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Language Culture First Nations Inuit Métis
New Indigenous-led projects help revitalize Indigenous languages
Against all odds, First Nations, Inuit and Métis have protected their languages, despite colonial efforts to erase them.
This story highlights some recent projects, from a podcast to an opera, showing First Nations, Inuit and Métis actions to preserve and revitalize their languages.
A new audio series launched in February 2024, called Words and Culture, is just one Indigenous-led project helping listeners learn their language and connect with their culture.
The audio show’s first season features 5 different language groups: Haudenosaunee, Cree, Athabaskan, Anishinaabe and Inuktitut. There are 6 episodes dedicated to each language group and a new episode airing each week online and on the radio.
These projects reflect Indigenous-led action to advance the right to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages, as affirmed in Articles 13 and 16 of the UN Declarationon the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
“I think [Words and Culture] is a really good introduction to find out more about not only our language, but our people and our knowledge keepers,” says Kim Wheeler, the show’s executive producer.
The show is supported by funding from Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission’s Community Radio Fund of Canada.
- Read this story about Words and Culture on Global News
- Learn how the Squamish Nation transformed an old school house into a vibrant space for Squamish toddlers to learn Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim on CBC News and Radio-Canada (French only)
- Read about how Grade 12 students in Kugluktuk took action to bring Inuinnaqtun classes back to their school on APTN News, and about a project documenting Inuinnaqtun words related to the environment in this Radio-Canada story (French only)
- Find out more about a Métis opera about the life of Louis Riel, sung in 5 languages, including 3 Indigenous languages, on APTN News and in this Radio-Canada story (French only)
Department of Justice Canada
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