11: Reclaiming Indigenous Languages (Optional)
- Page ID
- 200035
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)As we saw in Chapter 1, Canada’s settler government has engaged for many decades in deliberate strategies to eliminate the languages spoken by Indigenous peoples. Indigenous people have been working for years to try to preserve their languages by increasing the number of people who can speak them, and since the 2015 report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the federal government has more openly acknowledged the importance of these efforts.
This chapter includes interviews with several Indigenous experts who are doing the work of preserving and reclaiming their languages, and the work of helping other members of their Nations become speakers.
- 11.1: Preserving Mohawk
- The conversation with David Kanatawakhon-Maracle highlights the importance of actively speaking and promoting Aboriginal languages beyond the home environment to ensure their survival. Dr. Kanatawakhon-Maracle, a Mohawk Turtle Clan member and professor, emphasizes that real support goes beyond verbal acknowledgment and involves learning the language.
- 11.2: Learning Mohawk
- David Kanatawakhon-Maracle discusses the process of learning the Mohawk language, emphasizing the importance of growing up among fluent speakers and engaging with elders to learn stories and traditions. He notes the difference in personality and expression when speakers use Mohawk versus English. Kanatawakhon-Maracle also highlights the significance of understanding grammar, alongside vocabulary, and suggests that an introductory linguistics course can improve language learners' pronunciation.
- 11.3: Mohawk culture and language
- Dr. David Kanatawakhon-Maracle discusses elements of Mohawk culture embedded in the language's grammar, emphasizing the necessity to preserve certain linguistic elements to maintain cultural uniqueness. He illustrates the cultural significance of words like "nyaweh" and how English simplification can dilute meaning. Additionally, he explains the importance of word order and accentuation in Mohawk, which depend on context and emphasis.
- 11.4: Creating materials for teaching Mohawk
- David Kanatawakhon-Maracle has developed Mohawk teaching materials despite limited resources when he started. The text discusses the significance of linguistics in creating language materials. Kanatawakhon-Maracle describes his experience teaching Mohawk, the challenges of designing textbooks, and the need for linguistic understanding to aid language teaching. He highlights the importance of asking the right questions and understanding the language's grammatical structure for effective teaching.
- 11.5: Speaking Mohawk and reconciliation
- Dr. Kanatawakhon-Maracle emphasizes the importance of language in reconciliation and highlights the challenges faced in maintaining indigenous languages amid the dominance of English in Canada. He discusses the lifelong journey of language learning and notes that learning a language can signal respect and facilitate reconciliation between groups. Dr.
- 11.6: One view on the future of Indigenous languages
- Dr. David Kanatawakhon-Maracle emphasizes the importance of Indigenous languages to First Nations' identities and discusses the impacts of English and French colonization. He advocates for recognizing Canada as a multilingual country, including Indigenous languages alongside English and French. He highlights the loss of cultural respect due to colonization and stresses the importance of embracing Indigenous languages and cultures to reclaim identity and pride within Native communities.
- 11.7: Reclaiming Michif
- Chantale Cenerini, an assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan, focuses on language reclamation and documentation of languages spoken by the M??tis community, including Michif and Algonquian languages. She discusses her work with Martin Kohlberger, emphasizing the importance of understanding the linguistic history and diversity of each community.
- 11.8: Reclaiming Hul’q’umi’num’
- Rae Anne Claxton is an Indigenous scholar from the Cowichan and Tsawout First Nations, pursuing a Ph.D. in Linguistics at the University of Alberta. She has worked extensively in reclaiming and revitalizing the Hul???q???umi???num??? language. Rae Anne emphasizes the emotional and challenging journey of adult language learning and highlights the importance of making documented language materials accessible to Indigenous communities.
- 11.9: Growing up speaking Nishnaabemwin
- Mary Ann Corbiere, originally from Wiikwemkoong unceded territory on Manitoulin Island, reflects on her journey to becoming a language teacher. Growing up in a community where Nishnaabemwin was the primary language, she learned English through school immersion. Despite initially pursuing a science career, she later embraced teaching Nishnaabemwin at Universit?? de Sudbury.
- 11.10: Learning Nishnaabemwin at University
- Mary Ann Corbiere, originally from Wiikwemkoong on Manitoulin Island, retired in 2021 after teaching Nishnaabemwin at Universit?? de Sudbury. Her teaching career evolved as courses gained popularity due to new Indigenous content requirements at Laurentian University. The class demographics were a mix of Native and non-Native students, each group facing unique challenges in learning the language.
- 11.11: Resources for teaching and learning Nishnaabemwin
- Mary Ann Corbiere, a retired teacher from Universit?? de Sudbury, discusses the importance of integrating culture and relevant materials into language teaching, particularly for Nishnaabemwin. She critiques the static view of Indigenous culture in education and highlights the need for communicative language use rather than rote learning.