First Nation students reach half-way point of Indigenous language program
A group of Syilx Okanagan First Nation students is celebrating a personal act of resistance and renewal — speaking their Indigenous language, Nsyilxcn.
Last week marked the halfway point of a four-year program and a graduation ceremony to celebrate the second successful year. Students received a 900-hour Certificate of First Nations Language Proficiency from Simon Fraser University.
The Syilx Language House formed in 2015 to bring a cohort of adult learners to fluency and deliver 2,000 hours of university-level language instruction using a combination of intensive curriculum and regular visits from fluent elders. Teachers also work with fluent elders to create and publish audio recordings. Creating new speakers is an incredible undertaking, an act of decolonizing resistance and part of building an ultimate picture of health for Indigenous communities.
Each of the 17 learners has their own reasons for committing to the program, but essentially joined together to create a cohort of advanced speakers. The program operates in Penticton, a centralized location in the Syilx Nation so that members of many communities can attend. As one student,
As one student explained, “it’s like the Language House is building a big centralized fire and (after four years) when it burns down to coals we will see which coals are strong enough to start their own fires in other communities.”
The graduation event celebrates not only the students’ hard work, but recognizes the commitment and support of their communities. The program is a unique partnership across the Syilx Nation. Students travel from Vernon, Westbank, Osoyoos and Keremeos to attend in Penticton.
The program is supported by the Osoyoos Indian Band, Penticton Indian Band, Westbank First Nation, Simon Fraser University, Mitacs, and First Peoples Culture Council with core funding, and the Okanagan Indian Band, Okanagan Nation Alliance, Sensisyusten School and Outma Sqilxw Cultural School and School District 23 support employees to attend the program.
Chief Clarence Louie of the Osoyoos Indian Band expressed his congratulations.
“I am very proud of all the students and staff of the Syilx Language House for their commitment to advancing and preserving our endangered language by completing the second year of the language program. It has taken a lot of planning by the Language house and financial commitment from the Bands involved to get half way through the program. Congrats!”
Students are learning cultural knowledge and traditional stories in immersion, following a complete Nsyilxcn Curriculum developed by the Salish School of Spokane. Grouse Barnes, fluent Elder from Westbank First Nation said of the learners, “when I first started working with them they were babies in the language. They have come a long way. Even in their personal growth.”
The 17 students and teachers include: Jordan Coble, Tiana Louis, Morning Dove Hall, Ramona Louis, Shayla Allison, Maynard McRae, Levi Bent, Dawn Machin, Krista Allison, Tyler Ernst, Sarah Alexis, Sheri Stelkia, Hailey Causton, Sonya Jensen, Flynn Wetton and Michele Johnson.