Native Bidaské: Language as a Lifeline: Moses Wiseman on Normalizing Yup’ik

How does “normalizing” a Native language save lives in a hospital? 🏥 In this episode of Native Bidaské, host Levi Rickert talks with Moses Wiseman, a 24-year-old Yup’ik language speaker and Aspen Institute 2026 Champion for Change.

As Director of the Alaska Native Languages Program, Moses is moving beyond “preservation” to ensure Indigenous languages are a standard part of modern healthcare, law, and education. We dive deep into his groundbreaking Yup’ik Medical Glossary—a tool designed to ensure no elder ever has to face a medical emergency without being understood.

In this episode, we discuss:

– The Medical Glossary: How the Aperyarat Calricaraam Tungiinun project is bridging the gap in ER triage and behavioral health.

– Language Normalization: Why Native languages belong in courts and clinics, not just museums.

– Overcoming AI Bias: Correcting the technical challenges of AI mistranslations in Arctic languages.

– Advice for Native Youth: How the next generation can “shovel the path” for their own heritage.

Moses reminds us that language isn’t just a tool—it’s a worldview. When we lose a word, we lose a way of seeing the world.

📺 WATCH THE FULL LIVE EPISODE: Airing March 6th at 12 PM ET.
Stream here: YOUTUBE & FACEBOOK

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Written by Native News Online