Cree immersion kindergarten offered in northern Manitoba

Children on anorthern Manitoba reserve have begun studying entirely in their ancestral language of Cree.

Opaskwayak Cree Nation, near The Pas, has three classes of kindergarten students in a Cree immersion program since September.

Derek Fontaine, the principal of the Joe A. Ross School, saidthe immersion program has already proved to bea success.

"The young ones are really picking up the language fast and they're going home and teaching the parents what they've learned at school," he said.

"It's important for the future generations that the language is strong and alive in the community."

Plans for program to grow

Fontaine said the school plans tooffer Grade One immersion next year. He hopes the students will be able to go through to Grade Six in Cree immersion.

'What is happening now is parents and community members that are wanting to learn the language.' -Derek Fontaine, principal

The immersion class has already sparked new interest among adults, especially among parents of students in the immersion classes, he said.

"What is happening now is parents and community members that are wanting to learn the language," he said.

Conference to preserve aboriginal languages

The Cree immersion classes will be among the programs examined at a conference on preserving aboriginal languages that opens in Winnipeg on Monday.

Shirley Fontaine, a spokeswoman for the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, said it would be hard for many First Nations communitiesto emulate the program.

The federal governmentrecently cut millions from aplan to fund aboriginal language preservation and what's left is a pittance, she said.

"For the Manitoba region, it works out to $2 per person, so it's a real challenge to say: 'Okay, here's two dollars: you maintain your language on this Toonie.'"