The Morgan and Dool families are part of a growing trend of First Nations families in British Columbia speaking their mother tongues in their homes.
A report undertaken by the First Peoples Cultural Council on the Status of BC First Nations Languages, released last week, indicates that more parents are raising their children at home with their Indigenous language as their first language.“One of the key indicators of language modality is the language being transmitted in the home,” said Herbert, who credits the growing access adults have to immersion programs for bringing the language into the home.
Dool understands the importance of keeping her language alive. After all, at one point her great grandmother Ts’áts’elexwót was one of only two fluent language speakers in the community and was strong in Halq’eméylem revitalization. Now there is only one fluent speaker left in the community. Gwa’amuuk speaks Gitsenimx with her children, four-year-old Skiltuu and nine-month-old Mason, when they’re playing together.
Dool is more conservative, saying her household is “probably not even close” to 50 per cent Halq’eméylem-speaking. She is quick to point out that her children are surpassing the adults with their vocabulary. “We pivoted,” said Herbert. “First Nations people are very adaptable and resilient…They were able to come up with the solutions and carry on with the work.”“With that increased funding and support, of course, comes more opportunities and certainly BC First Nation individuals and communities are taking up those opportunities with gusto,” said Herbert.
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