Students From FNUniv Speak on Language Erosion Abroad

A small group of students and educators from the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) are going across the globe to share a strong and vital message.

“I really want to make the rest of the world aware of our people, our languages. That we’re here, they tried to erase us, but they couldn’t,” said Amelia Friday, member of Piapot First Nation and Indigenous Studies major at FNUniv.

“We’re doing this trip to let people know we’re doing our best to keep our languages alive,” said Friday.

Friday and three others are travelling this August to Galway, a coastal city of about 85,000 inhabitant in Ireland, to both attend and present at the ASLE-UKI Conference, hosted by the University of Galway.

The conference hosts academics and creatives who are interested in the relationships between literatures, environments, and cultures.

“I thought of this as a good opportunity, because I’m so involved in my community at Piapot, but also because I’m an urban Indian, I want to know more and study my language,” said Brayden Benjoe, member of Piapot and English major at FNUniv.

The theme of this year’s conference is erosion – a slow, gradual type of degradation. Presenters at the conference, including those from FNUniv, will focus on how literature and culture can perceive and address erosion.

As such, the group will be presenting on Cree syllabics – a unique writing system used for the Cree language, where each symbol represents a consonant-vowel combination, rather than individual sounds.

Benjoe will be speaking on the uses and sounds of Cree syllabics, as well as how to incorporate Cree syllabics into everyday writing, and their historical importance in storytelling.

“Language is such a big part of who we are as Indigenous people. In many ways, it is eroding,” said Benjoe.

“From a colonial approach, the Residential school system really took a toll on us as Indigenous people. So reclaiming our land, our ceremonies, our language, is important in a world that is so Westernized.”

At their presentation in Ireland, Friday will be sharing traditional beadwork, including a start chart of the Cree syllabics, and a beaded purse she brings with her when she travels to powwows.

“When I travel, I want to create a conversation piece, a way of teaching others about our language. It’s who I am, so I want to showcase that when I travel,” said Friday.

Ireland and Canada share some broad similarities in their colonial histories. Ireland experienced a prolonged period of colonization by England spanning several centuries until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922.

“Ireland and Canada, we come from familiar colonized backgrounds,” said Tammy Ratt, Program Coordinator and Lecturer of Indigenous Languages at FNUniv.

“We’re going to talk about how we can learn together, how we can heal together. And hopefully help them understand us and the land at a deeper level.”

Ratt was one of the catalysts behind bringing this opportunity for FNUniv students to present internationally. After learning about the conference from a colleague, she fielded interests from students. Many were interested, but Benjoe and Friday were the two that ultimately committed, while FNUniv committed to providing some funding for the trip.

In order to be accepted into the conference, Ratt had to write a proposal on the erosion of the language, and the resistance this destructive process. The group was awarded a 20-minute panel to present at the conference.

“I talked about how learning syllabics strengthens our resistance to colonialism as both a community and individually. We use our language to heal and preserve and grow, while resisting the ongoing forces of colonialism,” said Ratt.

And while Ratt hopes the group from Saskatchewan makes a marked impact in Ireland, she hopes a significant impact is also brought back home.

“I want (Benjoe and Friday) to experience something amazing,” said Ratt. “My hope is that they keep on with language reclamation. I want them to be the next group of people researching.”