National Indigenous Languages Day, celebrated on March 31, honours diverse Indigenous languages from coast to coast to coast and recognizes the incredible efforts Indigenous people have taken to reclaim and revitalize their languages.   Language revitalization initiatives include documenting and recording fluent speakers, language immersion nests for preschoolers, classes and conversation groups for all ages, teacher training programs, and more.

Indigenous Languages – general

Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages   The Commission promotes and champions Indigenous languages and supports the efforts of Indigenous Peoples across Canada to reclaim, revitalize, maintain, and strengthen their languages.

First Nations- British Columbia

FirstVoices  is an internationally recognized online platform for Indigenous communities to share and promote their languages, oral cultures and linguistic histories.  Language champions collaborate with Indigenous Elders, youth and speakers to create and share language resources like words, phrases, songs and stories.

Find Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and Central Coast First Nations language resources here

First Peoples’ Cultural Council  Revitalizing First Nations Languages, Arts, Cultures and Heritage in British Columbia

Inuit

  • Inuktut Tusaalanga Inuktut language learning resources, including lessons and sound files.

Métis

Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle Learning resources and online community to support revitalization of Southern Michif and other Indigenous languages spoken by the Métis and kin.

SpeakMichif.ca  The Michif Language Revitalization Circle, based in BC, was founded to advance the revitalization of the Michif and Cree languages by further developing and promoting the Coloured Syllable Phonetic Learning System.

Online Film

National Film Board of Canada Indigenous Cinema  Indigenous-made films about Indigenous languages

APTN Languages  TV channel and streaming service that presents programs in Indigenous languages

Traditional Law Through Indigenous Language Resurgence Lindsay Keegitah Borrows shares stories from her book Otter’s journey, which explores how Indigenous language revitalization can inform the emerging field of Indigenous legal revitalization.  Part of the Learning with Syeyutsus/TRC57 speaker series.

Kanopy –  Language Families of the World  The Original American Languages, episodes 27, 28, 29, 30.  Professor John McWhorter, Columbia University, introduces the first languages of North America.