Doris McLemore

Doris Jean Lamar McLemore (born 1927-2016) is the last fluent speaker o the Wichita leid, a Caddoan leid spakken bi the Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, indigenous tae Oklahoma.

McLemore wis born on Aprile 16, 1927 in Anadarko, Oklahoma."Last fluent speaker of Wichita tribal language preserves what's left." Dallas Morning News. Her mither wis Wichita an her faither wis European-American.Ruckman, S. E. "Tribal language fading away." Tulsa World. 26 Nov 2007 (retrieved 3 Oct 2009) McLemore wis raised bi her fullblood Wichita maternal grandparents, an Wichita wis her first leid.Somby, Liv Inger, published USA: The Last to Speak Wichita Language.  Gáldu. (retrieved 3 Oct 2009)

McLemore graduatit frae Indian boardin schuil in 1947 an spent 30 year wirkin as hoose mither there. She married twice an haed a son an twa dochters. In 1959 McLemore moved back tae live near Gracemont, Oklahoma tae live amang her relatives. In 1962, McLemore met David Rood, a linguist frae the University o Colorado, an they hae collaboratit tae preserve the Wichita leid iver since then.

McLemore teaches leid classes for the Wichita and Affiliated TribesWichita Language Class.  Wichita and Affilied Tribes. 18 Feb 2009 (retrieved 3 Oct 2009) an is collaboratin wi linguist David Rood tae create a dictionary an leid CDs.

“Doris is amazin for being able tae retain as muckle as she does athoot haein onyane tae speak it tae on a daily basis," says umwhile Wichita tribal chairman, Gary McAdams.

References

External links
Wichita and Affiliated Tribes Language Class , wi sample vocabulary
Wichita Language Documentation Project 
Slideshow o Doris Jean Lamar McLemore tellin the Wichita creation story in Wichita

Category:Last kent speakers o a leid
Category:Native American fowk
Category:Fowk frae Caddo Coonty, Oklahoma
Category:Wichita tribe
Category:1927 births
Category:Livin fowk