In this article, the author talks about his Dakota ancestry. Here, he also talks about "Lamenting Dakota Language Loss," a paper he delivered at the 2004 Modern Language Association (MLA) convention. At the convention, he raised several questions regarding the revitalization of endangered Native American languages. Among other things, he points out what the association urged colleges and universities should do: (1) teach the languages of Native American nations in their regions; (2) grant credit for the study of Native American language when undertaken to fulfill undergraduate and graduate requirements in foreign languages; (3) include, where appropriate, Native American languages in the curriculum in the same manner as foreign languages; (4) grant proficiency in Native American languages the same full academic credit as proficiency in foreign languages; (5) encourage research to create and update dictionaries, grammars, orthographies, curricula, and other materials to support the teaching of Native American languages...especially...languages for which they have never been developed; and (6) work with Native American language communities and with Native American educational and governing bodies to implement these recommendations. (Contains 27 notes.)