From legislative chambers to classrooms, and on the radio and TV, Indigenous languages are spoken and heard every day across the North thanks to dedicated elders, teachers, translators and broadcasters.
Jeela Palluq-Cloutier, who has long worked as an Inuktitut teacher and translator in Nunavut, said she learned the language from her unilingual parents while growing up in Igloolik.
SA国际影视传媒淢y dadSA国际影视传媒檚 passed now, but when I was translating I always had him at the back of my mind thinking: SA国际影视传媒楬e needs to be able to understand this,SA国际影视传媒漇A国际影视传媒� she said.
SA国际影视传媒淯nilingual Inuit have a right to information and the information thatSA国际影视传媒檚 being translated needs to be the best quality.SA国际影视传媒�
Palluq-Cloutier took part in efforts to make Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun available on Microsoft Translator and has translated more than 11,000 words into Inuktitut for Facebook.
While residential school and colonization robbed some Inuit of their languages, Palluq-Cloutier said those tongues are still thriving.
SA国际影视传媒淲e have upwards of 90 to 95 per cent speakers in some communities,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淭hatSA国际影视传媒檚 something that ISA国际影视传媒檓 very proud of, that our language is still here, given the history where our government tried to erase it from us.SA国际影视传媒�
More than 21,000 people speak Inuktitut, the 2021 census, indicates, and Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun are official languages in Nunavut.
In the Northwest Territories, Tlicho is the most common Indigenous mother tongue with 1,700 speakers.
Georgina Frankie, who teaches Tlicho through College Nordique in Yellowknife, learned the language when she was young from her grandmother. Earlier this year, Frankie and language school co-ordinator Rosie Benning collaborated to publish a Tlicho workbook.
SA国际影视传媒淎ll of the cultural teaching in the book is part of my grandmotherSA国际影视传媒檚 teaching,SA国际影视传媒� said Frankie, who lives in Behchoko, N.W.T.
SA国际影视传媒淚t means a lot for me because I have a granddaughter now and that means I have to leave something behind for her.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒楢 foot in both worldsSA国际影视传媒�
Frankie continued to learn Tlicho during her decade living in Toronto and taught herself to read and write it by comparing English and Tlicho versions of the Bible.
Benning said Frankie is an inspiration because she was able to deepen her Tlicho while she was living far from home in CanadaSA国际影视传媒檚 biggest city.
SA国际影视传媒淪heSA国际影视传媒檚 living proof that you can have a foot in both worlds and still succeed and thrive and you donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to deny your Indigenous roots to be successful in this world.SA国际影视传媒�
Benning and Frankie said the language classes are an act of reconciliation as they allow people to reconnect with their culture and language.
SA国际影视传媒淔or a lot of people, itSA国际影视传媒檚 really healing,SA国际影视传媒� Benning said.
Of the 11 official languages in the N.W.T., nine are Indigenous. Other work to support Indigenous languages across the territory include language circles and the mentor apprentice program, which partners learners with fluent speakers.
In Yukon, there are eight First Nations languages, although none are recognized as official languages there.
Paul Caesar-Jules learned Kaska from his grandmother and now teaches it. He said when he began working for the Fort Liard First NationSA国际影视传媒檚 language department, he digitized cassette tapes of elders speaking the language.
SA国际影视传媒淭he first time hearing a sad story, understanding whatSA国际影视传媒檚 being said, I legit started crying just from this elder explaining it,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淚t was just really heartwarming and I felt really connected to the stories in our language and itSA国际影视传媒檚 just really, really beautiful.SA国际影视传媒�
Recording Elders
Emeral Poppe, who also works in the department, said its work includes recording Elders, creating a verb inventory and phrase book, making videos, translating Robert Munsch books and holding gatherings such as hide camps focused on language and intergenerational teaching.
Poppe said she heard Kaska words growing up and became more passionate about the language in her teens after learning about Indigenous issues. Some of her family members were prevented from speaking their language at residential schools.
SA国际影视传媒淚t made me angry, it made me upset. So I wanted to sort of utilize that SA国际影视传媒� turn that anger into passion and make it productive and try to do something for my community,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 nice being able to funnel that energy into something really, really important.SA国际影视传媒�
Poppe said preserving language and passing it onto future generations helps connects people with their families and culture.
She said it has been especially meaningful seeing her mother reclaim her language.
SA国际影视传媒淭he way you talk about the world shapes the way you see the world,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檝e lived here for a very long time and so weSA国际影视传媒檝e gained quite a bit of knowledge about the land and just life around here.SA国际影视传媒�
The federal government announced late last month it was spending $39.4 million to support Indigenous languages in the territories. It said it has spent a total of $77.2 million to support Indigenous languages in the North since 2019.
Ndilo Yellowknives Dene First Nation Chief Fred Sangris said the funding is a step toward reconciliation and will allow his community to provide Wiiliideh language classes, camps and resources.
SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e hanging onto our language at the very thread,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淲ithout language, identity is lost. Without language, communication between the old and the younger community could not happen.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒擝y Emily Blake, The Canadian Press. This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.
