The Wôpanâak language (Wampanoag) was once spoken throughout eastern Massachusetts, but had no remaining speakers by the mid 18th century.
The awakening of Wôpanâak after seven generations without speakers is a uniquely inspiring story of cultural survival and tribal unity. Tribal citizens founded the Wampanoag Language Reclamation Project in 1997, and its participants and students are the first Native American community to successfully reclaim a language with no living speakers.