March is my favourite time of year. The sun is warmer and it’s up longer each day. I feel refreshed, energetic and am anxious to be outdoors. Everyone around me seems happier.
There’s another reason to celebrate. It’s NWT Aboriginal Languages Month and it’s hard not to be inspired by Jacey Firth Hagen, the young Gwich’in woman leading the social media Gwich’in Language Revival Campaign #SpeakGwich’inToMe. You can read her story on page 8 of the brand new issue of our newsletter, Literacy Matters.
Keeping NWT indigenous languages alive takes more than one person, of course. But, there are other signs of hope. There are 17 people from the Dehcho region taking a language revitalization program through the University of Victoria. Lawrence Nayally, the host of the English-language CBC North radio program, Trail’s End, is promoting Aboriginal Languages Month each weekday this month. Contact him if you have a story to tell. Aurora College is working with local communities and language specialists to deliver language and culture courses for adults. Frame Lake MLA Kevin O’Reilly recently made a statement in the Legislative Assembly about this initiative.
Young people like Lawrence and Jacey are key to NWT indigenous language survival. But we can all do our part! We can use NWT indigenous languages, even if it’s only a few words. We can encourage people to use indigenous languages by not expecting perfection or making fun of mistakes. There are lots of others ways to do our part.
There is growing recognition of the importance of indigenous languages, including research that notes some links between indigenous language loss and youth suicide.
Make the sun shine even brighter this month by celebrating NWT Aboriginal Languages Month.
-- Kathryn Barry Paddock
