YXE Cree Speakers Society

“mâtinamâketân itwewina” ohci Jerry Whitehead e-kî-masinahikehiht ohci 2024 pimâcihtâtân nehiyawewin mâmawipowin.

ohci otâpasinahikew

Jerry Whitehead misiwihte enistaweyihtahkosit otâpasinahikew ohci Peter Chapman First Nation.

âta mihetwâw pîtos e-itôtahk otatoskewinihk, ekiskeyihtakosit ohci otatoskewinihk, enistaweyihtahkosit ohci kâ-takahki-tâpasinahahk pwâtsimowina ekwa opwâtisimowa. Whitehead itwew e-kî-wîcihikot opeyakohewama katakahkeyihtahk tâpasinahikewin, e-kî-ohpikit ita owâhkômâkana e-tasîkamiyit pâkekinwa ekwa e-mîkisihkahcikeyit.

e-kî-kispinatamâsot Bachelor of Arts anita iyiniw tâpasinahikewin ohci Saskatchewan Indian Federated College ekwa Bachelor of Fine Arts ohci Nova Scotia College ekwa Design anita Halifax.

Anohc, Whitehead wîkiw ekwa atoskew British Columbia, mâka otakahki isihcikewin e-sihkiskâkot opeyakohewama, itsihtwâwin, ekwa nikotwâsik tipahamâtowina askiy. Whitehead otatoskewin e-wâpahcikâteyik kisiwihte kanâta ekwa e-asteyik mihcet ita kâ-wâpahtihiwehk tâpasinahikewina, asci Remai Modern.

“Let’s Spread the Words” by Jerry Whitehead

was commissioned for the 2024 Keep the

Language Alive Conference.

About the Artist

Jerry Whitehead is a nationally renowned artist from Peter Chapman First Nation.

Though he has practiced many different styles throughout his career, he is known for his vibrant depictions of powwows and powwow dancers. Whitehead credits his interest in art to his family, having grown up around creative relatives who worked with hides and did beadwork.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Indian Art from the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design in Halifax.

Today, Whitehead lives and works in British Columbia, but his signature style is undoubtedly inspired by his family, culture, and Treaty Six Territory. Whitehead’s work has been shown across Canada and is held in numerous collections, including Remai Modern.

Send Us a Message

YXE nehiyaw opîkiskwewak mâmawinitowin

kohtôtamâhk (Our Purpose)

kakiskeyihtamihk isihcikewina, nitwâcihtâwin, âcimowina ekwa kotaka paminikewina kâkaskihtât kwayask ka-kiskinohapâtihiwet paswâwiyîmowin osihcikewin mekwâc.

· kakiskeyihtamihk kiskinwahamâkewina pehcinâway ohci pîkiskwewin osihcikewin itôtamowina.

·ka-masinahamihk kâ-itakohki itôtamowina ekota ohci kasihtoskamihk ekwa kakw

kakiskeyihtamihk isihcikewina, nitwâcihtâwin, âcimowina ekwa kotaka paminikewina kâkaskihtât kwayask ka-kiskinohapâtihiwet paswâwiyîmowin osihcikewin mekwâc.

· kakiskeyihtamihk kiskinwahamâkewina pehcinâway ohci pîkiskwewin osihcikewin itôtamowina.

·ka-masinahamihk kâ-itakohki itôtamowina ekota ohci kasihtoskamihk ekwa kakwe kâkotinamihk. paskwâwinîmowin ekînawasônamihk e-kîkiskeyicikâtehk mâ-mâwaci mâmawinitowina ekakwe-eyâpic yahkastâcik iyiniw pîkiskwewin namoya mistahi ayâwewak sôniyâw ohci ka-kikinikâteki kahkiyaw iyiniw pîkiskwewina.

- To identify the programs, research, reports and other supports that have successfully impacted Plains Cree language development to date.

- To identify lessons learned from past language development strategies.

- To create an inventory of existing strategies for the purpose of introducing innovative products to support the Plains Cree (Y dialect) language development and retention.

- The Plains Cree (Y) dialect was chosen as it was noted that most organizations attempting to further Indigenous language development have limited funding with their broad mandates of including all Indigenous languages.

Show Less

sôniyâw kâmeki kîkway kâwîmâcipitamihk (Funding)

kohtôtamâhk (Our Purpose)

ispî 2021-22 YXE nehiyaw opîkiskwewak mâmawinitowin kîkîspinatamâsowak sôniyâw kawîcihihcik ohci Department of Canadian Heritage kâpacihiht nîswâskiy ohci:

·ka-wîtatoskemâcik kehcinâ enihtânehiyaweyit paskwâw nehiyaw pîkiskwewa e-âpacihtâcik e-wâsakâpihk mâmiskôtamâkewina kamâtinamâkecik kaskihowina anita nehiy

ispî 2021-22 YXE nehiyaw opîkiskwewak mâmawinitowin kîkîspinatamâsowak sôniyâw kawîcihihcik ohci Department of Canadian Heritage kâpacihiht nîswâskiy ohci:

·ka-wîtatoskemâcik kehcinâ enihtânehiyaweyit paskwâw nehiyaw pîkiskwewa e-âpacihtâcik e-wâsakâpihk mâmiskôtamâkewina kamâtinamâkecik kaskihowina anita nehiyawewin ka-atoskâtamihk ekwa ka-kiskeyihtamohiwehk ita kânitaweyicikâtehk ayiwâk nîsohkamâkewin ahpô pîtos itôtamowina.

ka-otinamihk ka-kakwecimihcik iyiniwak e-itahtopiponecik 18-30 kâ-nitaweyihtahkik ka-kiskinohamâkosicik paswâwîniw pîkiskwewin ekwa/ahpô e-kî-otinahk nehiyawewin kiskinohamâkewina kayâhte ekwa ka-kakwecimihcik tânsi e-iteyihtahkik kîkway wiyawâw ka-wîcihikocik kâ-ahkameyihtahkik wiyawâw ohci nehiyawewin sesâwîwin.

·ka-masinahikahtehk natonikewin, isihcikewina, âcimowina, mâmawipowina, ekwa pimipayihtâwina ka-sihtoskamihk nehiyawikiskinohamâkewin.

·ka-mawasakopayik aniki kâ-nohte-osihtâcik ekwa kâ-naweyihtahkik paskwâwinîmowin ka-mâmawikamâtocik ohci itôtamowina ekota ka-yahkohtehk nîkânihk.

In 2021-22 the YXE Cree Speakers’ Society was awarded funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage to be used over a two-year period to:

· Engage with grassroots fluent Plains Cree Language speakers through Roundtable discussions to share successes in Cree language development and to identify areas that require additional supports or changes.

· Conduct a survey with Indigenous peoples aged 18-30 who are interested in learning the Plains Cree Language and/or have taken Cree classes in the past and ask for their feedback on what they require to help them continue to develop their own Cree Language practice.

· Create an inventory of research, projects, reports, conferences, and programs that support the teaching of the Cree Language.

· Gather together with those interested in developing and retaining the Plains Cree Language to collectively identify innovative strategies for moving forward.

Show Less

natonikewin isko anohc (Research to Date)

kohtôtamâhk (Our Purpose)

natonikewin isko anohc (Research to Date)

e-kî-wâsakâpihk e-mâmiskohcikecik kâ-nihtâ-nehiyawecik (kisepîsim isko niskipîsim 2022)

e-kî-mâmiskôcikehk River Cree Resort & Casino (maskekosihk Cree Nation) ekwa Dakota Dunes (Whitecap Dakota First Nation).

e-kakwe-kîkiskeyihtamihk kiskinwahamâkewina e-kiskinohamâkehk kayâhte pîkiskwewin ka-atoskâtamihk itôtamowina ekw

e-kî-wâsakâpihk e-mâmiskohcikecik kâ-nihtâ-nehiyawecik (kisepîsim isko niskipîsim 2022)

e-kî-mâmiskôcikehk River Cree Resort & Casino (maskekosihk Cree Nation) ekwa Dakota Dunes (Whitecap Dakota First Nation).

e-kakwe-kîkiskeyihtamihk kiskinwahamâkewina e-kiskinohamâkehk kayâhte pîkiskwewin ka-atoskâtamihk itôtamowina ekwa kâ-nitaweyicikâtehk ka-kiskinowâpahtihiwehk ayiwâk ka-âhtisihtahk osihcikewina ka-sihtoskamihk paskwâwiyiniw (paskwâwinîmowin) osihcikewin ekwa kâwe kakâtinamihk pîkiskwewin.

metoni kâ-nohte-kaskihtamâsocik paskwâwiyinîmowin kakwecihkemowin

(niskipîsim isko ayikipiŝim 2022)

e-otinamihk ohci 18-30 kâ-itahtopiponecik e-kî-wîcîwecik ekotawa kwayaskonikewin ahpô-mâmawinitowin-itowa nehiyawewin isihcikewinihk ohci nâway 25 askiya, kî-miskikâtew nawâc kâ-nitaweyihtamwak kiskinohamâkew isihcikewina ita e-itakoki âcimowina, isihcikewin kiskinohamâkosowin. mâmawâpacihcikana kâwîcihikohk ohci kihkapîkiskewin, asci ekâ ka-mistakihtehk ekwa ka-wehcipayik ka-otinamihk pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkosiwina kahkiyaw ayamihcikewina.

Roundtables with Fluent Plains Cree Language Speakers (January to March 2022)

Discussions held at River Cree Resort & Casina (Enoch Cree Nation) and Dakota Dunes Resort (Whitecap Dakota First Nation).

identified lessons learned from past language development strategies and the need to introduce more innovative products to support the Plains Cree (Y dialect) language development and retention.

Aspiring Plains Cree Speakers Survey (March to April 2022)

Conducted with 18-30 year-olds who have participated in formal or community-based Cree language programming in the past 25 years, the survey found a desire for learning programs that connect with culture, use storytelling and are project-based. Technology would also help with pronunciation, as well as affordable and accessible Language classes in all levels of schooling.

Show Less