Sask. commits $50,000 a year in new funding to help restore Indigenous languages

Saskatchewan’s government is looking to make it easier for students at the First Nations University of Canada to learn the languages of First Nations people.

On Monday, the province announced it’ll be providing $50,000 annually to help fund new scholarships for students trying to study Indigenous languages at the school in Regina.

The funding will be allocated to three new scholarships administered through the First Nations University of Canada: The Solomon Ratt Indigenous Language and Language Literacy Scholarship, the Indigenous Language Revitalization Entrance Scholarship, and the First Nation Language Instructor Certificate Scholarship.

Jacqueline Ottmann, the president at the First Nations University of Canada, spoke to the significance of this new funding.

“These are all geared towards supporting students in revitalizing and relearning their language,” she said. “At First Nations University of Canada, Indigenous languages is a cornerstone of this institution, so this is something that is integral to our university.”

Ottmann hopes this funding will inspire more students to learn the language of their people.

“It is a time where our Indigenous languages are being challenged, and for some communities, there’s as little as one or four fluent speakers in our community,” Ottmann added. “We’re in a space of crisis in relation to Indigenous language preservation.”

Darian Agecoutay, an instructor at the institution, thinks this will help get people interested in learning languages.

“I teach here at the university and also teach within my reserve and on all three levels (of government) I could see there’s a yearning for the relearning and revitalization of the languages,” Agecoutay explained. “Not only would it help to regain our languages, traditions and culture, but it helps people mentally and find their identity.”

While Agecoutay knew he was of Cree descent growing up, he didn’t know the language. Now that he has learned the language, he feels closer to his culture.

“Growing up, I knew I was Cree, but because I didn’t speak Cree, I felt it was just a title,” Agecoutay said. “But now that I’m able to converse and use the language and have conversations, I (now) know I’m Cree and I feel lit.”

The province says the new funding will benefit 40 students each year.