Web site guards native languages facing extinction (fwd)

[Phil Cash Cash]

Web site guards native languages facing extinction

Jim Beatty
CanWest News Service
http://www.canada.com/technology/story.html?id=58D5DFC8-57B1-48B7-9E00-A510BF99F625

Friday, June 20, 2003

A high-tech tool aimed at preserving and protecting aboriginal language
was launched Thursday by the B.C. government.

With just 32 First Nations languages remaining in B.C. -- countless
others have already died out -- the government is creating a Web site
to save them from extinction.

The site, at FirstVoices.com, allows B.C. bands to archive text, sound,
pictures and video before their elders die off, taking with them
critical links to the past.

"Language is the key to the survival of First Nations," said Simon
Robinson, executive director of the First Peoples' Cultural Foundation.
"When you know your language, you know yourself."

On Thursday, the B.C. government formally contributed $450,000 to the
Web site, which should be in operation soon.

An international team of aboriginal language educators designed the site
to be an easy and cost-effective way to record and teach indigenous
language to anyone with Internet access.

Compared to the rest of Canada, B.C. remains linguistically rich. The
province is home to 60 per cent of all aboriginal languages in the
country.

Yet many are in danger of being lost. The once-prevalent language of the
Saanich First Nation, called the Suncathun, has fewer than 20 speakers.

"We're struggling to keep our language going," said John Elliott, a
teacher at the Saanich Lau,Welnew Tribal School who helped conceive the
Web site.

Thursday's contribution to the Web site is just the start. As of next
year, the province will contribute $1 million annually. Corporate
sponsors are also contributing to the effort, which is expected to cost
$1.5 million a year when in full operation.

© Copyright  2003 Times Colonist (Victoria)