Kiwa Digital, A New Zealand tech company promoting Māori language and culture, has been commissioned by the Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in North America to help revitalize the Cherokee language.

Auckland-based Kiwa Digital has developed, and will continue to expand, the official Cherokee Nation Dictionary App, which is available for download on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store. It currently includes more than 6,000 Cherokee words, audio recordings, grammar notes, phonetics, syllabary, and biographical information on first-language speakers. Cherokee Nation translators and Kiwa staff plan to continually add new entries.

Cherokee Nation leaders and Cherokee language speakers joined representatives from Kiwa Digital on Tuesday, December 9th to launch the new Cherokee Language Dictionary app during an event at the Durbin Feeling Language Center.

Speaking at the unveiling of the App in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said, “Every Cherokee family, no matter where they live, can now carry this resource in their pocket. This app represents our sovereignty, our knowledge, and our commitment to keeping the Cherokee language strong for generations to come.”

Cherokee Language Department Executive Director Howard Paden noted the app has already had a tangible impact, “In just a few months, Kiwa Digital took what we have documented of our language and made it accessible to our citizens. This work helps prevent further erosion and supports the revitalisation of Cherokee in our communities.”

Built on Kiwa Digital’s CultureQ platform, the App incorporates advanced digital features, including secure AI-assisted learning tools, while remaining firmly governed by the Cherokee Nation. All language data is hosted on the secure AWS platform, upholding Indigenous data sovereignty and community control.

The Cherokee Nation’s approach to language revitalisation is distinguished by its scale. Through immersion schooling, first-language speaker programmes, workplace incentives, legislative investment, community-led language planning, and digital innovation, the Nation has shown how Indigenous languages can move beyond preservation and back into everyday use.

Steven Renata, Managing Director of Kiwa Digital, said at the launch, “The Cherokee Nation’s language strategy is genuinely world-leading, and it is a privilege to work together to deliver technology that aligns with their vision, governance, and long-term aspirations.”

About Kiwa Digital

Initially established as a post-production software company in 2003, Kiwa Digital now specializes in Indigenous language preservation through digital tools. It’s unique cultural perspective and advanced technologies help it build more than apps, as its mission is to uplift and empower Indigenous voices, people and cultures around the world.