The Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the United States, has announced a collaboration with Amazon Prime Video to dub and subtitle select movies and series from the streaming platform’s original content into the Cherokee language. The project’s first milestone will be the premiere episode of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 1. By spring 2025, the entire first season is expected to be available in Cherokee. According to Tulsa, Oklahoma’s local news station FOX23, this is the first of several Prime Video originals slated for translation into Cherokee.

The tribe’s Principal Chief, Chuck Hoskin Jr., shared the news during an annual gathering of fluent Cherokee speakers, emphasizing the importance of immersive experiences in language preservation. “In our efforts to preserve, share, and promote our language, Cherokee Nation continually illustrates the importance of immersing both speakers and learners in Cherokee as much as possible, and not just in a classroom,” said Hoskin, as quoted by Native News Online. “Together [with Amazon], we are making great strides to bring the Cherokee language to a global audience.”

The initiative is spearheaded by the Cherokee Nation’s Film Office and Language Department, which are building expertise in dubbing and creating opportunities for Cherokee language speakers. “This unique cultural collaboration with Prime Video can absolutely play a role in helping us preserve and perpetuate the language,” said Howard Paden, the tribe’s Executive Director of Language Programs, in an interview with Tahlequah Daily Press.

The Cherokee Nation’s choice of The Rings of Power reflects the franchise’s global appeal and the technical challenges involved in translating its complex narratives into Cherokee. Chief Hoskin underscored the long-term vision of the partnership, calling it “the first of many endeavors” that will enable the Cherokee language to flourish in modern media through innovative collaborations in the entertainment industry.