The Iñupiaq language has been in decline since contact with English in the late 19th century. After Alaska became part of the US, many people from other parts moved there. The children of Inuit families were often put in boarding schools far away: There they learnt English, but they lost most of the Inuit languages their parents spoke, and the Inuit culture. This has led to a situation where only a small minority of Inupiat speak the Iñupiaq language. Several communities try to revive the language, though.