Returning to His Roots: Resident Brings Salish Language and Culture to Mary Walker School District

For resident Devon Peone, returning to Mary Walker School District is more than taking on a new teaching position; it’s a full-circle moment. He is returning to the school he attended as a child to introduce students to a language he has devoted much of his life to preserving. Peone, 35, said he grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation and is an enrolled member of the Spokane Tribe. His parents are Tiger and Monica Peone. He said he has spent the past 12-13 years learning and teaching Interior Salish languages. His connection to the Salish language is deeply personal. “It is my tribe's language. It is the original language of this area we are in today, the Spokane Region,” Peone said. He added that he learned Salish from several language teachers over the years and across different dialects. Peone shared that one of his favorite teachers is LaRae Wiley, executive director at the Salish School of Spokane. “

She taught me Salish when I was in middle school,” he said. Wiley's influence went beyond teaching vocabulary and grammar. Peone said she helped ignite his passion for saving Salish languages. “It means everything to me. I have given my life to the language. I believe that if I take care of the language, it will take care of me. Again, LaRae Wiley is a big inspiration for me and helped me develop that fire to save our languages.” His commitment to language revitalization grew stronger in 2011-2012, when his friend helped him recognize the importance of language and culture. “My friend Korey Carden gave me a good big brother moment where he helped me see how important language and culture are. Then after applying at the Salish School of Spokane, I learned again how important language is and how close we are to losing it.”

Peone's own experience is a major reason he wants to make sure today's students have access to their language and culture. “I didn’t grow up with the language. I graduated and was pretty much assimilated. I didn’t know my language or my culture. I was lost and unsure. I don’t want our kids to feel or go through what I did, which is graduating without any language.” That philosophy is now at the heart of Peone's work at Mary Walker High School, where he is teaching the district's first Salish language class.

The opportunity is particularly meaningful for him. “I used to go to school there, so this is a full circle moment for me. I came here from kindergarten to third grade.” Peone said there was little cultural programming at the school when he attended, and he wants today's students to have greater access to language and culture. “We have tribal kids that go there. Even if they go to a school off the reservation, we should still be able to help our youth. Learning language and culture has tremendous health benefits.” When Peone was offered the opportunity to teach Salish at Mary Walker, he said his reaction was one of relief and excitement. “This has been something I wanted there for a while, and now that we have a seed planted, I am excited to see what we can grow together there.” As the first Salish teacher at Mary Walker, Peone said he is particularly excited to see how the program develops and how students respond. “It’s nice; I love teaching. I am really excited for the growth from these students. We push them to speak publicly and to see what they create through our art and culture. If we do a good job, we will be able to create a classroom for our younger kids where our youth feel seen and heard.”

Peone said he wants students to understand that they are not simply taking a class; they are participating in the larger effort to keep the language alive. He said early lessons will focus on understanding what it means to learn and speak Salish, as well as the importance of passing on that knowledge. The structure of each class varies depending on the age and skill level of the students. “Every class is different…. In the beginner level classes, every student draws a vocab word and writes the Salish on the back,” he described. “Then we play games to test their comprehension, and then introduce phrases. That way, they can start using what they have been learning.” The class also extends beyond language instruction. Peone said students are learning about the culture and history connected to the language, with opportunities to participate in cultural activities. “I would say there’s a good balance between language and culture in the classroom,” he noted. “We structured it that way, so we can go out on cultural outings, like root dig, or tule gathering. We want them to get outside and use Salish.”

One of the things that has surprised Peone most has been the students' enthusiasm to learn the language. He added that the students are “like a plant that’s been starving for a drink and then perks up after getting watered. Full hearts.” Peone said students are already incorporating Salish into their everyday lives. “They already have started using what they learned and are sharing it with the school. Whether through the morning announcements or just in the hallways. They go out and use what they have learned,” Peone said. For Peone, one of the biggest obstacles to language learning can be timidity. “The shyness is one of the biggest obstacles,” he commented. “That’s why little kids learn so well. They are fearless. If we can get to that state, the learning process goes that much easier. No matter the age.” Peone said he learned many of his teaching techniques from Chris Parkin, principal of the Salish School of Spokane, who he described as an “amazing teacher.”

The importance of teaching Salish extends far beyond the classroom, according to Peone. “It is life and death for our language, and that is their choice to make. It is important to learn, teach, and speak Salish,” he commented. Peone said the loss of an Indigenous language can mean the loss of cultural knowledge that has been passed down for generations. “When your language goes, the culture follows. How we interact with the land, how we treat it, and the knowledge of medicines can all be lost,” he added. He hopes students will eventually understand how learning Salish can fortify their connection to their identity. Peone said, “I hope they understand that this will shake, clean, and strengthen their roots. It’ll all make sense later.” While preserving historical records of a language is important, Peone said revitalization also requires creating places where people actively speak the language. “Preservation has its purpose, and it has played a big part for us, as we have a tremendous amount of records from our elders. We need to still be looking forward to speaking it and creating Salish-speaking spaces.

This goes for all Indigenous languages across the world.” Looking toward the future, Peone said one of the greatest needs is more educators who can carry the language forward. “We need a lot more teachers.” For Peone, the hope is that students will view the classroom as the beginning of a lifelong relationship with the language rather than simply another class on their schedule. “I want them to remember that the language is here for them, and [they] are always welcome back to continue their language journey,” he said. Every student who learns the language represents another opportunity for it to survive, Peone said. Ultimately, Peone said he hopes his students feel connected when they speak and hear Salish. He believes that connection is one of the reasons the language matters so much. “It matters because it’s the language this land speaks here,” he said. “This language has been in Spokane here for thousands and thousands of years. For it to almost be gone today is a tragedy.

We as Interior Salish Tribes are doing our best to help each other save the Interior Salish Languages.” Peone's hope extends beyond Mary Walker and the Spokane community, stating that Indigenous languages throughout the world deserve opportunities to survive and thrive. Peone said, “This is the connection to the land here. How we communicated with one another. If we don’t teach, we lose over 700 generations worth of knowledge and experience. That is a lot of family, wisdom, and land to be disconnected from. I invite everyone everywhere to learn some words from the Indigenous language of the area they reside in. It has and will continue to change lives, as long as it is here.”