New video game brings Tlicho folktale to life

A traditional Tlicho folktale is getting a modern twist.

After five years of planning and work, two university students from Toronto are getting ready to launch their Tlicho video game How Fox Saved the People.

• My language my heart: Inuinnaqtun could be gone within two generations four Inuit women are doing something about it

The idea for the game came in 2013, when Luke West and Sherry Hucklebridge were studying language revitalization at the University of Toronto.

Their assignment? Create learning materials for an under-documented language.

They decided a video game would be the best option.

West said he wanted students to be able to open a laptop and "see their language written, hear their language spoken in a video game," because then it's "exciting to learn and exciting to use."

The game is based on the book How Fox Saved the People a Tlicho folk story. The book was translated by Rosa Mantla, and she was one of the voice actors for the video game.

"We don't want to lose our language," said Mantla."It's another way of promoting our language, life and to get stronger."

West and Hucklebridgevisited schools in Behchoko and Whati this week to give a presentation about the game and teach youth how to play it.

Children at the schools also had a chance to give the creators some feedback. West said the team is going to use their comments to make some changes to the game before it's released to the public in about a week.

The trip to Behchoko was funded by the Tlicho Community Services Agency; it cost just under $8,000 for travel and accommodations for the two students and their professor.

"It's really exciting," said Tammy Steinwand-Deschambeault, the agency's culture and language co-ordinator.

"Language revitalization is really important and if this is a tool that we can use to reach the young people, then I think it's great."

The game will only be available for PCs, but West said he would like to eventally format the game for tablets, smartphones, and Macs.