Current Projects
Jicarilla Verb Documentation Project
The Jicarilla Verb Documentation Project began in 2024 as a master’s thesis and has since evolved into a community-led language preservation initiative. Working alongside four fluent Jicarilla speakers, the project is documenting verb conjugations for more than 340 Jicarilla verbs.
This work builds upon the 1978 Jicarilla verb booklet created by Wilma Phone, Matilda Martinez, and Lydia Pesata. The new edition expands on that foundation by adding second-person (“you”) forms and documenting dual-person verb forms that occur in the language. When completed, the book will be distributed for free to the Dulce community as a resource for language learners, teachers, and families.
Future phases of the project include adding example sentences and audio recordings to support pronunciation and language learning.
J.A.D.E Abáachi Mizaa (Jicarilla Language) Mentor-Apprentice Teacher Program
This program is currently underway and will run from September 22, 2026, to December 30, 2026. It is a 14-week apprenticeship program that pairs fluent speakers with current Jicarilla language teachers and individuals training to become Jicarilla language teachers. The program includes apprentices from Jicarilla Cultural Affairs, Jicarilla DOY, Dulce Independent Schools (elementary, middle, and high schools), and JADE, along with fluent Jicarilla mentor speakers.
The goal of this program is to strengthen the transmission of the Jicarilla Apache language. The program is designed to further develop apprentices’ speaking and comprehension skills. It will also provide them with recordings, teaching materials, and language-learning activities that they can use in their own classrooms. During the program, apprentices will have opportunities to lead community language classes to further develop their learning while also giving back to our community.
Apprentice-Led Community Jicarilla Language Classes
The dates for Community Jicarilla Apache Language Classes are:
Monday, October 12, 2026 Monday, November 2, 2026 Monday, November 30, 2026
Follow our Instagram @jadejicarillalanguage to stay tuned for updates along the way!
Abáachi Mizaa Workbook
This project will create a workbook for Jicarilla language teachers in our schools, as well as for tribal community members who want to learn Abáachi Mizaa. We are using audio recordings, language activities, and materials developed through our Mentor-Apprentice Program to create a workbook that serves as a guide and resource for implementing language acquisition activities.
Throughout the program, we are focusing on three thematic areas: everyday interactions, family terms and kinship, and basic commands and requests. Our goal is to compile the language-learning activities and games developed throughout the program into a workbook that teachers and community members can continue to use as a resource after the program ends.
Past Projects
2026 National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Convention
Some members of our team working on the Jicarilla Verb Documentation Project had the opportunity to present a session at the 2026 National Indian Education Association (NIEA) Convention in Buffalo, New York. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our progress and highlight the work being done to document and preserve the Jicarilla language. We look forward to continuing our efforts and completing this project for our community!
2025 Group Mentor-Apprentice Mini-Conference
In March 2025, the JADE Administration and Federal Programs, with support from the Department of Youth, sponsored a three-day Group Mentor-Apprentice Mini-Conference focused on Indigenous language revitalization and language-learning methodologies.
The conference featured Dr. Mosiah BlueCloud, Director of the Kickapoo Language Program, and Shay Sullivan, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Arizona. Sullivan’s work focuses on Accelerated Language Acquisition, a methodology developed by her mentor, Dr. Neyooxet Greymorning of the University of Montana.
Over the course of three days, approximately 40 participants attended the conference and collaborated with four fluent Jicarilla speakers. Dr. BlueCloud presented on the Group Mentor-Apprentice Method, an approach designed to create new speakers of Indigenous languages through immersive, community-based learning. He shared the structure and implementation of the method and demonstrated its application using the Jicarilla language.
Sullivan presented on Accelerated Second Language Acquisition, a teaching approach that uses images and visual prompts to develop learners’ speaking abilities and increase language use in meaningful contexts.
Participants primarily came from the Jicarilla community, with additional attendees representing the Southern Ute Tribe, the Kickapoo Tribe, San Ildefonso Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo, and Jemez Pueblo. The conference provided an opportunity for community members, language teachers, and learners to explore innovative approaches to Indigenous language revitalization while strengthening intertribal collaboration and knowledge sharing.
2024-2025 Language Materials Creation Project
This project aimed to produce learning materials for the Abaachi mizaa language. The materials included books, posters, flashcards, and other resources designed to support language teaching and learning.
Several books were produced, along with posters featuring basic vocabulary, UNO-style cards containing verbs, and additional educational materials. The grant that funded this project also enabled JADE to purchase copies of previously completed language resources.
These resources include the 1987 verb booklet by Wilma Phone, Patricia Torivio, and Lydia Pesata, as well as the community-friendly dictionary compiled by Carson Vicenti in 1981. Copies of these materials are available through the JADE administration office.
