Cree immersion kindergarten offered in northern Manitoba (fwd)

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Cree immersion kindergarten offered in northern Manitoba

Last Updated: Monday, November 13, 2006 | 10:36 AM CT
CBC News
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2006/11/13/cree-immersion.html

Children on a northern Manitoba reserve have begun studying entirely in
their ancestral language of Cree.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation, near The Pas, has three classes of kindergarten
students in a Cree immersion program since September.

Derek Fontaine, the principal of the Joe A. Ross School, said the
immersion program has already proved to be a success.

"The young ones are really picking up the language fast and they're
going home and teaching the parents what they've learned at school," he
said.

"It's important for the future generations that the language is strong
and alive in the community."

Plans for program to grow

Fontaine said the school plans to offer Grade One immersion next year.
He hopes the students will be able to go through to Grade Six in Cree
immersion.

The immersion class has already sparked new interest among adults,
especially among parents of students in the immersion classes, he said.

"What is happening now is parents and community members that are wanting
to learn the language," he said.
Conference to preserve aboriginal languages

The Cree immersion classes will be among the programs examined at a
conference on preserving aboriginal languages that opens in Winnipeg on
Monday.

Shirley Fontaine, a spokeswoman for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs,
said it would be hard for many First Nations communities to emulate the
program.

The federal government recently cut millions from a plan to fund
aboriginal language preservation and what's left is a pittance, she
said.

"For the Manitoba region, it works out to $2 per person, so it's a real
challenge to say: 'Okay, here's two dollars: you maintain your language
on this Toonie.'"