Bilingual/bicultural education at peach springs: A Hualapai way of schooling

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Abstract
Until the Hualapai Bilingual/Bicultural Program began in 1975, Hualapai remained an unwritten language. Today the program is nationally recognized for its achievements in native language literacy and bilingual/bicultural curriculum development. This article is based on a 10‐year collaboration between local and outside educator‐researchers. Specifically, we examine how the program evolved, focusing on the role of indigenous educators and the ways in which the program cultivated the community environment to make the Hualapai language and culture authentic and integral parts of the school. We also consider the unique issues involved in establishing biliteracy education in a community whose language has not been previously written. Throughout the analysis, we reflect on the difficulties in accomplishing these goals even when significant community ownership of the school exists, and on the continuing struggles faced by the Hualapai school leadership to maintain genuine bilingual/biliteracy education in an ever‐changing community context. Finally, we consider the broader impacts of this program and its implications for indigenous schooling.

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