Fwd: Digest for IndigenousNewsNetwork at topica.com, issue 930

[Peter Webster]

Begin forwarded message:

>
>
> Date: Sun, 29 Apr 2007 01:19:33 +0000
> From: andre cramblit <andrekar at ncidc.org>
> Subject: Online dictionary (language)
>
>
>
> Cree language to go online with new Internet dictionary
>
> Kerry Benjoe
> The Leader-Post
>
> Saturday, April 28, 2007
> http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/story.html? 
> id=662453ca-78ca-41ca-9458-e115a5ec258f
>
>
> The Cree language is going high tech as part of the Cree Language
> Resource
> Project that was announced on Friday at the First Nations  
> University of
> Canada (FNUniv).
>
> The project is a joint initiative between the FNUniv, the Miyo
> Wahkohtowin
> Community Education Authority (MWCEA) and Intellinet Technologies Inc.
> The
> partners are working towards developing an online Cree-English
> dictionary.
>
> "It's not for profit," said Loretta Pete-Lambert, director of  
> education
> at
> the MWCEA.
>
> "Its intention is to preserve Cree, enhance Cree for individuals
> interested
> in learning about Cree."
>
> The MWCEA, a K-to-12 school located on the Ermineskin Cree Nation in
> Alberta, is responsible for spearheading the initiative.
>
> Pete-Lambert said the concept of an online dictionary that was both
> educational and interactive grew out of the need to find resources to
> teach
> the Cree language.
>
> She anticipates the dictionary will be available by the end of May or
> the
> beginning of June. The dictionary is currently being worked on to  
> ensure
> that everything is working as it should.
>
> In November, Pete-Lambert signed a similar agreement with the  
> University
> of
> Alberta to make its Cree dictionary available online. She feels it's
> important to convert as many of the existing First Nations  
> dictionaries
> to
> an online version as a way of creating a more complete resource tool.
>
> The project is moving forward very quickly because of the support
> Pete-Lambert has received from those involved in the project, like her
> school's information technologies person, Ahmed Jawad.
>
> "He sees this as a very good resource for our school system. He's
> committed
> to it. He has passion behind it," Pete-Lambert said of Jawad, who has
> also
> had to learn the Cree-syllabics system so that he's able to understand
> the
> intricacies involved with the First Nations language.
>
> Jawad is also the president of Intellinet Technologies Inc. and is
> responsible for developing the online version.
>
> Richard Lightning, an elder from the Ermineskin First Nation, said he
> was
> overwhelmed by the whole project and is amazed by what technology is
> able
> to do.
>
> "Hopefully the First Nations people in this province support every
> effort to
> be able to revive and restore the language and the culture, because  
> the
> two
> go hand in hand," said Lightning.
>
> Arok Wolvengrey, an associate professor in the Indian Languages
> Department
> at the FNUniv, has provided all the information from his dictionary,
> nehiyawewin: itwewina/Cree words, for the online version.
>
> He jumped at the opportunity to have his dictionary go online  
> because he
> knew it was not something he would have been able to do on his own.
>
> "I certainly did not have the expertise to take it to that next  
> level,"
> said
> Wolvengrey.
>
> "So this is perfect. It allows us to expand, to continually add
> information
> to the database ... But we're going way beyond that, doing audio files
> and
> video clips."
>
> Wolvengrey's passion for the Cree language began when he was  
> introduced
> to
> it as a child. He has dedicated much of career to learning and
> preserving
> it.
>
> Wolvengrey sees the potential the Internet can play in Cree retention
> intiatives and says incorporating the syllabic-writing system as  
> well as
> a
> pronunciation key will go a long way in helping people learn and  
> retain
> the
> language.
>
> The dictionary converts words from their English form into their Cree
> translation using Cree syllabics or the Roman alphabet. It can create
> flash
> cards and story boards, and includes games and testing components for
> children as well as a database of lesson plans for teachers.
>
> The online dictionary is available at www.creedictionary.com. It
> contains
> more than 30,000 Cree words.
>
> � The Leader-Post (Regina) 2007
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of IndigenousNewsNetwork at topica.com digest, issue 930
>
>

Peter Webster
peterweb at bendnet.com
http://disturbingthecomfortable.blogspot.com/

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