▁their ▁winter ▁lod ges ▁being ▁covered ▁with ▁snow ▁st ained ▁grey ▁by ▁fire ▁smoke . ▁ ▁Status ▁ ▁The ▁last ▁two ▁fl uent ▁speak ers ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁and ▁only ▁a ▁hand ful ▁of ▁semi - fl uent ▁speak ers ▁remain , ▁all ▁of ▁whom ▁are ▁elder ly , ▁making ▁Ch iw ere ▁crit ically ▁end anger ed . ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁an ▁estimated ▁four ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁O to e - Miss ou ria ▁Tri be ▁of ▁Indians ▁still ▁speak ▁the ▁language , ▁while ▁ 3 0 ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Iowa ▁Tri be ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁speak ▁their ▁language . ▁ ▁The ▁Iowa ▁Tri be ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁has ▁spons ored ▁language ▁work sh ops ▁in ▁the ▁past ▁and ▁hopes ▁to ▁host ▁more ▁in ▁the ▁future . ▁They ▁have ▁provided ▁trib al ▁el ders ▁with ▁recording ▁devices ▁to ▁collect ▁Ch iw ere ▁words ▁and ▁songs . ▁A ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁NS F ▁grant ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁provide ▁digital ▁access ▁to ▁existing ▁audio ▁record ings ▁of ▁fl uent ▁speak ers . ▁The ▁Third ▁Ann ual ▁O to e - Miss ou ria ▁Language ▁and ▁Culture ▁Day ▁is ▁planned ▁for ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁The ▁O to e - Miss ou ria ▁Tri be ▁of ▁Indians ▁is ▁establish ing ▁a ▁language ▁program ▁in ▁conj unction ▁with ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Oklahoma ▁Native ▁American ▁Studies ▁Department . ▁ ▁Ph on ology ▁The ▁ph on ology ▁of ▁Ch iw ere ▁consists