The Achumawi Language
Achumawi (ís siwa wó disi)
“Achumawi is spoken by the Pit River people, who live along the Pit River in northeast of California from Goose lake to the northern Sacramento Valley. It is thought to be related to Atsugewi, which is spoken nearby, and the two language are classified as belonging to the Palaihnihan language family. In 2000 there were just eight elderly speakers of Achumawi, which is also known as Achomawi or Pit River language. The name Achumawi comes from ajúmmááwí, the name of the Fall River band, from ajúmmá (river).” SOURCE: Online Encyclopedia of Writing Systems and Languages
Tracing the Roots of the Achumawi Language
EXCERPT from The Vineyard Gazette, June 2023
“At 11:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Edgartown resident and linguist Bruce Nevin completed his monthly report on the phonology of the Achumawi language, spoken by a tribe located around the Pit River in northeast California.
“After studying the language for 50 years, Mr. Nevin had made an exciting discovery: for all that time, he had been wrong about a sound. Seated on his porch the morning after, Mr. Nevin described the error with a gleam in his eye.”
Bruce E. Nevin Materials on the Achumawi/Pit River lLanguage
Shirley Silver Collection of Achumawi/Pit River Sound Recordings
California Language Archive (Achumawi)
Our Achumawi language is highly endangered.
Laying the Foundation of the Achumawi Language
“The reconstitution of Achumawi in present-day circumstances acts as restorative justice and healing of generational trauma in a profound way.”
–Bruce Nevin
Contact
Bridgy McCollum, Project Author
bridgy@pitriverstories.org
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About Bridgy
Hello, I'm Bridgy, founder and editor of Pit River Stories. I'm a Native Oklahoman; citizen of the United States of America, and the amazing Pit River Nation. I am enrolled in the Illmawi Band. A rising high school senior, I am a member of the Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School Class of 2025.