Intro to Cree Language course sees its first graduates

Introduction to Cree Language graduate Meegwin Alisappi from Moose Cree First Nation.
Introduction to Cree Language graduate Meegwin Alisappi from Moose Cree First Nation.

By K.A. Smith

NORTH BAY – There was a celebratory atmosphere at the North Bay Indian Friendship Centre for graduation on April 29.

15 students are the first graduates of the new accredited Introduction to Cree Language course.

One graduate, Meegwin Alisappi of Moose Cree First Nation, is 17 years old with a bright future. “I feel very proud of myself. I appreciate the opportunity to learn my language.”

In the past, the Friendship Centre had been unsuccessful in securing government funding for a language program so they offered informal classes taught by volunteers.

The Introduction to Cree Language class got the go-ahead with the generosity of a star pupil.

Employment counsellor Kirby Mianscum talks about the student who is affectionately called Principal.

“Elder Gabriel Tookate approached the Friendship Centre concerned about the youth. He wanted to make sure the Cree language is not lost.  Gabriel donated his share of the Residential Schools Settlement Agreement to provide funding for the course. You see, many of the children who were sent away (to residential schools) did not come back with their language.”

The North Bay Indian Friendship Centre partnered with Canadore College who worked with a northern cultural expert to develop the curriculum. The lessons were then provided to the instructor for the 13 week course.

Mianscum added, “Some of the curriculum was gathered from archived data from an Anishinabek book written in the 1980’s on the Nbisiing traditional territory.”

The book Enweyang: A Nipissing Area Ojibwe Thematic Resource Book was written by Randy Sawyer in 1986. It was produced by the Indian Friendship Centre.

Meegwin Alisappi is proud of her heritage.  “I’m very happy with my achievement. I got to learn my language and now I’m starting to get the hang of speaking in Cree.”

Her close ties to her family are evident as Meegwin explains that her favorite Cree phrase is meh-soo-eh-doo-woh-kah-mah-kahuk, meaning “all my relations”. “I’m able to speak to my Dad, my Mom, my Granny and other relatives. Now they are able to understand me.”