People of Nunavut fight to save Inuktitut language

[Francis Hult]

Canada.com

 

People of Nunavut fight to save Inuktitut language

 

The Ecole des Trois Soleils sits atop a large hill with a commanding view of Frobisher Bay. The red and yellow striped building opened in 2001.

 

About 50 young francophones between the ages of 5 and 14 come to classes here to be educated in their mother tongue, in spacious classrooms of about 15 students each.

 

That the school exists in a community of 6,000, in a territory where fewer than 450 people have French as their first language, is remarkable.

 

"And it's only there because of the fact that there's legislation. It would be ideal if we were in that situation," says Terry Audla.

 

As executive director of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, representing Inuit in the Baffin region, Audla is hoping that new language legislation will give Nunavut the power to establish Inuktitut-language education throughout the territory.

 

Full story:

http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=dc1439a0-da5e-403f-ac94-e45a18a4d804&k=86097

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