Groundbreaking effort to preserve the Lakota language, Mark Ruffalo, alongside Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Evans, has facilitated a special Lakota-language dub of the iconic 2012 Marvel film, “The Avengers.”
Mark Ruffalo, known for his advocacy in indigenous communities following his production of the 2022 documentary “Lakota Nation vs. United States,” spearheaded the project. This initiative aims to support the Lakota people, whose native language faces extinction with only approximately 2,000 fluent speakers remaining. By enlisting the voices of his fellow ‘Avengers’ cast members, Ruffalo hopes to make the superhero blockbuster accessible to Lakota-speaking audiences across the northern plains states.
“This project came out of my relationship with the Lakota people,” Ruffalo shared in a video on Marvel Entertainment’s official YouTube channel. “It was this fun thing they wanted to do, taking ‘The Avengers’ and doing a Lakota dub.”
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The Lakota version of “The Avengers” not only features the main characters voiced by the original stars but also includes performances by Lakota actors for supporting roles. This effort is part of a broader push by Disney to preserve and promote Native American languages, similar to their Ojibwe dub of “Star Wars: A New Hope” and the Navajo version of the first “Star Wars” released in 2013.
For the Lakota community, the release of “The Avengers” in their traditional language marks a significant step in cultural revitalization efforts. Ray Taken Alive of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation expressed hope that such initiatives would engage younger generations and foster greater appreciation for Lakota heritage.
The Lakota-language version of “The Avengers” is now available for streaming on Disney+, offering a unique opportunity to experience the epic superhero saga in a language integral to Lakota culture.
This innovative project not only entertains but also preserves a crucial aspect of indigenous identity, making strides towards cultural inclusivity and linguistic diversity in mainstream media.
