Don’t let the language die

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This article was published 08/03/2018 (2766 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Aboriginal Youth Opportunities! is calling out all community members who’d like to learn a new language to join them for a new program.

On Feb. 20, AYO held its first Cree Language Program, and several people attended the meeting. The idea was spearheaded by Michael Redhead Champagne and Quinton Delorme from AYO! and have Cree roots.

“Something that is really important to me is the revitalization of Indigenous languages here,” Delorme said. “We are starting this because we want to get better at Cree. And we both knew that there would be a need in the community and that there are other people like us that want to get better at Cree, and maybe they already know Cree and they need a place to come and practice together and talk to their people.”

There are already Indigenous languages that are extinct. It has happened. I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen with Cree.

Speak Cree? is a free drop-in learning program for all ages that happens every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Ralph Brown Community Centre (460 Andrews St.). Delorme said because most of the city’s Indigenous population lives in the North End, they wanted to keep it local and accessible for all to join.

Delorme, who is a University of Winnipeg student and is currently taking a Cree course said the sessions are much different from the classes he is taking at university. Instead of having a teacher, community will come together to learn from each other through conversations, although some material is available.

“If more people around Winnipeg, around this region, start to hear about initiatives like this, maybe they will be inspired to start their own initiatives in their communities,” he continued. “I can walk down the street here in Winnipeg and hear people talking English and occasionally in French, but never would you be on the bus and hear someone having a full out conversation in Cree or Ojibwa.”

His grandparents both spoke Cree before going to residential schools where they weren’t allowed to speak their native language anymore. As a consequence, they never passed on the language to the other generations. Delorme said he is passionate about bringing this Indigenous language back to life.

He added learning a new language when you are older is difficult, but he feels like Speak Cree? will help him and others improve their knowledge of the language.

“I would’ve loved to have that experience with (my grandparents), for them to pass on the language, but things don’t always work that way. This is one little thing that I can do to pass down the language to other people, even young people in my community,” he said.

“I want young people like me, young people in the community to be passionate keeping the language alive. If it wasn’t for community members, who want to learn the language, who knows what would’ve happened. There are already Indigenous languages that are extinct. It has happened. I just want to make sure that doesn’t happen with Cree.”

To keep updated about Speak Cree? go to https://www.facebook.com/ayomovement/