Teyanna Pierite Simon of the Tunica Biloxi

Teyanna Pierite-Simon is a Tunica Language Instructor and a member of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana. They work with two other Tunica Language Instructors, two Tunica Language Lifeway Instructors, and a Linguist. They study and teach the Tunica language to Tribal youth and are expanding the Tunica language with modern day terminology, as well as preserving the history of and ability to make cultural crafts such as beaded medallions, moccasins, and pine needle baskets; just to name a few. They have been doing this since 2018. Today, Teyanna is an Intermediate Tunica language speaker, a Choctaw dress maker, and a pine-needle basket weaver and are working together with their colleagues to reawaken their Native Tunica Language.