Beneath your feet are the languages of the country.
The most recent Statistics Canada census gives us an overview of the country’s Indigenous linguistic landscape and where 60 languages belonging to 12 major families – Inuit, 10 First Nations and Michif (Métis) – are used today. Most of them have been spoken and evolved for thousands of years, much longer than English or French.
The data used for this map* illustrates the “Indigenous language spoken at home”, whether it is the first or second language. In Canada, nearly 229,000 people rely on one or more of these languages, including people who retained their mother tongue, those who became fluent in their ancestral language later in life, and those who learned the languages of the region or indigenous community where they settled.
The precarious state of many of Canada’s original languages is well documented. The Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger published by UNESCO indicates that three-quarters of the country’s indigenous languages are “definitely endangered”, “seriously endangered” or “critically endangered”. The rest are classified as “vulnerable (potentially endangered)”. Today, it is estimated that only Cree, Inuktitut and Ojibwe have enough speakers to survive.
Residential schools interrupted the transmission of languages from one generation to the next, while the reserve system and other colonial policies separated communities that had common languages and traditions. The repercussions are still felt today: widespread loss of languages, and damage to culture, personal identity and the health of communities. Of the approximately 1.5 million Indigenous people living in Canada, only 15% speak their original language at home.
The statistics may seem grim, but they hide a richer, more nuanced story than one might think, says Onowa McIvor, an associate professor in the department of Indigenous studies at the University of Victoria and an expert on language revitalization. Like others, as an adult she learned Nehîyawîwin (Swamp Cree), the language of her maternal grandparents in northern Manitoba. “In my lifetime,” she says, “I can see new generations being born and growing up in their first language because their parents took the initiative to learn it. »
The University of Victoria offers nationally recognized undergraduate and graduate programs focused on revitalizing Indigenous languages, and McIvor cites many success stories across the country: adult language societies on reserves and in urban centers , immersion and bilingualism programs in elementary schools, and “language revitalization homes” (early childhood immersion programs run by older speakers).
With laws, strong policies to support their enforcement, and stable funding, many of the country’s original languages can experience a revival and become an integral part of society at large. It is with this in mind that, in Budget 2017, the Government of Canada allocated $90 million “to the preservation, protection and revitalization of Indigenous languages and cultures.” The government has also committed to adopting an Indigenous Languages Act by 2018, which would be a first step toward protecting Indigenous languages in the country.
It’s not just an Indigenous issue, emphasizes Ms. McIvor; all Canadians can benefit from the revitalization of Indigenous languages. “Indigenous languages are part of the heritage of Canadians, including those who are not Indigenous. » According to her, in the early days of colonization, Canada was for a time a multilingual nation where Europeans learned and spoke Indigenous languages in addition to their own languages.
“Let us remember and celebrate this history, which dates back more than 150 years ago. This is what the founding of Canada is truly about. »
Note: The map is available in English only.
