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Language revitalization in a Overview multilingual community: Métis language community is hard to define, the case of Michif due to cultural multilingualism and geography. Unilingual North American society has infiltrated Métis culture. Métis share history, music and traditions, but language has become a catalyst for divisiveness rather than unity a problem in collaborative revitalization efforts. Can new technologies and inclusiveness Nicole Rosen & Heather Souter bridge this divide? University of Lethbridge 1.0 Historical background Red River communities Descendants of French fathers and First Nations mothers Emerged as a new identity in the 18th century in Red River Settlements (Manitoba) Image created by Gabriel Dumont Institute Multilingualism as traditional aspect of Michif identity Métis people were in a privileged “they were…exceptionally apt linguists. Most of position in late 18th and early 19th them spoke at least two languages, French and Cree, and many quickly added other Indian centuries, and bilingualism/ tongues and English…Their own patois, still biculturalism was a source of cultural spoken by them throughout the West, is a identity and pride mixture of French and Cree or Chippewa with some English words.” Métis were often interpreters and [Howard 1952:52-53] guides (Sealey & Lussier 1975) Dispersion Métis dispersions in 1870s after Red River Rebellion, 1885 after Battle of Batoche, forced the Métis out of their homeland and further west. 2.0 Language situation Post-dispersion today Persecuted by both European and First Michif languages Nations peoples. No status or reserves. Many Elders speak one or more Métis languages as well as English In 1982, Métis were officially recognized as one of Canada’s distinct Aboriginal Most young Métis speak only English Peoples in the Constitution Act. Language transmission stopped largely as a result of the Indian Section 2: ‘"aboriginal peoples of Canada" includes the Indian, Inuit and Métis peoples of Residential Schools, starting after Canada’ 1920. http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/const/annex_e.html Multiple Michifs? 2.1Métis French Métis people traditionally identified Métis dialect of French, spoken in themselves as “Michif” and not Manitoba & Saskatchewan. “Metis” St Laurent variety described in Papen (1993, 1998). Natural for a person with a Michif Li Bon Dieu, Not Createur, donne nous li courage, identity to call the language they donne nouse enne bonne pensee, faite quon va speak Michif marchee ensemble, quon va dhire marsee et aite fiere...Il fault avoir les famille d'Michif fort pour Speaking Michif doesn't mean avoir enne nation d'Michif fort speaking the same language Michif prayer 2.2 Métis Cree Michif-Michif ‘French Cree’ is term in Bakker Language described in Rhodes (1997) to refer to Ile-a-la-Crosse 1977, 1986, Bakker 1997, Rosen Michif, which may be similar to 2007. (same as?) northern AB Michif. Usually characterized as French-Cree Unaware of any in-depth study, but mixed language, with noun phrase Cree structure, with French and primarily from French, verb phrase possibly Saulteaux (Muehlbauer, pc) primarily from Cree. influence. On Métis language Comparison of languages adjustment and attitudes ‘Michif French’ “… it really depends where you are and who you’re lI garsõ pi la pcit fij ijavy…hors, so pci zhwal with. Honest. I just noticed that too, you know. For instance, sa prã cI-sIpwe:the:ja:n for ‘I have to go.’ I’ll say that to some of the people here. But with some people I will say pigo cI- ‘Ile-a-la-Crosse Michif’, or Métis Cree sIpwe:the:ja:n…You know what kind of language Iskwe:sis ekwa na:pe:sis i:sahkIcijIk mIstatImwa they use, and how it fits in. You just do it wa:pami:wak automatically, you know. They’re all Métis, but they talk different, you know.” [Bakker 1997: 160] ‘Mixed-language Michif’ La pcit fij ci garsõ giwa wa:pame:w æ pci zhwal Examples in Bakker [1997:134-6] Métis organizational Métis identity today structure “The Métis people constitute a distinct Aboriginal Provincial political organizations nation largely based in western Canada. The Métis Nation grounds its assertion of Aboriginal from Ontario to BC. nationhood on well-recognized international principles. It has a shared history, a common culture ‘locals’ in different communities (song, dance, dress, national symbols, etc.), a unique language (MMichif with various regional within the province dialects), extensive kinship connections from Ontario westward, a distinct way of life, a traditional territory and a collective consciousness” http://www.metisnation.ca/who/index.html Métis ‘community’ Language as identity Although there is a common culture of song, The Métis are based on the mixing dance, dress, food, languages themselves are of cultures & languages. often not shared. Multilingualism may be shared, but not What is the ‘community’? necessarily the actual language. Métis speakers of a particular Métis Society of unilingualism means multilingualism no language? longer norm; Métis are affected by this and language becomes divisive. Métis of a particular province? Especially true given sensitivity to being ‘half- Métis speakers of a particular language breeds’. Unique language = unique status. of a particular province? Michif is unique to Métis, while Saulteaux, Cree, All Métis people? French are spoken by other cultures. Michif as national language Michif designated national Métis language Promotion of one language means Whereas the Métis emerged in Canada as a distinct demotion of others. nation with a unique culture; and whereas during the genesis of the Métis Nation, Michif evolved as a distinct Métis people torn, divided. language of the Métis Nation; and whereas it is recognized within international law that language is one of the requirements of the establishment of reaffirmation of Nationhood; therefore be it resolved that the Métis National Council recognize and declare Michif as the historical and official language of the Métis Nation. Michif declaration July 23, 2000 2 problems unique to Métis What about revitalization? language revitalization Which language(s) are we revitalizing? Geography: due to dispersion of Métis in The most endangered needs most help right 19th century and to lack of lands allotted now. to Métis (other than in Alberta), there is Community must be involved and no Métis territory committed for revitalization to succeed. (Hinton, Grenoble & Whaley, many Language use: because Métis people were others) traditionally multilingual, difficult to get whole community behind Michif. General Proper understanding of languages How to make a we’re dealing with, where they’re revitalization/documentation project spoken and by whom. work in the diverse & divided Métis Encouraging people in different community? communities to work on their language. Promotion of all Métis languages. Lobbying of Métis and Canadian politicians to recognize that multilingualism is element of Métis l Specific: Michif dictionary project Upon consultation with Métis people, obvious “Word-building in Michif” that building a site for a single Michif language could create animosities between Métis speakers SSHRC Aboriginal Grant to research Michif of different “Michifs” morpho-syntax and build online dictionary Much more money is being spent on ‘Michif’; can from Toolbox database. cause frustration and alienation. Project was granted specifically for Decision made to open site to be more inclusive. ‘Michif’ language East Cree Project (Junker) Michifdictionary.org www.eastcree.org Site under construction, but Site includes text, dictionary entries and infrastructure will ensure room in multimedia files in both Southern & Northern dialects of East Cree database for other languages, like East Cree site with dialects. Room in the databases to include Inland & Coastal variations. Since Métis people share culture, Trying “to find a balance between visual and print “learning objects” standardization and respect of speech can be used for other Métis diversity.” languages. Project and Access to Language New Media and the Internet: Resources for Distributed Learning Allowing Unity Among Diversity New media/Internet make it possible to Major community benefits of the show the relatedness (and differences) of project are: diverse dialects and languages through: access to language resources by a Being able to easily compare widely dispersed nation; both rural and dialects/languages and urban Métis potentially have access. Using the same cultural “visual objects” to Access to language resources by those support understanding involved in school, family and Cross-referencing is easier. community based language programs; Allowing Métis people the opportunity to learn Métis institutions, groups, families and more than one Métis language and return to individuals can access and use the multilingualism if they so choose. resources References Bakker, Peter. 1997. A language of our own. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Howard, Joseph Kinsey. Strange Empire. A narrative of the Northwest. New York: William Morrow. Papen, Robert A. 1993 «La variation dialectale dans le parler français des Métis de l'Ouest canadien» Francophonies d'Amérique, no. 3. Papen, Robert A. 1998 «Le français des Métis de l'Ouest canadien» In P. Brasseur (réd.) Les français d'Amérique du Nord en situation minoritaire. Avignon, Presses de l'Université d'Avignon et du Vaucluse. Sealey, D Bruce & Antoine S Lussier. 1975. The Métis: Canada’s forgotten people. Winnipeg: Pemmican Publications..
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