Young people learn about Indigenous culture and language
The Nitootem Youth Gathering took place at Lower Fort Garry earlier this month. This event put on by Indigenous Languages of Manitoba brought students together to learn about Indigenous culture and languages.
“The purpose of the gathering is to provide a space for different schools to learn more about Indigenous cultures and languages,” said Morgan Jachetta, Community Outreach Coordinator for Indigenous Languages Manitoba.
Some of the activities that took place over the two-day event were Dakota horse teachings, Inuit throat singing, the making of Orange shirt medicine pins with sage, a Cree language lesson, land-based Cree activities, making fire-cooked bannock and more.
Two hundred and thirty-three students, teachers and supervisors attended the event.
Jachetta says that this conference was important because there are other conferences that allow people to learn Indigenous culture but very few of them are specifically targeted for youth.
“We wanted to create something that felt like a gathering or conference where they were learning different sessions, but in an interactive and fun way that’s positive and provides you the space to learn, connect, and reclaim their language and cultural ways of life,” said Jachetta.
The students that attended were in grades 6 to 8.
This conference was a unique opportunity for the students because they were able to incorporate elements of all seven Indigenous languages that Indigenous Languages of Manitoba is working to revitalize.
“We had an Inuit throat singer who came and also taught Inuktitut vocabulary. We had Dakota up horse teachings where he spoke Dakota. We had a Ininimowin which is a Cree language lesson. We had an Anishinaabemowin language lesson. It’s really centred around bringing that language to use in a really positive way that they can learn and take things back with them to their home communities,” said Jachetta.
The students enjoyed this unique opportunity.“Their favourite sessions were the Dakota horse teachings. I think just being in the presence of the horses and the animals and that calm and that sacredness. The kids seem to really gravitate towards that. And all of the educators kept applauding just how much fun the kids had just being outside on a beautiful day on such historic grounds. They really enjoyed it,” said Jachetta.
Indigenous Languages of Manitoba in addition to hosting this conference will be hosting their Honouring our Languages Gathering, again at Lower Fort Garry, on October 3 and 4 of this year.
Some other future events include a Cree immersion camp as well as a Dakota immersion camp which are happening in addition to their normal community programming and translation services.
To learn more about Indigenous Languages of Manitoba check out their webpage at https://ilmb.org/
