International Conference on Language Documentation & Conservation

The International Conference on Language Documentation & Conservation serves as a vital gathering for those interested in the intersection of language, art, and cultural preservation. This event emphasizes that language is not merely a collection of grammatical rules and vocabulary; it is deeply embedded in the creative expressions of its speakers through various forms such as song, storytelling, performance, and visual arts.

The conference aims to shift the traditional documentary practices by integrating these creative elements into language documentation workflows, thereby enriching the understanding and preservation efforts for minoritized, ancestral, and diaspora languages. The central theme of the conference reflects the crucial role the arts play in language maintenance and reclamation, facilitating intergenerational transmission and strengthening speaker identity and language awareness among new generations of learners.

The conference will foster dialogue on how creative practices can reshape methodologies in language documentation, presenting both opportunities and challenges. Participants will explore important questions regarding equitable collaboration between artists and language activists, as well as the implications of emerging media in promoting minoritized languages.

The program features a variety of sessions, including keynote talks, workshops, and traditional presentations, alongside performance-based contributions that emphasize the connection between art and language. Contributions such as storytelling sessions, musical and theatrical presentations, poetry readings, and multimedia installations are particularly encouraged, especially those that prioritize community voices and perspectives.

The conference will also include an optional Hilo Field Study on the Big Island of Hawai'i, allowing participants to engage with Hawaiian language revitalization programs in action. This event is co-organized and co-sponsored by the College of Arts, Languages & Letters at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa and the Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, aiming to attract educators and marketing managers from across the USA.