Aboriginal Australians, today at the brink of being assimilated/destroyed by their European 'conquerors', are probably the most 'genetically valuable and distinct' ethnic group outside of Africa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8ToTv7ieO8
The Yahgan people were a human race which had developed unusual metabolic changes in response to living in very cold areas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yahgan_people
The last full blooded Yaghan died in 2022.
She was also the last fluent speaker of the Yaghan language.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristina_Calder%C3%B3n
As in many other colonized areas, especially Australia and the U.S., surviving mixed blood people are being presented as 'the original group' and will be slowly forced into the main colonizing genetic population as 'theme park Natives' until they are fully mixed.
https://www.sapiens.org/archaeology/the-yaghan-rise-again/
An original tribal population must maintain a threshold number of full blooded members, and have its own territory and language, to survive as a distinct separate viable population.
~
The material below refers only to North American tribes.
Elizabeth Phillips is an old Canadian woman, the last surviving fluent speaker of Upriver Halkomelem.
There are a few people like her in the U.S., including Verdena Parker and Marie Wilcox
Marie Wilcox died September 25th, 2021* https://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/wireStory/marie-wilcox-saved-tribes-language-dies-80484687
Marie Jones, the Last fluent speaker of the Eyak language of Alaska, died in 2008.
Hazel Sampson, the last fluent speaker of the Klallam language of Washington, died in 2014.
Doris McLemore was the last fluent speaker of the Wichita language spoken by Natives in the Oklahoma area, and died in 2016.
Edwin Benson was the last fluent speaker of Mandan, spoken on the Great Plains of North America. He also died in 2016.
There are quite a few people around the world in that situation.
Some speak language isolates, languages that have no obvious resemblance to any other known languages.
https://languageconservancy.org/language-loss/
~
The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 gave 'U.S. citizenship' to Native Americans.
Convincing Natives to join the army and vote is a sly way to get them to surrender their identity. Native 'reservations' are sterilized plots of land onto which Indigenous Americans were herded. The reservations are forbidden from having a military, forbidden from taking any effective anti U.S. stance, and can be ‘taken away’ from any tribe at the whim of the U.S. government to the extent that Natives believe that the U.S. government has ‘authority’ to do so.
The current stage of colonizing involves convincing Natives that the U.S. has that authority over Native American ground.
https://www.history.com/news/native-american-voting-rights-citizenship
~
In centuries past, countries would form massive armies to attack each other for plunder.
Then they would force the captured prisoners to join their armies, spread the disease.
This is where Native American tribes are today.
Long since trapped. Forced to pretend surrender.
Pushed to vote for U.S. politicians and join the U.S. army.
Slowly melting into the blob.
~
When a tribe's language goes extinct most of their culture dies too. It becomes a game of pretending to still have a culture as it slowly dies and individuals assimilate into the colonial culture.
~ Below are some of the Native American languages that have been made extinct by the United States ~
~Adai https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adai_language
Louisiana Extinct 19th century
~Alsea https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alsea_language
Oregon Extinct 1942
Last speaker John Albert
~Apalachee https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apalachee_language
Florida Extinct 18th century
~Atakapa https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atakapa_language
Louisiana, Texas Extinct early 20th century
~Atsugewi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atsugewi_language
California Extinct 1988
Last speaker Medie Webster
~Barbareno https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbareño_language
California Extinct 1965
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Yee
~Biloxi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biloxi_language
Mississippi, Louisiana Extinct 1930s
Last speaker Emma Jackson
~Cahto https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahto_language
California Extinct 1960s
~Calusa https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calusa_language
Florida Extinct 18th or 19th century
~Cayuse https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cayuse_language
Oregon Extinct 1930s
~Chimariko https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimariko_language
California Extinct 1950s
Last speaker Martha Zigler
~Chitimacha https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chitimacha_language
Louisiana Extinct 1940
Last speaker Delphine Ducloux
~Chiwere https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiwere_language
Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas Extinct 1990s
~Eastern Abnaki https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Abnaki_language
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire Extinct 1993
~Esselen https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esselen_language
California Extinct 19th century
~Etchamin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etchemin_language
Maine Extinct 17th century
~Eyak https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eyak_language
Alaska Extinct 2008
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Smith_Jones
~Gros Ventre https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gros_Ventre_language
Montana Extinct 2007
Last speaker Theresa Lamebull
~Galice https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galice_language
Oregon Extinct 1963
Last speaker Hoxie Simmons
~Hanis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanis_language
Oregon Extinct 1972
Last speaker Martha Harney Johnson
~Karankawa https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karankawa_language
Texas Extinct 19th century
~Karkin https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karkin_language
California Extinct 1950s
~Kathlamet https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathlamet_language
Washington, Oregon Extinct 1930s
Last speaker Charles Cultee
~Kitsai https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsai_language
Oklahoma, Texas Extinct 1940
Last speaker Kai Kai
~Clatskanie https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwalhioqua-Clatskanie_language
Washington Extinct 1920s?
~Klallam https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klallam_language
Washington Extinct 2014
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazel_Sampson
~Loup https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loup_language
Massachusetts, Connecticut Extinct 18th century
~Mahican https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahican_language
New York, Vermont Extinct ~1940
~Mandan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandan_language
North Dakota Extinct 2016
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Benson
~Mattole Bear River https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mattole-Bear_River_language
California Extinct ~1930s
~Miluk https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miluk_language
Oregon Extinct 1939
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Miner_Peterson
~Mohegan Pequot https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohegan-Pequot_language
Southern New England Extinct 1908
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fidelia_Fielding
~Molala https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molala_language
Oregon, Washington Extinct 1958
~Nanticoke https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanticoke_language
Delaware, Maryland Extinct 19th century
~Narragansett https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narragansett_language
Rhode Island Extinct 17th century
~Natchez https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_language
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma Extinct 1957
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Raven
~Nooksack https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nooksack_language
Washington Extinct 1988
~Kalapuyan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Kalapuyan_language
Oregon Extinct 1937
~Obispeno https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obispeño_language
California Extinct 1917
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosario_Cooper
~Ofo https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofo_language
Mississippi Extinct early 20th century
~Pamlico https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamlico_language
North Carolina Extinct 1790s
~Pirouette Pueblo https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piro_Pueblo_language
New Mexico Extinct 18th century
~Powhatan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powhatan_language
Virginia, Maryland Extinct 1785 to 1790s
~Purismeno https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purisimeño_language
California Extinct 19th century?
~Quiripi https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quiripi_language
Connecticut, New York Extinct ca 1800
~Salinan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salinan_language
California Extinct 1958
~Shasta https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shasta_language
California Extinct 1980s or 1990s
~Siuslaw https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siuslaw_language
Oregon Extinct 1970s
~Susquehannock https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susquehannock_language
Northeast U.S. Extinct 1763
~Takelma https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takelma_language
Oregon Extinct 1934
~Tillamook https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillamook_language
Oregon Extinct 1972
~Timucua https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timucua_language
Florida, Georgia Extinct 18th century
~Tonkawa https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonkawa_language
Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico Extinct ca 1940
~Tsetsaut https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsetsaut_language
Southeast Alaska, British Columbia Extinct 20th century
~Tunica https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunica_language
Louisiana Extinct 1948
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesostrie_Youchigant
~Tututni https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tututni_language
Oregon Extinct 1983
~Tutelo https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tutelo_language
Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina Extinct 1982
~Twana https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twana_language
Washington Extinct 1980
~Chehalis https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Chehalis_language
Washington Extinct 2001
~Upper Umpqua https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Umpqua_language
Oregon Extinct ca 1950
~Ventureno https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ventureño_language
California Extinct 20th century
~Wailaki https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wailaki_language
California Extinct 1960s
~Wappo https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wappo_language
California Extinct 1990
~Wichita https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wichita_language
Oklahoma Extinct 2016
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_McLemore
~Wiyot https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiyot_language
California Extinct 1962
~Wyandot https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wyandot_language
Oklahoma Extinct 1970s or 1980s
~Yana https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yana_language
California Extinct 1916
Last speaker https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishi
~Yoncalla https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoncalla_language
Oregon Extinct 1930s
~Yurok https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yurok_language
California Extinct 2013
There are also little studied Native American languages that are "extinct, unclassified", like the Aranama language of Texas https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aranama_language
And countless Native American languages from the early colonial period to the 19th century whose existence, and extinction, was never documented.
Click here to view a map of vanishing Languages
~
While the United States has already extincted the vast majority of the Native American tribal languages that pre existed it, other melting pots in the Americas have been less successful at exterminating Native cultures. This has led to all sorts of melting pot intrigue by the United States, efforts to isolate and weaken areas where indigenous culture and language survive. These efforts include 'drug control' and military projects, etc, always with the long term goal of weakening indigenous influence.
http://www.native-languages.org/most-spoken.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When 'melting pot' groups, colonizers, fight against an indigenous rival within 'their' territory, only one can survive.
~
Some Wikipedia lists.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_last_known_speakers_of_languages
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_endangered_languages
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lists_of_extinct_languages
~
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_endangered_languages_in_the_United_States
~
The gorge is known primarily for a cave that was the only inland site in Australia to show signs of continuous human occupation for over 46,000 years, including through the last ice age, but was deliberately destroyed by mining company Rio Tinto in May 2020.[2] Prior to its destruction, the cave in Juukan Gorge was a sacred site for the traditional owners of the land, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura (Binigura) peoples. “
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juukan_Gorge
~
Imagine if a car thief, as he was selling a car, said "I would like to acknowledge that this car is actually the property of John Smith".
Should the car thief be praised for acknowledging the original owner?
Land 'ownership' has different meanings in different cultures, but there is no culture where it is rational to say "This is mine because I took it from somebody by force". In many places it is okay to discreetly acknowledge theft as a valid path to ownership, but only if the original owner has less power than the new owner. But when that becomes acceptable, or even codified into local law or tradition, speed bumps appear.
https://www.globalonenessproject.org/library/photo-essays/last-speakers