I was poking through a blog this evening by a grade two teacher from North Battleford visiting Ottawa to attend a conference on federal politics. I was looking at different versions of O'Canada posted for the class when I found the Cree version sung by Akina Shirt at a Calgary Flames game. So much for the blog....I was off into YouTube to find more. There are a few videos up on YouTube of the song, but I found a clip that includes some background to Akina's courageous performance.
The message is clear.....language, culture and identity are inextricably bound together. This was an inspiring re-visit to last year's news.
Aboriginal languages are disappearing. What does this mean for First Nation communities across the country? What is to become of Dene and Cree language in Northern Saskatchewan? What implications does loss of language have for Northern Saskatchewan communities? How are aboriginal people holding onto culture and identity? Students in the Native Studies 10 class have been asked to respond to this video and offer their views of how language is tied to identity. Thank you for the inspiration Akina Shirt. Please comment below. Share your own thoughts and reactions to the video.
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