First Nations language learners on the rise in B.C.

An explosion of interest in the languages in the last five years

http://www.timescolonist.com/sports/first-nations-language-learners-on-the-rise-in-b-c-1.1616698

"The number of fluent First Nations language speakers in B.C. are dwindling, but a new report shows the number of people learning the languages is on the rise. "The decline of fluent speakers is not a surprise because many elders are getting on in age," said Lorna Williams, chairwoman of the First Peoples' Cultural Council, which undertook the study. The Crown corporation was created in 1990 to advocate for arts, language and culture. "But there is cause for celebration when you look at all the new learners. Everybody says it is an impossible task because of the diversity of the languages, because they're not spoken, but it's happening."

British Columbia is home to 34 First Nations languages.

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Building vocab - Ntinin - My Body

Learning to speak mi'kmaw?

http://firstnationhelp.com/ali/posters/poster10.html

Hear the words pronounced for parts of the body. Note: each part is prefaced by the prefix for "my", that is "n".

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Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education | edX course

MOOC exploring Indigenous ways of knowing in classrooms

https://www.edx.org/course/reconciliation-through-indigenous-education-ubcx-indedu200x#.VHOj61xLn_8

"This Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) explores strategies, teaching exemplars, and resources that support the teaching and learning of Indigenous ways of knowing in classrooms, schools and communities. (Video intro: http://youtu.be/wUsx9fJDgJg )"

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Local organization refers to Halifax by Mi’kmaq name

K'jipuktuk/Halifax

http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/mobile/local-organization-refers-to-halifax-by-mi-kmaq-name-1.2112417#

It would be nice to see more local names used. (Like "Haida Gwai" did in replacing "Queen Charlote's") Maybe there's room for both.

Some say it's a sign of respect and perhaps the beginning of something larger. The Ecology Action Centre in the north end of Halifax has started to refer to the city by its original Mi'kmaq name, K'jipuktuk. (It's roughly pronounced "che-book-took.") News releases from the centre include the name "Halifax" in brackets.

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University students surveyed on knowledge of indigenous issues

What do students know about aboriginal issues?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/university-students-surveyed-on-knowledge-of-indigenous-issues-1.2826639

"A Queen's University professor is studying how much [university] students know about indigenous issues, and why they might not know them. Anne Godlewska has a hunch that it goes beyond a lack of information.

"The voluntary survey, created in consultation with local indigenous peoples, was distributed among first-year students at 10 Ontario universities this fall. The same cohort will be surveyed in their fourth year."

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Voices of Wisdom: Learning from Elders

History in their own words

http://youtu.be/AbxCtmteQ-U

Video produced for the Ontario College of Teachers

"In this 14-minute video, First Nations elders, an Inuit elder and a Métis senator share personal stories of tragedy, experience, wisdom and cultural identity. Their words underline the importance of understanding our Canadian history and the experiences First Nations, Inuit and Métis students bring to our classrooms."

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Aboriginal Language Initiative - Speak Mi'kmaq

Kwe, taluisin?

http://firstnationhelp.com/ali/lessons.php

Some basic words and expressions for those interested in the Mi'kmaq language.

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Mi'kmaq Immersion - Vimeo clip

Culture, Education, Language

http://vimeo.com/32161237

Jane Meader (and others) speaks about the Mi'kmaq language program. She reflects on the importance of native languages in keeping culture alive.

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A Truthful Narrative - FNMI contributions to K-12

Strategies to integrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit contributions

http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/truthful-narrative

"This article provides educators with strategies to integrate First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) contributions into the Kindergarten to Grade 12 classroom. [...] Building community with students by challenging stereotypes and providing a culturally rich lens that highlights the 500 Nations and their gifts is presented. Each level of education, from elementary to secondary, is briefly described with the appropriate FNMI terms, contributions and across-the-curriculum pedagogical opportunities. The developmental levels of students is also a critical consideration in the presenting, positioning and acquisition of a broader and more truthful narrative about FNMI nations."

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How to revive an American Indian language with no native speakers

The original language of Los Angeles is Tongva

http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/2014/10/27/topanga-cahuenga-and-tujunga-sounds-from-a-rediscovered-local-language/ideas/nexus/

Pamela Munro writes about the challenges and rewards of revitalizing and resurrecting a North American First People's language that had lost all of its native speakers.

Our Gabrielino-Tongva Language Committee has put together a phrasebook—including everything from Chongaa'aa kukuume'a! ("Wash the dishes!") to 'Wiishmenokre ("I love you")—and a little book about animals.  We've had to figure out a lot of things using creativity, common sense, and comparison with other local languages. Now we have a Coyote story (a moral tale like those in Aesop's Fables), the Christmas story, and a version of the Aquarium of the Pacific's blue whale story.

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