Director’s Message for Indigenous Languages Day – March 31, 2021
Today, we join those around the world celebrating Indigenous Languages Day, an opportunity to honour the importance of language and culture to the well-being of Indigenous Peoples everywhere.
Celebrated by Indigenous Peoples in Canada since 1993, the day honours the strength and endurance that Indigenous languages and cultures have demonstrated, in the face of genocide, colonialism and oppression.
Colonial policies and practices like Residential Schools were designed to suppress Indigenous languages and cultures. This created intergenerational trauma and led to today’s reality in which all of the languages indigenous to Turtle Island (North America) are at risk of disappearing and need protection.
Thousands of advocates, however, are working to preserve and revive Indigenous languages through innovative programs and traditional teachings. We honour and admire their efforts, knowing that there is no fast recovery after centuries of language deprivation, especially considering the enduring effects of Eurocentric schooling systems.
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples must include support for Indigenous language resurgence and revitalization efforts, and we can all help support this collective responsibility. In fact, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s 94 Calls to Action prioritize Education, Language and Culture, including protecting the right to Aboriginal languages, including the teaching of Aboriginal languages as credit courses.
We need to ask ourselves: How do we go beyond a territorial land acknowledgment and live in a way that honours our commitments?
In the Dish With One Spoon Territory, where we are located, we honour Anishinaabemowin (Ojibway) and Haudenosaunee/Iroquoian language families, which includes Seneca, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Mohawk, Tuscarora speakers.
We also welcome diverse Indigenous student and community populations, including but not limited to Cree, Metis, Algonquin, Blackfoot, Potawatomi, Mi’kmaq and Inuit populations and recognize distinct languages, dialects and language families of these nations.
Though Indigenous languages are threatened, initiatives such as language nests and immersion programs have seen inspiring success. The successes of the Hawaiian and Maori peoples have been noted internationally. Closer to home, efforts are also being made to revitalize Indigenous languages, whether in the classroom with Language Speakers or with Elders on the land.
At HWDSB, we offer two Native Second Language (NSL) Programs in Mohawk (Kanyen’keha) at Prince of Wales and Queen Mary and this year we have offered eLearning for elementary and secondary students. We thank language speakers, students, staff and community members who participate in the important work of learning and preserving Kanyenke’ha language.
Language is one of the tenants of Indigenous sovereignty and nationhood, including: land/territory, language, governance, culture and ceremony. These tenants contribute to Indigenous cultural safety and enable students, families, communities and nations to begin the critical process of intergenerational healing and wellness.
In an Indigenous Educational context, access to these opportunities contributes to students fostering a sense of belonging, feeling valued, recognized and affirmed. Recommendations in the ongoing work of Indigenous Cultural Safety at HWDSB include Indigenous language signage visible at all HWDSB schools, and ensuring the integrity of cultural and language instruction.
Nya:wen (thank you) for your attention to this important topic.
Sincerely,
Manny Figueiredo
Director of Education
Resources:
Podcast: Why First Nations Traditions, Language and Knowledge Matter More Than Ever – Dr Dan Longboat
Anishinaabemowin Language App thanks to Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg Head Start School. Search for terms including Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwemowin, Ojibway or Ojibwe now!
Languages and Culture resources from the Assembly of First Nations
Updated on Wednesday, March 31, 2021.