Reading in your own tradition (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Reading in your own tradition

SRJ Staff
http://www.srj.ca/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=88&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=2180&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1957&hn=srj&he=.ca

Students across the North are reading books in their traditional languages
thanks to the South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC).

"There are four different titles and eight different languages," said Brent
Kaulback, SSDEC. "There is Dogrib, North and South Slavey, Cree, Chipewyan
and three Inuit dialects."

The books grew out of an Aboriginal language workshop in Feb. 2006.

"We got instructors together and talking about Aboriginal language and
literacy. They came up with a number of story ideas."

[Photo by Lea Storry. The South Slave Divisional Education Council (SSDEC)
has created four books, which were translated into eight different
languages.]

Originally, the teachers were only thinking of Cree, Slavey and Chipewyan
families who would benefit from the books.

"But when other teachers were shown the idea, they thought it was great and
the project became much larger than anticipated."

Reading and speaking in traditional languages is the purpose of the books
whether it is with parents or grandparents or aunts or uncles.

"We want students to interact in their own language. It's important because
the language itself is an integral part of the culture and we want to be
able to support this part of culture."

According to Kaulback, the goal is to have more and more youth and parents
committed to learning their own language.

"By starting young, hopefully they are hooked on it and if interest [in
learning the language] doesn't come from the parents, it'll come from the
youth themselves."

Stories were written by Fort Smith Chipewyan instructor Eileen Beaver, Fort
Smith Cree instructor Liz Tuckey and Kaulback himself.

"I did a story called Birch Water. It's on how to make birch syrup. I spent
the whole day in Hay River and photographed the process."

A campaign will be launched this September to promote the books throughout
the North.

"Too often students are picking up stories which have no direct meaning to
them and their culture. These books celebrate who they are, what they are
and the language they speak."