Second Day of Language Nest Event Underway in Carmacks

Thursday, 13 June 2019 14:20

Over 35 people are enrolled in the language nest program in Carmacks this week.

The three-day language revitalization event, which focuses on First Nation language immersion for children, is a collaboration between the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Yukon Native Language Centre, The First Peoples’ Cultural Council and the Little/Salmon Carmacks First Nation

The second day of the Language Nest Training Workshop officially kicked off today in Carmacks.

Events occurring at the workshop today for Tlingit, Kaska, and Southern and Northern Tutchone language participants include immersion practice activities and how to easier teach children a First Nation language.

Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation Deputy Chief Ed Schultz says the workshop is helping to facilitate Northern Tutchone language immersion outside of classroom hours for children.

"We're doing this because Little Salmon/Carmacks First Nation has created a division within self-government, a division called "Lifelong Learning". It's focused on collapsing First Nation culture, heritage and education into one unit. It will have the mandate to support increasing Northern Tutchone fluency from inception to grave. Part of that is to start bridging our fluent speakers with the youngest members of our community, children 5 and under.

Schultz says the community's language nest program is just a starting point to implementing more Northern Tutchone language initiatives in the community.

"The overall objective is to decolonize ourselves by learning of our own ways, cultures and values through the language. We also want to increase fluency for all citizens at all levels. We're doing the language nest programming first because that's with the little kids. After, will start looking at adult-immersion programming that we can cultivate in other auntie and uncle camps and other activities. Our goal is to get as many people fluent in the Northern Tutchone language as possible."

Once participants outside of Carmacks finish the course tomorrow, they'll receive a level-one certification from the Yukon Native Language Centre to implement a local first nation revitalization program in their community.

The event is a collaboration between the Council of Yukon First Nations, the Yukon Native Language Centre, The First Peoples’ Cultural Council and the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation