SILR takes a community-led approach to Indigenous language revitalization. We strive to raise awareness, increase support, and foster collaboration in language revitalization efforts across Turtle Island. We hope to engage with students, staff and Indigenous community members in ongoing discussions which support community-led Indigenous language programs.

This workshop was focused on understanding the ways in which cultural arts and technology are applied to Indigenous language learning. Language Keeper Doreen Daychief, Headman Lyndon Aginas  and moderator Pamela McCoy Jones (SILR Executive Director) opened our discussion.

Sam Hester from The 23rd Story joined us to create a visual summary (graphic recording) of the highlights from the workshop conversations through words and pictures (image above).

Presenters were Rae Anne Claxton, PhD student and Atticus Harrigan, PhD candidate:

Rae Anne Claxton is from Tsawout First Nation on Vancouver Island and is a PhD student at the University of Alberta. Rae Anne is learning Hul’q’umi’num’ from her Elders and has been working for Indigenous Language Revitalization in community and academic settings over the past four years. She is passionate about reclaiming language in her family and her communities; her work centers around weaving Indigenous ways of being, learning, and teaching with linguistic ideology and technology.

Atticus Harrigan is a PhD candidate in Linguistics at the University of Alberta. He researches the ways in which language revitalization can be augmented by new technologies. He has taught courses in general linguistics and technologies for language documentation and has worked with the Community of Maskwacîs in developing a spoken dictionary.