00:33:25
>> Steve: LANGUAGE DEBATES IN
CANADA OFTEN CENTRE AROUND
ENGLISH AND FRENCH.
00:33:27
BUT LONG BEFORE THOSE WERE THE
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF CANADA,
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES THRIVED
00:33:31
HERE.
00:33:32
WITH US NOW ON WHAT HAPPENED TO
THOSE LANGUAGES, AND
PARTICULARLY ON EFFORTS TO
00:33:36
REVIVE SOME THAT HAVE NEARLY
BEEN LOST, WE'RE JOINED BY:
RYAN DECAIRE, ASSOCIATE
00:33:41
PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
TORONTO'S CENTRE FOR INDIGENOUS
STUDIES AND DEPARTMENT OF
00:33:47
LINGUISTICS, AND A MOHAWK
LANGUAGE TEACHER.
00:33:50
RYAN, IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN
>> Ryan: PLEASURE.
00:33:53
>> Steve: YOU AND I FIRST MET,
IT'S GOT TO BE MORE THAN TEN
YEARS AGO.
00:33:57
YOU WERE A UNIVERSITY STUDENT.
00:33:58
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
00:33:58
>> Steve: AND YOU SPOKE SOME
MOHAWK FOR US.
00:34:00
WOULD YOU INTRODUCE YOURSELF IN
THE MOHAWK LANGUAGE?
00:34:03
>> Ryan: SURE.
00:34:12
[SPEAKING MOHAWK LANGUAGE]
>> Steve: DID YOU JUST SAY
WHAT I JUST SAID?
00:34:15
>> CLOSE ENOUGH.
00:34:16
I SAID: WELCOME.
00:34:16
IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE,
EVERYBODY.
00:34:20
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
00:34:20
>> Steve: WONDERFUL.
00:34:21
TAKE US BACK MORE THAN A CENTURY
AGO.
00:34:22
THERE WERE EFFORTS IN THIS
COUNTRY MADE TO SUPPRESS
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES FROM BEING
00:34:26
SPOKEN.
00:34:28
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
00:34:28
>> Steve: HOW SUCCESSFUL WERE
THOSE EFFORTS?
00:34:30
>> THEY WERE QUITE SUCCESSFUL.
00:34:31
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT HOW NEGATIVE
IT WAS, THERE WAS ALSO POSITIVES
RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING.
00:34:35
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIRST
SUPERINTENDENT OF INDIGENOUS
AFFAIRS, HE SPOKE MOHAWK
00:34:40
LANGUAGE QUITE PROFICIENTLY, AND
FROM THERE DEVELOPED A GOOD
RELATIONSHIP WITH INDIGENOUS
00:34:47
PEOPLE, BUT THEN WE NOTICED
SUPPRESSION THAT ALIGNED WITH
TAKING OVER LAND BASES AND
00:34:54
ACQUIRING RESOURCES TO REALLY
FUEL DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW
WORLD AND ALSO IMPACTING EUROPE.
00:34:58
>> Steve: TELL US HOW IT
WORKED.
00:34:59
HOW DID THEY TRY TO SUPPRESS
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES?
00:35:03
>> FIRST TAKING AWAY LANDS AND
PUSHING PEOPLE OFF ONTO
RESERVES, AND THEN UP UNTIL MORE
00:35:07
RECENTLY, THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL
SYSTEM WHICH QUITE A FEW PEOPLE
ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH
00:35:14
ESPECIALLY SINCE THE TRUTH AND
RECONCILIATION COMMISSION'S
REPORT.
00:35:17
SO YOU GO FROM, SAY, PUSHING
PEOPLE AWAY OFF THEIR LANDS.
00:35:21
WE EVEN CALL THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES IN MOHAWK.
00:35:25
[SPEAKING MOHAWK LANGUAGE]
AND THAT MEANS A TOWN DESTROYER
BECAUSE HE CREATED A MILITARY
00:35:29
CAMPAIGN TO PUSH OUR PEOPLE AWAY
FROM OUR VILLAGES AND LAY WASTE
TO THEM AND SET THEM ON FIRE AND
00:35:35
BURN OUR CORN.
00:35:36
>> Steve: WAS THIS ANDREW
JACKSON OR WHICH PRESIDENT?
00:35:38
>> NO, THAT WAS THE FIRST
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
00:35:41
YES, GEORGE WASHINGTON, YEAH.
00:35:44
AND THEY CALLED THAT THE
SULLIVAN CAMPAIGN.
00:35:46
SO YOU CAN GO ALL THE WAY BACK
TO THEN, THEN ALSO TO MORE
RECENTLY IN THE 1900s, WHICH
00:35:51
IS RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS, THEN
'60s SCOOP.
00:35:54
AND RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS
ESPECIALLY WERE QUITE
DEVASTATING IN THE EARLY
00:35:59
1900s, PROBABLY 1920s TO
1950s, WHERE THAT WOULD BE
PEOPLE OF MY GRANDPARENTS
00:36:06
GENERATION, THEY WERE SENT THERE
QUITE FORCIBLY TO ONLY SPEAK
ENGLISH AND IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT
00:36:13
TAKING KIDS AWAY FROM THEIR
COMMUNITIES TO ONLY SPEAK
ENGLISH, THEY HUMILIATED THEM,
00:36:19
THEY PUNISHED THEM.
00:36:20
THEY WOULD PUT PINS IN THEIR
TONGUES WHENEVER THEY SPOKE
THEIR LANGUAGE, TO THE POINT
00:36:24
WHERE IT CREATED THIS ATTITUDE
AROUND INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES IN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES THAT THEY
00:36:28
WERE INFERIOR, THAT THEY WERE
WRONG, THAT THEY WERE BAD.
00:36:31
>> Steve: WELL, WE HAVE SOME
STATS ON THIS THAT WE WANT TO
SHARE WITH OUR VIEWERS AND
00:36:35
LISTENERS RIGHT NOW.
00:36:36
THIS IS FROM STATS CANADA.
00:36:37
TODAY THERE ARE MORE THAN 70
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN
MORE THAN 600 FIRST NATIONS, 50
00:36:43
INUIT COMMUNITIES, AND A VARIETY
OF METIS GROUPS.
00:36:45
THE MOST COMMON ARE CREE AND
INUKTITUT.
00:36:49
IN ONTARIO IT'S OJIBWE.
00:36:51
A NUMBER OF THESE LANGUAGES HAVE
FEWER THAN A THOUSAND SPEAKERS
AND ONE HAS ONLY 210 SPEAKERS.
00:36:57
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
00:36:58
>> Steve: ONLY 210 PEOPLE WHO
KNOW THIS LANGUAGE ANYMORE.
00:37:00
>> YEAH.
00:37:00
>> Steve: THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
IDENTIFYING AS INDIGENOUS HAS
GROWN ALMOST TWICE AS FAST AS
00:37:05
THE NON-INDIGENOUS POPULATION IN
CANADA.
00:37:08
IT'S NOW 1.8 MILLION OR 5% OF
THE POPULATION.
00:37:11
AND YET IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
THE NUMBER OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
WHO COULD HOLD A CONVERSATION IN
00:37:17
AN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE, DESPITE
THAT POPULATION GROWTH, THE
NUMBER HAS ACTUALLY DROPPED BY
00:37:22
4.3%.
00:37:23
THE NUMBER OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
WHO COULD SPEAK AN INDIGENOUS
LANGUAGE THAT WASN'T THEIR
00:37:28
MOTHER TONGUE GREW BY 7%, SO
THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE LEARNING
THESE LANGUAGES AS A SECOND
00:37:33
LANGUAGE.
00:37:33
HOWEVER, THERE WAS ALSO AN 8%
DROP IN THE NUMBER OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE WHOSE FIRST LANGUAGE
00:37:39
LEARNED DURING CHILDHOOD WAS
INDIGENOUS.
00:37:41
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
00:37:42
>> Steve: SO THAT'S THE LAY OF
THE LAND RIGHT NOW.
00:37:44
>> YEAH.
00:37:44
>> Steve: THERE IS A MASSIVE
GENERATION GAP IN KNOWLEDGE WHEN
IT COMES TO INDIGENOUS
00:37:48
LANGUAGES.
00:37:48
WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ON THE
GROUND?
00:37:51
>> WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT.
00:37:52
THE BEST LANGUAGES FOR VITALITY
ARE INUKTITUT AND CREE AND SOME
OF THOSE LANGUAGES, SUCH AS
00:37:59
INUKTITUT, 80% OF THE PEOPLE CAN
SPEAK IT.
00:38:01
BUT THEN MOST OTHER INDIGENOUS
LANGUAGES, LARGELY ALMOST ALL OF
THEM, YES, MAYBE 2%, IF YOU'RE
00:38:08
LUCKY FOR SOME, 2%.
00:38:10
AND THEN THAT 2%, THE PEOPLE WHO
CAN SPEAK IT TO A HIGH LEVEL ARE
60 AND OLDER, RIGHT?
00:38:16
SO WHAT YOU HAVE IS THIS PARENT
GENERATION OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT
SPEAK IT AND THEY CAN'T PASS IT
00:38:22
ONTO THEIR CHILDREN.
00:38:23
THAT'S WHERE YOU REALLY NOTICE
AN INCREASE IN LANGUAGE VITALITY
IS WHEN THERE'S
00:38:27
INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION
FROM PARENTS DOWN TO CHILDREN.
00:38:29
>> Steve: DID YOUR PARENTS
SPEAK IT?
00:38:32
>> NO.
00:38:32
>> Steve: HOW DO YOU KNOW IT
SO WELL?
00:38:34
>> I HAD TO TAKE THE TIME TO BE
AROUND FIRST LANGUAGE SPEAKERS,
TO ACTUALLY ACQUIRE THE LANGUAGE
00:38:39
TO A HIGH ENOUGH PROFICIENCY TO
SPEAK IT AS A PRIMARY LANGUAGE,
AND THAT TOOK ME OVER
00:38:45
3,000 HOURS OF WORK.
00:38:46
>> Steve: WHY DID YOU WANT TO
DO THAT?
00:38:49
>> BECAUSE IT'S THE LANGUAGE OF
MY PEOPLE, WHERE I GREW UP,
RIGHT?
00:38:53
IT'S BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
LANGUAGE IS DISTINCT AND IT
BRINGS ME HAPPINESS AND I KNOW
00:38:58
THAT IT'S GOING TO BRING MY
COMMUNITY HAPPINESS TO BE
CONNECTED WITH WHO THEY ARE,
00:39:03
THEIR HISTORY, AND THEIR FUTURE.
00:39:04
>> Steve: YOU SAY IT TOOK
3,000 HOURS TO LEARN THAT AND I
WANT TO PICK UP ON THAT.
00:39:08
>> SURE.
00:39:09
>> Steve: AND I DON'T KNOW IF
THESE COMPARISONS MAKE ANY
SENSE, SO YOU'LL FORGIVE ME IF
00:39:14
THIS IS OFF-BASE.
00:39:15
IF YOU'RE ENGLISH, IT'S NOT A
LONG JOURNEY NECESSARILY TO
LEARN FRENCH OR ITALIAN OR
00:39:21
SPANISH.
00:39:22
THEY'RE ALL ROMANCE LANGUAGES;
THEY HAVE SOME THINGS IN COMMON.
00:39:24
SAME THING WITH HEBREW AND
ARABIC; THEY HAVE A LOT OF
THINGS IN COMMON.
00:39:27
WHAT ABOUT INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES?
00:39:28
DO THEY HAVE ANYTHING COMMON
WITH OTHER LANGUAGES WHERE YOU
COULD SAY, I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK X
00:39:32
LANGUAGE, THEREFORE LEARNING
MOHAWK IS NOT THAT TOUGH.
00:39:35
>> IT'S VERY SIMILAR TO THE
EUROPEAN SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE
LANGUAGE FAMILIES IN CANADA AND
00:39:39
THE UNITED STATES WHERE THERE
EXIST A NUMBER OF LANGUAGES
WITHIN THAT FAMILY THAT ARE
00:39:43
RELATED, RIGHT?
00:39:44
IF YOU KNOW ONE OF THEM, YOUR
ABILITY TO LEARN THE NEXT ONE IS
GOING TO BE A LOT EASIER.
00:39:48
HOWEVER, IF YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE
IS ENGLISH, WHICH IS THE PRIMARY
LANGUAGE OF MOST INDIGENOUS
00:39:53
PEOPLE IN CANADA, TO LEARN AN
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE, IT IS WAY
HARDER TO LEARN A INDIGENOUS
00:39:59
LANGUAGE THAN SAY LEARNING
FRENCH OR SPANISH BECAUSE IT'S A
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LANGUAGE
00:40:03
FAMILY, THE STRUCTURE IS TOTALLY
DIFFERENT.
00:40:04
SO SAY IF I, AS A FIRST LANGUAGE
ENGLISH SPEAKER, WANT TO BECOME
A FRENCH LANGUAGE SPEAKER, THERE
00:40:09
IS RESEARCH NOW PUT OUT THAT HAS
DETERMINED THAT IT TAKES AROUND
700 HOURS TO BECOME A
00:40:14
PROFICIENT, HIGHLY PROFICIENT
FRENCH SPEAKER OR SPANISH
SPEAKER IF YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE
00:40:19
IS ENGLISH.
00:40:20
HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO BECOME A
HIGHLY PROFICIENT SPEAKER OF
MOHAWK OR OJIBWAY OR INUKTITUT,
00:40:25
IT REQUIRES AT LEAST
3,000 HOURS.
00:40:28
>> Steve: SO MORE THAN FOUR
TIMES AS MUCH.
00:40:30
>> OH, YEAH.
00:40:30
YEAH.
00:40:30
>> Steve: OKAY.
00:40:31
LOOK AT THAT BIG BOARD THERE.
00:40:33
>> YEAH.
00:40:33
>> Steve: IT'S THE SAME
ALPHABET, RIGHT?
00:40:35
>> IT'S BASED ON THE ROMAN
ALPHABET.
00:40:37
>> Steve: PRETTY MUCH THE SAME
ALPHABET.
00:40:39
>> VERY SIMILAR.
00:40:39
>> Steve: SO IT'S NOT LIKE
THEN TRYING TO LEARN HEBREW OR
ARABIC WHICH IS A COMPLETELY
00:40:43
DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.
00:40:44
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
00:40:44
>> Steve: AND IT'S LEFT TO
RIGHT, UNLIKE HEBREW, WHICH IS
RIGHT TO LEFT.
00:40:49
SO WE HAVE THAT MUCH IN COMMON.
00:40:50
>> THAT'S DEFINITELY IT.
00:40:51
>> Steve: SO WHERE IS THE
TRICK?
00:40:52
WHY IS IT FOUR TIMES HARDER TO
LEARN MOHAWK THAN IT WOULD BE TO
LEARN FRENCH?
00:40:56
>> BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
DIFFERENT STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES
SAY OF ENGLISH VERSUS MOHAWK,
00:41:00
MOHAWK IS DESIGNATED AS A
POLYSYNTHETIC LANGUAGE WHICH
MEANS THAT IT'S COMPRISED OF
00:41:07
MANY DIFFERENT MORPHEMES.
00:41:08
YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO ATTACH
ALL THESE MORPHEMES TO CREATE --
>> Steve: WHAT'S A MORPHEME?
00:41:15
>> MORPHEME IS LIKE ONE PART OF
A WORD.
00:41:16
WHEN YOU PUT THOSE ALL TOGETHER
IT, FORMS A SENTENCE.
00:41:19
WHEN YOU LOOK AT ENGLISH,
THERE'S UNLIMITED SENTENCES IN
ENGLISH.
00:41:23
IN MOHAWK, ONE WORD IS A
SENTENCE.
00:41:25
SO THAT MEANS THERE'S UNLIMITED
WORDS IN MOHAWK, AND YOU HAVE TO
LEARN HOW TO PUT ALL THESE
00:41:30
LITTLE PIECES TOGETHER TO CREATE
ONE WORD AND THAT WHAT REALLY
SIGNIFIES IT AS A DIFFERENT WAY
00:41:36
TO THINK ABOUT THIS WORLD.
00:41:37
AND THEN, EVEN THOUGH THE
ORTHOGRAPHY, HOW IT'S WRITTEN,
MIGHT BE SIMILAR, THE NUMBER ONE
00:41:49
BARRIER ISN'T REALLY THE
STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES, IT'S
ACCESS TO ITS USE: CURRICULUM,
00:41:53
HEARING PEOPLE, BEING AROUND THE
LANGUAGE, HAVING THE ABILITY TO
GO SPEAK IT WITH PEOPLE, AND
00:41:57
THAT'S REALLY THE NUMBER ONE
CHALLENGE.
00:41:58
>> Steve: I HAVE CERTAINLY
SPOKEN TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
ABOUT THIS IN THE PAST ABOUT THE
00:42:02
ISSUE OF TWO OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
IN CANADA, ENGLISH AND FRENCH.
00:42:06
>> YEAH.
00:42:07
>> Steve: WHERE DO INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE SEE THEMSELVES IN THAT
NARRATIVE?
00:42:12
>> WELL, INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
EXISTED HERE LONG BEFORE FRENCH
AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES ARRIVED
00:42:17
HERE, SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY
ANYBODY WOULDN'T SEE HOW IT
WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO
00:42:21
ALSO BE OFFICIAL.
00:42:23
>> Steve: THERE IS A CERTAIN
OFFENCE TAKEN OF THE NOTION THAT
WE HAVE TWO OFFICIAL LANGUAGES
00:42:28
IN THE COUNTRY.
00:42:28
>> THAT'S DEFINITELY TRUE,
ESPECIALLY FOR PEOPLE WHO FEEL
THAT WE SHOULD PLAY A STRONG
00:42:33
ROLE IN THE QUESTION POLITIC,
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT
REALLY FEEL THAT WE SHOULDN'T
00:42:39
GET CAUGHT UP IN THE ISSUE
BETWEEN FRENCH AND ENGLISH
BECAUSE WE OFTEN GET TOSSED IN
00:42:43
BETWEEN THIS DEBATE OVER FRENCH
AND ENGLISH USE AND WE WOULD
RATHER BE FOCUSING MORE ON HOW
00:42:47
DO WE CREATE A PRIMARY SPEAKING
COMMUNITY WITHIN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
00:42:52
>> Steve: DO YOU HAVE SOME
EMPATHY OR SYMPATICO WITH
FRENCH-SPEAKING PEOPLE IN THE
00:42:56
COUNTRY WHO SEE THEIR LANGUAGE
AS BEING UNDER THREAT AND WHO,
AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE PROVINCE OF
00:43:01
QUEBEC, HAVE TAKEN SOME
EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES.
00:43:03
SOME PEOPLE THINK ILLEGAL
MEASURES.
00:43:06
>> SURE.
00:43:06
>> Steve: IN ORDER TO PROTECT
THE FRENCH LANGUAGE.
00:43:08
DO YOU HAVE SOME SYMPATICO FOR
THAT?
00:43:11
>> 100%.
00:43:12
AND I THINK MOST INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE DO.
00:43:14
BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
FRENCH SITUATION, THEY ARE A
MINORITY LANGUAGE RELATIVE TO
00:43:17
ENGLISH, AND ENGLISH IS THE
DOMINATING LANGUAGE.
00:43:20
AND IF YOU DO NOT SET UP A
STRUCTURE TO KIND OF THWART ANY
KIND OF FURTHER DECLINE OF ITS
00:43:25
USE WHEN ENGLISH IS SO POWERFUL,
YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ITS DEMISE
OVER TIME.
00:43:29
BUT WHEN YOU COMPARE THAT WITH
THE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE
SITUATION, WE UNDERSTAND IT FAR
00:43:33
MORE STRONGLY IN THE SENSE THAT
FRENCH HAS NEVER BEEN ENDANGERED
IN QUEBEC.
00:43:38
IT'S NEVER BEEN EVEN CLOSE TO
ENDANGERED.
00:43:41
>> Steve: THEY WOULD DISAGREE.
00:43:42
BUT ANYWAY --
>> YES.
00:43:43
DEPENDING HOW YOU DEFINE
ENDANGERED AND ENDANGERED
MEANING IT'S NOT LIKELY TO BE
00:43:49
PASSED ONTO A NEW GENERATION AND
ONLY GRANDPARENTS ARE SPEAKING
IT TODAY, WHICH IS NOT EVEN
00:43:54
ANYWHERE CLOSE.
00:43:55
NOT TO MENTION THAT YOU CAN GO
ACROSS THE GREAT WATERS TO
FRANCE WHERE MILLIONS OF PEOPLE
00:43:58
CONTINUE TO SPEAK IT.
00:44:00
WE DON'T HAVE THAT.
00:44:00
THIS IS OUR HOME.
00:44:01
THIS IS WHERE IT ALWAYS EXISTED.
00:44:02
SO THAT'S WHERE THE ANIMOSITY OR
THE CHALLENGE COMES WHEN YOU'RE
TRYING TO PROTECT THE FRENCH
00:44:07
LANGUAGE BUT IN SO DOING YOU'RE
ALSO MARGINALIZING INDIGENOUS
LANGUAGES THAT HAVE EXISTED HERE
00:44:14
FAR LONGER THAN FRENCH AND
ENGLISH.
00:44:15
>> Steve: MARY SIMON, OF
COURSE, FIRST INDIGENOUS
GOVERNOR GENERAL IN CANADIAN
00:44:18
HISTORY.
00:44:18
SHE CAN SPEAK ENGLISH, SHE CAN
SPEAK INUKTITUT, SHE CAN'T SPEAK
FRENCH, ONE OF THE SO-CALLED
00:44:25
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OF THE
COUNTRY.
00:44:27
WHEN SHE WAS APPOINTED, THERE
WERE MORE THAN A THOUSAND
COMPLAINTS RECEIVED BY THE
00:44:30
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BECAUSE OF
HER INABILITY TO SPEAK FRENCH.
00:44:34
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?
00:44:36
>> WELL, HONEST -- WHEN YOU
THINK ABOUT THAT, WOULDN'T IT BE
NICE IF THOSE LETTERS WERE SENT
00:44:40
TO CONGRATULATE HER FOR BEING
ABLE TO SPEAK AN INDIGENOUS
LANGUAGE?
00:44:45
I WONDER IF THERE ARE ANY
LETTERS?
00:44:48
I IMAGINE THERE'S NOT.
00:44:48
AND HOW AMAZING THAT WOULD BE
FOR PEOPLE TO CELEBRATE HER,
THAT SHE CAN DO THAT, AND TO
00:44:53
REALLY SHOW THAT THAT'S A PART
OF WHAT IT IS TO BE HERE IN
THESE LANDS THAT WE CALL CANADA.
00:44:59
AND TO QUESTION THEMSELVES AND
ASK: WHY DON'T I SPEAK AN
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE TOO?
00:45:05
WHAT'S THE HISTORY BEHIND THAT?
00:45:06
AND INSTEAD OF PUTTING US IN
BETWEEN ENGLISH AND FRENCH AND
SAYING MAYBE -- SHE WOULDN'T BE
00:45:12
THERE IF SHE ONLY SPOKE FRENCH
AND AN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE,
THAT'S WHAT SOME PEOPLE ARE
00:45:17
SAYING.
00:45:18
INSTEAD OF CONCENTRATING ON
THAT, WE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON
WHAT WE SHOULD DO TO SUPPORT
00:45:23
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES SO THEY'LL
HAVE STRONG VITALITY IN THE
FUTURE.
00:45:27
>> Steve: I'M GOING TO DO THE
VERY THING YOU ACCUSED PEOPLE OF
DOING WHICH IS CAN YOU
00:45:32
APPRECIATE HOW UNHAPPY
FRANCOPHONES MUST BE THAT THE
GOVERNOR GENERAL OF THE COUNTRY
00:45:37
CAN'T SPEAK ONE OF THE
COUNTRY'S, AGAIN, SO-CALLED
OFFICIAL LANGUAGES?
00:45:41
>> SURE, YEAH, I CAN APPRECIATE
THAT.
00:45:43
AT THE SAME TIME I WOULD ALSO
LIKE FOR THEM TO HAVE A STRONGER
UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF THE
00:45:47
SITUATION OF INDIGENOUS
LANGUAGES.
00:45:48
>> Steve: UNDERSTOOD.
00:45:49
IF YOU ARE A PUBLIC SERVANT
WORKING FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT OF THIS COUNTRY AND
00:45:53
YOU CAN SPEAK FRENCH AND ENGLISH
FLUENTLY, IT'S A REAL ASSET FOR
YOU.
00:45:57
IN FACT, IT'S A FINANCIAL ASSET
FOR YOU BECAUSE THEY'LL GIVE YOU
800 BUCKS A YEAR AS A BONUS IF
00:46:01
YOU CAN SPEAK BOTH OFFICIAL
LANGUAGES.
00:46:04
>> RIGHT.
00:46:04
>> Steve: IF YOU CAN SPEAK
ENGLISH AND INUKTITUT OR FRENCH
AND OJIBWAY, THERE'S NO BONUS.
00:46:15
>> NOT SURPRISING.
00:46:16
ONE, THAT'S NOT ENSHRINED IN ANY
LAW FOR AN INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE
TO GET A BONUS.
00:46:21
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES ACT SHOULD
PROMOTE, TO PUT INDIGENOUS
00:46:26
LANGUAGES ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH
ENGLISH AND FRENCH.
00:46:29
HOWEVER, EVEN IF WE DID GET
THAT, THAT ASSUMES, ONE,
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WANT TO WORK
00:46:35
FOR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
00:46:36
A LARGE MAJORITY LIKELY DON'T
WANT TO.
00:46:38
THEY WANT TO WORK IN THEIR OWN
COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE THEIR
LANGUAGE.
00:46:42
TWO, IT'S SOMEWHAT OF A
DISTRACTION IN THAT KIND OF
MONEY ISN'T REALLY GOING TO
00:46:46
SUPPORT INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES
WHERE THEY NEED TO BE SUPPORTED
FOR REVITALIZATION TO TRULY
00:46:50
OCCUR.
00:46:51
IF YOU LOOK, FOR EXAMPLE, TO OUR
NEAREST NEIGHBOURS IN THE UNITED
STATES WITH AN INDIGENOUS
00:46:55
LANGUAGE THAT HAS BEEN
SUCCESSFUL AT REVITALIZATION IS
THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE.
00:46:59
SO WHAT DO THEY DO TO SUPPORT
THE HAWAIIAN LANGUAGE?
00:47:03
TEACHERS WHO BECOME PROFICIENT
SPEAKERS OF HAWAIIAN AND BECOME
SPEAKERS, THEY GET AN $8,000
00:47:09
BONUS EVERY YEAR.
00:47:10
COMPARE $8,000 TO $800.
00:47:12
WHY IS THAT?
00:47:13
IT'S BECAUSE THEY NOTICED THAT
HAWAIIAN WAS STRUGGLING AND THEY
NEEDED THE EXTRA ADDED SUPPORT
00:47:16
TO ENSURE THEY'RE GOING TO BE
CREATING SPEAKERS IN THE FUTURE.
00:47:19
>> Steve: SO THERE'S SOME REAL
INCENTIVE THERE.
00:47:22
>> YEAH, AND THERE NEEDS TO BE.
00:47:23
>> Steve: PUT IT IN THE
CANADIAN CONTEXT.
00:47:25
WHAT SHOULD WE DO TO ENSURE THAT
INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES DON'T JUST
SURVIVE BUT THRIVE IN THE
00:47:30
FUTURE?
00:47:30
>> WELL, THERE ARE TWO THINGS WE
NEED TO CONSIDER.
00:47:32
WE NEED TO CONSIDER TOP-DOWN
STRATEGIES AND BOTTOM-UP
STRATEGIES AND A MULTI-PRONGED
00:47:36
STRATEGY.
00:47:37
AT FIRST WE DO NEED TO GUARANTEE
THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
TO HAVE FULL EDUCATION IN THEIR
00:47:41
LANGUAGES, WHICH IS NOT
GUARANTEED UNDER OFFICIAL
LANGUAGES ACT OR THE INDIGENOUS
00:47:46
LANGUAGES ACT TO HAVE SOMEWHAT
EQUAL RIGHTS AS DO FRENCH AND DO
ENGLISH.
00:47:50
>> Steve: YOU WANT A LAW THAT
SAYS THAT.
00:47:51
>> YES.
00:47:52
AND TO GARNER THE SAME FINANCIAL
RESOURCES TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT
HAPPEN.
00:47:55
THAT INCLUDES TEACHER TRAINING,
ACTUALLY TRAINING PEOPLE TO
BECOME HIGHLY PROFICIENT
00:48:02
SPEAKERS OF THOSE LANGUAGES AND
ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT GOES
WITH IT.
00:48:05
SO THERE'S THAT.
00:48:06
HOWEVER, THE MOST IMPORTANT
THING IS TO ENSURE THAT ALL THAT
MONEY, ALL THE FINANCIAL
00:48:10
RESOURCES GO TO THE BEST
PRACTICES FOR CREATING SPEAKERS
OF OUR LANGUAGES.
00:48:13
>> Steve: HOW MUCH MONEY GOES
TO THAT RIGHT NOW?
00:48:16
>> I CAN'T GIVE YOU AN ACCURATE
NUMBER, BUT FAR LESS THAN GOES
INTO IMPLEMENTING OFFICIAL
00:48:22
LANGUAGES POLICY, THAT'S FOR
DARN SURE.
00:48:24
AND IF WE REALLY LOOK AT WHAT
ARE THE BEST PRACTICES, WHAT
WE'RE SEEING NOW IS BECAUSE
00:48:28
THERE'S BEEN A BIG CUT BETWEEN
INTERGENERATIONAL TRANSMISSION
OF OUR LANGUAGES, THE PARENT
00:48:34
GENERATION, YOUNG ADULTS, NEED
TO BECOME HIGHLY PROFICIENT IN
ORDER TO TEACH IT TO THEIR
00:48:38
CHILDREN.
00:48:38
SO WE'RE SEEING WHAT WE'RE
CALLING ADULT IMMERSION PROGRAMS
WHICH IS PUTTING ADULTS IN A
00:48:43
FULL IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR TWO
TO THREE YEARS WHERE IT'S THEIR
ONLY RESPONSIBILITY TO LEARN THE
00:48:50
LANGUAGE SO THEY CAN LEARN TO A
HIGH ENOUGH LEVEL TO RECREATE A
PEER GROUP OF YOUTHS WITHIN
00:48:54
THEIR COMMUNITY SO THEY CAN THEN
PASS IT ON TO THEIR CHILDREN.
00:48:59
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY,
SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS WHO ARE
PROFICIENT WHO ARE CREATING
00:49:04
FIRST LANGUAGE SPEAKING CHILDREN
WITHIN THE HOME.
00:49:07
THAT IS ONE INDICATOR THAT THE
LANGUAGE IS COMING BACK TO LIFE
WHEN YOU SEE IT GOING BACK TO
00:49:10
THE CHILDREN.
00:49:11
>> Steve: IS THAT TOP DOWN OR
BOTTOM UP SOLUTION?
00:49:14
>> IT'S A MIX BUT MORE BOTTOM UP
BECAUSE IT'S REALLY THE GRASS
ROOTS PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING
00:49:19
HARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
00:49:21
BUT THEY CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT
TOP-DOWN SUPPORT FROM THE
GOVERNMENT, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE.
00:49:25
>> Steve: HOW MANY PEOPLE IN
YOUR DAILY TYPICAL -- IN YOUR
TYPICAL DAILY LIFE, HOW MANY
00:49:30
PEOPLE CAN YOU TALK MOHAWK TO?
00:49:32
>> YOU MEAN ON JUST AN AVERAGE
DAY?
00:49:34
>> Steve: YEAH.
00:49:35
>> WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO WHEN YOU
SPEAK THESE LANGUAGES IS YOU
HAVE TO SET UP YOUR LIFE AROUND
00:49:40
BEING AROUND OTHER PEOPLE WHO
SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.
00:49:42
SO YOU HAVE TO BE AROUND
EVERYBODY WHO DOES, YOU
STRUCTURE YOUR LIFE AROUND THAT.
00:49:46
SOME PEOPLE WOULD CALL THAT A
SACRIFICE.
00:49:48
I WOULDN'T BECAUSE IT'S A
DELIGHT TO BE AROUND THOSE
PEOPLE.
00:49:51
BUT TODAY MOHAWK, THERE'S
PROBABLY BETWEEN 600 AND 1,000
PEOPLE WHO SPEAK IT, PROBABLY
00:49:57
CLOSER TO 600.
00:49:58
>> Steve: IN THE PROVINCE OR
COUNTRY OR WHAT?
00:50:00
>> IN THE WORLD.
00:50:01
>> Steve: IN THE WORLD.
00:50:02
>> IF YOU SPEAK MOHAWK, YOU'RE
LIKELY TO KNOW MOST MOHAWK
PEOPLE WHO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.
00:50:08
I KNOW, IT'S QUITE INCREDIBLE.
00:50:09
>> Steve: YOU'VE GOT A TALL
TASK AHEAD OF YOU IF YOU WANT TO
GET THAT LANGUAGE --
00:50:13
>> NOT JUST ME.
00:50:14
A LOT ARE DOING GREAT WORK,
BETTER THAN ME, AND I'M REALLY
HAPPY THEY'RE DOING THAT.
00:50:19
YOU GOT THAT RIGHT.
00:50:20
>> Steve: I MENTIONED AT THE
TOP WE SPOKE TEN YEARS AGO.
00:50:23
>> SURE.
00:50:24
>> Steve: IF WE SPEAK TEN
YEARS FROM NOW, WHAT ARE THINGS
GOING TO BE LIKE?
00:50:29
>> I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE CHILDREN
SPEAKING AS A FIRST LANGUAGE BUT
WE NEED THE SUPPORT FROM THE
00:50:33
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO GARNER
ENOUGH FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO
PUT IT WHERE REALLY THE MOST
00:50:37
EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS ARE, AND I'D
LIKE TO SEE PEOPLE IDENTIFYING
THROUGH USE OF THE LANGUAGE AS A
00:50:44
PRIMARY LANGUAGE WITHIN
INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES.
00:50:48
I DON'T THINK THAT'S TOO
FAR-FETCHED.
00:50:50
BECAUSE WE CAN CREATE HIGHLY
PROFICIENT SPEAKERS WITHIN TWO
TO THREE YEARS.
00:50:54
IF WE HAVE THE RESOURCES OR WE
HAVE THE SUPPORT TO DO THAT,
YOU'D BE AMAZED HOW MUCH WE CAN
00:50:59
DO CONSIDERING HOW MUCH WE'VE
DONE WITH VIRTUALLY NO RESOURCES
FOR THE LAST 50, 60, 70 YEARS,
00:51:06
AND IT IS STILL EXISTING.
00:51:08
YOU KNOW THAT THE HEART IS
THERE.
00:51:10
PEOPLE ARE GOING TO DO IT
WITHOUT THE MONEY.
00:51:12
HOWEVER, WE'D LIKE TO SEE ENOUGH
MONEY THAT WENT INTO DESTROYING
OUR LANGUAGES TO REVITALIZE THEM
00:51:19
IN ORDER FOR THINGS LIKE REALLY
TO HEAL THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES HAVE WITH
00:51:24
CANADA.
00:51:25
>> Steve: THAT'S RYAN
DeCAIRE, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR,
CENTRE FOR INDIGENOUS STUDIES IN
00:51:28
THE DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS AT
THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO.
00:51:31
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SAY GOOD-BYE
IN MOHAWK FOR US?
00:51:34
[SPEAKING MOHAWK LANGUAGE]
>> Steve: THANK YOU, RYAN.
00:51:36
REALLY A PLEASURE TO SEE YOU
AGAIN.
00:51:38
>> YEAH.
00:51:38
THANK YOU.
