Chiefs raise alarm about First Nations languages in B.C. (fwd link)

[Phillip E Cash Cash]

Chiefs raise alarm about First Nations languages in B.C.

By Matthew Burrows
Canada

Chief Ian Campbell says the Squamish language is on the brink of vanishing.

A Squamish Nation chief says it’s “very alarming” that the number of people
who speak the Squamish language fluently amounts to one soccer team plus a
substitute.

“We have about 12 fluent speakers out of a total of 3,600 people,” Chief Ian
Campbell, cultural ambassador for the Squamish Nation, told the Georgia
Straight by phone. “That’s less than one percent of our tribe right now
speaking. The young people know a lot of words in the language, but they are
not conversing in the language.”

Access full article below:
http://www.straight.com/article-332942/vancouver/first-nations-language-alarm
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