Anishinabemowin instructor proud, hopeful as she helps pass language to next generation in Interlake - Action News
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Manitoba

Anishinabemowin instructor proud, hopeful as she helps pass language to next generation in Interlake

Lillian Traverse nearly lost touch with her first language of Anishinabemowin in youth amid teasing in school. Now, she's teaching it to elementary school children in Ashern, Man.

Lillian Traverse nearly lost her 1st language in youth amid teasing in school. Now, she's teaching it to kids

A woman directs children through a game of bingo.
Lillian Traverse, centre, an Anishinabemowin instructor in the Lakeshore School Division, teaches students at Ashern Early Years School the numbers one to 10 in Anishinabemowin through a game of bingo. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

Lillian TraversefromPinaymootang First Nationhas been speaking Anishinabemowin most of her life, but there was a time in her youth when she nearly lost touch with her first language, as she was being teased byother kids for speaking it.

Now, she teaches Anishinabemowin, also known as Ojibway, in the Lakeshore School Division and is helping secure the future of the language for generations to come.

"It's dying out, but to bring it back and to keep it going is something that is amazing," Traversesaid ahead of a lesson at Ashern Early Years School.

Traverse got started in the division last fall andis at the school five days a week.Her teachings also include introductions to beading and soapstone carving.

"It's very interesting and exciting; the students are very engaged," saidKaren Carmichael, principal of Ashern Early Years School.

WATCH | Lillian Traverse teaches kids Anishinabemowin through bingo in Ashern:

Teacher in Manitoba Interlake school division protecting Anishinabemowin language from 'dying out'

6 months ago
Duration 3:35
Lillian Traverse nearly lost touch with her first language of Anishinabemowin in youth amid teasing in school. Now, she's teaching it to elementary school children in Ashern, Man.

Carmichael said half of the students in the school are First Nation or Mtis.

"By doing this it brings a connection to their past language, their past culture, their heritage," she said. "We have a very diverse school population.... It's wonderful to have this community where we're getting to learn each other's knowledges."

On this day, Grade 4 students are learning how to count to 10 by playing a game of bingo.

A woman in a yellow shirt with shoulder-length brown hair and glasses stands in a school by a banner that reads 'every child matters.'
Karen Carmichael is principal of Ashern Early Years School. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

Classmates applaud Charles Ammannafter he confidently countsfrom one to 10 inAnishinabemowin. He's still trying to get the hang of how to pronounce seven and eight niizhwaaswiand n'shwaaswi, respectively becausethey "sound the same for me."

"My favourite part about this is we're learning it while we're having fun,"he said, adding he doesn't have anyone in his life who speaksAnishinabemowin.

His classmate Roman Traverse won a round of bingo by completing hiscard with the word naanan the number five in Anishinabemowin.

A young child in a grey hoodie smiles.
Roman Traverse says his grandparents would be proud to know he is learning Anishinabemowin in school, alongside peers from all different backgrounds who haven't had exposure to the language in the home as he has growing up. (Travis Golby/CBC)

In previous sessions, they'velearned animal names.

"Ma'iingan is wolf ... makwa is a bear and mashkode-bizhiki is buffalo," said Roman.

Roman has a leg up on some of his peers as he learned the language in the home. His family moved to the west Interlake from Kinonjeoshtegon First Nation, along the shores of Lake Winnipeg and about 230 kilometres north of Winnipeg, where "everybody knows Ojibway," he said.

Roman said his family is happy that he continues to learnAnishinabemowin in the school, "because they want me to know this when I turn older."

A student covers four spaces on their bingo card as the class in Ashern learns numbers in Anishinabemowin.
A student covers four spaces on their bingo card. (Travis Golby/CBC)

He said it's also fun to speak the language alongside peers from a variety of different backgrounds.

Donald Nikkel, superintendent of human resources and policy at Lakeshore School Division, said the language instruction offers students an opportunity to understand "Indigenous ways of knowing and being."

"There's an incredible power to that," he said.

A building with lettering that reads 'Ashern Early Years School' on the outside.
Ashern Early Years School at the beginning of the school day on March 20 of this year. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)

In her teen years, Traverse said she noticed few of her peers were speaking Anishinabemowin.

She sees a shift now.

"People are more wanting to learn about it... not only the language, but the traditions and the cultures that come with First Nations people," said Traverse.

Some of her favourite words to pass on are miigwechand giga-waabamin menawaa "thank you" and "see you again" or "see you later" in Anishinabemowin.

"I just feel so proud and, like, happy that I could teach them what I know, pass it on to the next generation and they could teach their children," said Traverse. "I'm very, very hopeful that it will continue."

A teacher with black hair in a pony tail is surrounded by young students at two tables covered in bingo cards.
Traverse says getting an opportunity to work in the school system and teach children of all backgrounds is rewarding. (Bryce Hoye/CBC)
The CBC's Bryce Hoye visited a Grade 4 students at Ashern Early Years School last month and learned how Traverse uses games, like bingo, to cement her Anishinabemowin lessons