For generations, native languages and cultural practices have been quashed by the federal and state governments, even going so far as to outlaw traditional practices and police behaviors, and to forbid local languages and punish people for speaking it. This has caused several native languages to nearly go extinct. However, with the removal of anti-native language laws, there are several blooming movements to reclaim lost and nearly-lost languages. Today, practicing traditional religion, medicines, rituals, and rites is a way for modern natives to honor those who came before and celebrate their own existence.
