Our guest blogger, Kyle Napier, is the Cree Language Manager with the Northwest Territory Métis Nation. June is National Aboriginal History Month in Canada. Kyle suggests we celebrate it by learning to speak one of the NWT’s official Aboriginal languages.
opāskāhopīsim e nēhiyawēwin kayāsitotamowin pīsim — miyawātamowin asici pīkiskwewinahk
Several Elders have told me that it takes about a year to develop a strong enough grasp of an indigenous language to speak it fluently — but the benefits of learning my indigenous language are immediate. I’ve been learning Cree for six months, and it’s already helped me to understand life in a new way.
I’ve learned to speak so that others come first. Ki-sakihi-tin is the Cree equivalent to “I love you”, which loosely translates to “you have love from me.” “You” comes first in that sentence.
Cree concepts show that time can be measured in 13 moon months and in six seasons. I’ve learned that you can use a turtle’s shell to count all of the days in a year (28 fringes on the outside for each day in a moon cycle, and 13 polygons on the inside for each cycle in a year).
Below are my five tips to help you to learn, practice and share the indigenous language that you are connected with.
1. Independent Learning
First, you have to want to learn the language. The sooner you commit to learn your language, the sooner you can focus on the learning methods that work best for you. Once you’ve made the commitment, it’s no longer a matter of whether or not you want to learn the language — now it’s about how you want to learn.
At home, write labels for things around the house that you use often and want to remember, and then identify these things in your language. To learn numbers, do an activity that helps you to count — cooking, playing games, or even working out — and replace the English numbers with your language’s numbers.
2. Group / Partner Learning
You can reinforce your language learning faster in a group or with a committed speaking partner. Your partner can be anyone who speaks or is also learning the language.
If you are a parent who didn’t grow up with the language, you can encourage your child to be the ‘language leader’ of your household. Teaching is one of the best ways to learn. Encourage your young one to teach you and you will both learn. Activities help to apply the language in a real environment. Sew in groups, play games with others, or work on projects together. Language-based group activities push you to speak, learn and laugh with others.
3. Find stories originally told in your language (or even in syllabics)
Seek out materials or stories in your language. In these resources you will find the beauty of your language that cannot be expressed in English. It might help to visit with an Elder or a fluent speaker to read the story being shared in its original language.
4. Visit with your Elders (and someone who knows the language)
Our Elders are our traditional knowledge and language holders — if you are respectful and listen, they may be willing to share with you. There are many ways to learn, but the best method for learning an indigenous language is through a ‘master-apprentice’ relationship.
This means that you, the apprentice, regularly visit with somebody who is a master of the language. If you find a language ‘master’ put tea and bannock on for them to show them that they’re appreciated.
5. Practice (learn one word and try to make 200 mistakes every day)
To ease into learning, commit to learning at least one word a day. Instead of feeling like you have to learn a dictionary’s worth of terms right away, you will pick up one new term that you can use each day.
I’ve heard people say they don’t speak their language in public because they are afraid to make mistakes. Try to make 200 mistakes a day in your language. You will find that you learn the language faster than those who are afraid to make mistakes.
Learning a language takes a healthy attitude, a few resources, a humble approach, and a desire to want to connect with your language. Good luck with your indigenous language learning!
The original version of this article was published in the Cree Language Program’s new bi-monthly newsletter at http://nehiyawewin.com/sites/default/files/legacy/resource-attachments/MiyoP%C4%ABmatsiwin_Vol1.2.pdf
Tell us about your language learning tips or how you celebrate Aboriginal History Month.
