YXE Cree Speakers Society

e-nihtaweyicikâtehk pimâcîhitâtân nēhiyawēwin (The Need for Keep Our Language Alive)

kâ-itastehk anita Smithsonian Magazine, ispî pîkiskwewin kânamatakohk, omisi ispayin:

1. kiwanihtânaw kwayaskowewin ohci peyakwâyak kesiwâpahtahkik tân’si ôma kehcinâ kâ-ayisiyinîwihk.

2. kiwanihtânaw kesi-mâmitoneyihtamahk ohci askiy anihi kâmihcetiki kayâs âcimowina ekwa isihtwâwina.

3. kiwanihtânaw âtiht mâwaci kâmiywâsik ôta ohci isihcikewina kâ-nôtinamak ita kâ-wîkihk kâ-mâkwihikohk.

4. âtiht ayisiyiniwak wanihtâwak opîkiskwewiniwâw.

kahkiyaw ispimihk nitaweyicikâtewa kahkiyaw ohci miswihte ita kawihcehsihcikemitohk enitaweyihtamihk ka-yahkihki.

ohcitaw poko, ayiwâk katôtamihk.

According to the Smithsonian Magazine, when a language dies, the following occurs:

1. We lose the expression of a unique vision of what it means to be human.

2. We lose memory of the planet’s many histories and cultures.

3. We lose some of the best local resources for combatting environmental threats.

4. Some people lose their mother tongue.

All of the above are critical in a global environment where interdependence is necessary for growth.

Indigenous language programming has been in place for well over 30 years in various forms and with various levels of financial commitment from funders.

However, more needs to be done.

YXE nehiyaw opîkiskwewak mâmawinitowin (The YXE Cree Speakers Society)

YXE nehiyaw opîkiskwewak mâmawinitowin e-kî-mâcipitahk 2021 Milton Tootoosis, nehiyaw ohci kîskihkomâninâhk Cree Nation anita asotamâtowin nikotwâsik askiy.

ispî 2021-22 YXE nehiyaw opîkiskewak mâmawinitowin ki-miyâwak sôniyâwa ohci Department of Canadian Heritage ohci:

· ka-wît-atoskemihcik nistam omâcihtâwak kâ-nihtânehiyaweyit kâmâtinamâket okaskihowina ohci nehiyawewin kâtoskâtahk ekwa kanistawinamihk ita ayiwâk kâ-nitaweyicikâtehk sihtoskâkewin ahpô meskotinikewin;

· ka-otinamihk kakwecihkemowin ohci aniki iyiniwak kâ-itahtopiponecik 18-30 kâ-nitaweyihtahkik ka-kiskinohamâkosick paswâwîniw pîkiskwewin ekwa/ahpô e-kî-otinahk nehiyawewin kiskinohamâkewina kayâhte ekwa ka-kakwecimihcik tânsi e-iteyihtahkik kîkway wiyawâw ka-wîcihikocik kâ-ahkameyihtahkik ka-kaskîtamâsocik nehiyawewin sesâwîwin;

· ka-masinahikahtehk natonikewin, isihcikewina, âcimowina, mâmawipowina, ekwa pimipayihtâwina ka-sihtoskamihk kiskinohamâkewin ohci nehiyawewin, ekwa

· ka-mawasakopayik aniki kâ-nohte-osihtâcik ekwa kâ-kanaweyihtahkik paskwâwinîmowin kamâmawi-nistaweyihtahkik kesi-miyopayiki itôtamowina ka-yahkohtehk nîkânihk.

The YXE Cree Speakers Society was founded in 2021 by Milton Tootoosis, a nêhiyaw of the Poundmaker Cree Nation in Treaty Six Territory.

In 2021-22 the YXE Cree Speakers’ Society was awarded funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage to:

Engage with grassroots fluent Plains Cree Language speakers to share successes in Cree language development and 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, and
Gather together with those interested in developing and retaining the Plains Cree Language to collectively identify innovative strategies for moving forward.

nâtonikewin (Research)

e-wâsakapihk e-mâmiskôcikehk nete River Cree & Casino (maskekosihk Cree Nation) ekwa Dakota Dunes Resort (mamahkâskâw Dakota First Nation) e-mâmitoneyicikâtehk ka-kiskeyihtamihk anihi kiskinohamâkewina kâpe-kiskinohamâkosihk kayahte pîkiskwewin kâmînonamihk itôtamowina ekwa kâ-nitaweyihtamihk ka-âpacihtahk ayiwâk kâ-ahtisihcikehk ohci kîkwaya kasihtoskamihk paskwâwiyiniw (paskwâwinîmowin) pîkiskwewin kâwe kâhtinamihk.

metoni kâ-nohte-kaskihtamâsocik paskwâwiyinîmowin kakwecihkemowin, e-otinamihk ohci 18 -30 kâ-itahtopiponecik e-kî-wîcîwecik ekotawa kwayaskonikewin ahpô-mâmawinitowin-tasi nehiyawewin isihcikewinihk nâway 25 askiya, kî-miskikâtew nawâc kânitaweyihtamwak kiskinohamâkew isihcikewina ita e-itakoki âcimowina, isihcikewin kiskinohamâkosowin, ekwa ka-wîcipîkiskwemat awiyak e-nihtânehiyawet, ekwa ka-âpacihtâhk mamâhtawi âpacihcikana tâpiskoc kiskinokâmâkewin apps.

Roundtable discussions held at River Cree Resort & Casino (Enoch Cree Nation) and Dakota Dunes Resort (Whitecap Dakota First Nation) focused on identifying 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.

The Aspiring Plains Cree Speakers Survey, conducted with 18-30 year-olds who have participated in formal or community-based Cree language programming in the past 25 years, found they would prefer learning programs that include storytelling, project-based learning, conversing with fluent speakers, and the use technology like learning apps.