Cree at risk of losing language (fwd)

[phil cash cash]

Cree at risk of losing language

The Prince Albert Daily Herald
http://www.paherald.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=30971&sc=4

A Cree elder from the local church community said there is danger his
ancestral language will be lost in coming generations.

Conrad Bird, who grew up in a residential school, said after years of being
forced to stop speaking his mother language, he forgot how.

The loss of language also brought a loss of identity for Bird.

“You kind of walk around like an empty shell, not knowing who you are,” he
said.

After Bird left residential school by age 15, he took interest in learning
Cree. Now nearing 40, Bird is able to speak Cree fluently today , something
he finds rewarding.

“You end up appreciating your language and heritage,” he said.

In a recent exchange at the House of Commons, Gary Merasty, MP of the
Desnethe-Missinippi-Churchill River riding, blasted Bev Oda, Conservative
Minister of Canadian Heritage, for her government’s inaction on funding for
Aboriginal language programs.

Merasty says the new minister has cut back on $160 million funding for
Aboriginal and language and cultural programs promised by the former
Liberal government.

Oda was not in her office over the long weekend to contact her for any
rebuttal of Merasty’s accusations.

However, in a recorded exchange in the House of Commons, Oda said she
recognizes the importance of language for every culture, saying language
not only enables communication, but reflects on the nature of those rich
traditions.

For the full story, read an upcoming edition of the Daily Herald.