"Youth are leading the charge in revitalizing indigenous languages"

Interest in revitalizing indigenous languages on Six Nations is blooming and it's mostly the youth who are leading the charge.

Over 100 people gathered for a celebration of Six Nations languages during Indigenous Languages Day at Six Nations Polytechnic last Tuesday, where Rick Hill, coordinator of the Indigenous Knowledge Centre at Polytechnic, says there is a renewed interest in learning the languages among Six Nations people.

Despite the fact that out of 25,000 band members, only 50 people are fluent in one of the languages, there are many more young people learning and waiting in the wings to revitalize traditional Haudenosaunee languages.

Most of those fluent speakers are over 80, but Hill said there are currently about 250 students right now trying to learn one of the six Haudenosaunee languages in the hopes of becoming fluent.

Hill blames the loss of language on both residential schools and the Sixties Scoop, when native children were forced to attend church-run boarding schools or live with non-­native foster parents, where they weren't allowed to speak their language.

He remembers when he was a young child that his grandparents refused to speak the language around him. They left the room when they spoke one of the languages, he said.

He said they told him, "We don't want you to feel the sting of racism when others hear the language."

Karen Sandy, coordinator of the Six Nations Language Commission, says it's important to hold a celebration of indigenous languages every year.

"It's just great," she said last Tuesday, as Polytech's Grand River Room was bustling with activity and people visiting booths to learn about the languages.

"It brings more notoriety and awareness (to the languages) because we know they're in such a critical state. It's good to see people come out. People are interested in revitalizing the languages so I think that's really important."

A number of language programs showcased their services at various booths set up to educate the community about the different programs available for learning one of the languages.

About 100 people showed up to the event.

Sandy said during the event people were interested in signing up for a language class.

She said the language programs offered on Six Nations are flexible, with both day and evening classes to suit everyone's schedule.

"There's so many options for language learning now," she said.

Heather Bomberry, administrative assistant at the Indigenous Knowledge Centre at Six Nations Polytechnic, said the purpose of Indigenous Languages Day is to promote Haudenosaunee languages.

"It's to celebrate and promote our indigenous languages so for the last few years, we've tried to do something every year. We're encouraging and showing what we have to offer, not just here at Six Nations Polytechnic, but in the community, as well."

She said, "We're losing the language and this is a great day to promote that.

"Right now, a lot of young people are going back (to learn the language).

"We encourage people to learn (the language)," she said. "It's in us; that's who we are. Even with the ceremonies and everything, it all ties together and the language is so meaningful. There's some words (in English) that when we try to translate it into the language, you can't, because there's more to it because it's not just a word, it's a world view.

The ultimate goal of the Indigenous Knowledge Centre, she said, is to have every community member become bilingual. "We're trying to incorporate that now."

The event also celebrated the launch of a special book called "Carrying it Forward: Traditional Knowledge Through the Eyes of Young Hodinohso:ni Artists", the cover of which featured the artwork of Turtle Island News' own Bill Powless.

The book was a project of the 2014 summer art camp participants at the Indigenous Knowledge Centre.