who value their native language as do the Kurds, who now have the support of the Turkish government.
Kurdish rights, however, remain a sensitive issue. University-level language courses in Kurdish and other minority languages were introduced in 2009, a move widely welcomed by rights groups but still met with skepticism by some Turkish groups.
The European Union has urged the Turkish government to improve anti-discrimination laws for all minorities in the country and do more to tackle racism. Turkey is to be commended for making this incremental change to validate the Kurdish people and their language.