Saving native languages on Akaitcho agenda (fwd)

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Saving native languages on Akaitcho agenda

WebPosted  Jun 17 2004 10:30 AM CDT
http://north.cbc.ca/regional/servlet/View?filename=nwt-akaitcholanguage06172004

YELLOWKNIFE

People attending the Akaitcho Assembly say they want to improve
aboriginal language services in their N.W.T. communities.

They say a lack of money and a cumbersome bureaucracy interferes with
getting more people fluent in their native languages.

Elders are often considered great teachers, but many of them aren't paid
as such when they help children learn their native language, the
assembly heard.

N'Dilo chief Darrell Beaulieu wants the territorial Education Department
to recognize them and pay them as teachers.

"But the N.W.T. Education Act says, 'no, your elders have to have a
university degree to teach the language.' There is no university that
teaches our elders their language," says Beaulieu.

"The elders are probably the professors in this area here."

The discussion concerning the importance of saving native languages
lasted for hours at the Akaitcho Assembly.

Some delegates spoke about teaching people syllabics as well as how to
speak it.

George Marlow of Lutsel'Ke, says on his travels he found that syllabics
form much of the curriculum among the Dene communities in Manitoba,
Saskatchewan and Alberta.

"I'm really happy when the little kids, real small kids speak Chipewyan.
Nobody talks English. In Lutsel'Ke everybody talks English. It's not
right by me,"says Marlow.

Toni Heron, from the Salt River First Nation in Fort Smith, wants the
Akaitcho to control government money earmarked for language and
culture.

Some representatives say a lack of funding is one of the major
challenges in the battle to preserve language.

The Akaitcho government's language co-ordinator works part time and
community programs that already exist have limited resources.

Some people at this meeting say pressuring schools to bring in a
stronger language curriculum may help.