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Running head: A DIFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION

“A Different Language is a Different Vision of Life” Federico Fellini Nicole Gizzie Athabasca University INST 301: Indigenous Education Assignment 6: Final Research Essay James Shawana February 13, 2019

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The Importance Language has on Indigenous Culture and Education. If you use languages as a determinate of how many cultures there are in the world, “t he r ea r e5 , 0 0 0t o6 , 0 0 0 . So mec u l t u r e sa r ebe g i n n i n gt od wi n d l ed u et og l o b a l i z a t i o ns p r e a d i n g d i ffe r e n ts y s t e msa ndb e l i e f s ”( I ACPu b l i s h i n g ,2 0 1 9) . Language can be defined as “a systematic means of communicating ideas or feelings by the use of conventionalized signs, sounds, gestures, or marks having understood meanings” (Merriam-Webster, 2019). La n g ua g ec o n n e c t s kn o wl e d g e ,e a c ho n evi t a lt ot h ee x i s t e n c eo ft h eo t h e r .Th eI n d i g e n o usc u l t u r er e l i e so nt h e t r a n s mi s s i o no fk n o wl e d g ef r o mg e ne r a t i o nt og e n e r a t i o n ,v a l ue sa n db e l i e f su p h e l db yt h a t p a r t i c u l a rc u l t u r a lc o mmu n i t y .Language is the way in which culture is expressed and understood, without language the transmission of knowledge is incomplete. The Indigenous culture has encountered numerous threats to their existence, colonialism and the Eurocentric education system have made an indelible impact on the transmission of knowledge and the Aboriginal culture. Cu l t u r ei s“ integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations” (Merriam-Webster, 2019). Colonialization drastically impacted the delivery of traditional Indigenous knowledge; “cultural racism, is the imposition of one worldview on a people who have an alternative worldview, with the implication that the imposed worldview is superior to the alternative worldview” (Battiste, 2000, p.193). The goal of colonization is total replacement of another culture, deemphasized cultural beliefs and adopting another cultures values and beliefs system. How an individual identifies themselves within a culture is developed and molded to their specific environment. “A person’s understanding of their own and others’ cultural identity develops from birth and is shaped by the values and attitudes prevalent at home and in the

A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION OF LIFE surrounding community. This identity becomes more complex and fluid over time as people develop allegiances to different groups within the broader society” (NSW Government, 2015). A person’s first language helps an individual learn to express their feelings and opinions about the world around them. “Language is intrinsic to the expression of culture. As a means of communicating values, beliefs and customs, it has an important social function and fosters feelings of group identity and solidarity. It is the means by which culture and its traditions and shared values may be conveyed and preserved” (NSW Government, 2015). Indigenous Elders hold an unmeasurable value within their culture. They are the key holders to unlock traditional knowledge to pass down, along with language and cultural teachings that make up their community. “Within multilingual societies, the maintenance of the languages of the various ethnic and cultural groups is critical for the preservation of cultural heritage and identity. The loss of language means the loss of culture and identity. In many societies throughout history, the suppression of the languages of minority groups has been used as a deliberate policy in order to suppress those minority cultures. As a result a large number of the world’s languages have been lost with the processes of colonization and migration” (NSW Government, 2015). The loss of cultures and languages are not only devastating to those cultures but also to the world as ages of knowledge and traditions are lost. Early exposure to a language helps children develop a connection to their cultural heritage. “Many Indigenous children in Canada have lost their first languages traditions, customs, and beliefs, as well as their connection to the earth and their sense of place because of the residential school system and other colonial practices” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.45). Some of the oldest traditions have been lost, “Indigenous people have historically educated their children by connecting them to Mother Earth. Through land-based

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learning, children develop a sense of place that roots them in their culture, including social and environmental relationships. They learn how their languages works to describe and connect them to the land, and how their material culture comes from their environment” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.45). Community engaged cultures allow students with both home and classroom based education to blend. Encouraging pride in every student’s cultural heritage encourages motivation in studies and a personal investment in their community. Positive attitudes create “a true sense of place, language, and tradition must always include Indigenous Elders who connect children to Indigenous history, practices, knowledge, and community” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.45). “Language as a tool of communication also has the potential to inform and reflect people’s environment and how it is interpreted, spoken, transmitted, and preserved under the impact of culture” (Shamail, 2015. p.18). Language is used to maintain culture and increases long term health benefits for individuals within that community. “Culture is learned, shared, and transmitted; it is learned through relationships with other people and connects people together as well” (Shamail, 2015. p.19). Community involvement in practices teachings of their heritage and awareness of the value in their cultural language. “The relationship between language and culture, the roles they serve and the diversity of views held toward the use of language constitute important elements in language education” (Shamail, 2015. p.18). “As culture evolves through relation with others, it is a social product and thereby transmitted largely through language” (Shamail, 2015. p.18). “The culture of a people finds reflection in the language they employ: because they value certain things and do them in a certain way, they come to use their language in ways that reflect what they value and what they do” (Shamail, 2015. p.19). The “…thoughts of a culture are reflected in their language”

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(Shamail, 2015. p.20) and are represented by their Elders. “…Many aboriginal parents refrained from speaking their heritage languages to their children in efforts to boost their chances for success to mainstream society as well as to protect them from the shame and pain they themselves experienced in schools and everyday life. As generations of young aboriginal children grew up monolingual in English, the number of aboriginal language speakers dropped steadily at first and now rapidly as elder speakers age and pass on” (Baloy, 2011, p. 518). Childhood programs need to bridge the gaps between what students already know, new knowledge and how they are relatable. “Revitalization of Indigenous language and culture is an ongoing effort in many native early childhood programs. Diversity of our world’s languages and cultures has been rapidly diminishing due to colonial efforts to discourage or even outlaw Indigenous languages and practices, followed by modern media and commerce, instant communications, and the education and economic need for fluency in dominant languages such as English” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.43). “Valuing languages and cultures is the first step towards developing intercultural understanding” (Rader, 2015, p.17). “Education is not only the arena in which culture, mores, and social values are transmitted to the student” (Battiste, 2000, p.194). “The purpose of education is to transmit culture to new generations. But culture remains elusive; it is implicitly summed up by skills and shared traditions” (Battiste, 2000, p.196). “Early care and education programs play a vital role in strengthening their communities’ language and traditional practices” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.43). “With rapid economic development and change, there are also impending signs of a vanishing culture” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.44). A deepened understanding of knowledge of how students develop linguistic skills and confront issues with self-esteem as well as cultural pride in their heritages language and culture is needed.

A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION OF LIFE “Worldviews do not arise spontaneously. Our perspective on the world in which we live is shaped in part by the cultural imprint of socialization. Each person learns to see the world in a particular way as a result of the interplay between their individual character and the socializing forces of the cultural group to which they belong” (Hewitt, 2000, p.111). “…this view has been shaped by unconscious influences (culture)” (Hewitt, 2000, p.111) created from the community and individuals around us. Our unconscious influences are molded from life experiences and teachings that we have received. “A significant implication for education systems is the acknowledgement that learning is culturally based and thus every method of teaching and learning must take cognizance of the learner’s worldview” (Hewitt, 2000, p.111). Success of a co-existing multicultural community depends on the acceptance of others worldviews. “Aboriginal worldview accepts that survival depends on cooperation and coexistence with the forces of nature rather than expecting to manipulate and control them. Social relations are also dependent on harmony and coexistence with strict social code and mores to dictate relationships. People see themselves as part of the social order, with deep respect for their environment, because of their dependence on the land and its resources. The affinity with the and produces a reverence with no concept of private ownership. The land is referred to as “mother…” (Hewitt, 2000, p.112). “Despite increasing recognition of the importance of acknowledging the cultural contribution students bring to the school, teachers still tend to blame children for their failure to adapt to the values of the dominant culture on which the school culture is based” (Hewitt, 2000, p.113). Training and programs need to be developed and maintain to ensure that support staff are educated on ways to promote and encourage a positive environment. “Aboriginal children need to be encouraged to be proud of their culture and provided with opportunities to share aspects of

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it with the other students. Teachers need to develop an understanding to the culture and accept the contribution Aboriginal students can make to the learning process” (Hewitt, 2000, p.115). It is important that schools accept the “…Aboriginal languages in schools and opportunities for cultural maintenance encourages children to identify positively with their community” (Hewitt, 2000, p.115). Early introduction of Aboriginal and English language immersion is an “essential part of this two-way schooling is acceptance of the use of the mother tongue and its adoption as the main language of instruction in the early years of schooling” (Hewitt, 2000, p.116). “Unless a child’s first language is recognized and given statues in educational environments, a partnership between the home and school cannot be developed” (Hewitt, 2000, p.116). It is key for students to have support in both the school and at home. “Linguistic anthropologists and other scholars have recognized the sociocultural implications of languages and examined its social functions. The study of “language ideology” has emerged as a “mediating link between social structures and forms of talk.” Language ideology refers to the social connection people make with their own or others’ languages, dialects, or language variations” (Baloy, 2011, p. 516) …and that “the gate of many minority languages is likely to be determines to a large extent by ideology” (Baloy, 2011, p. 516-517). “Language revitalization is a key concern for contemporary aboriginal people. This pressing issue deserves attention and action, and integrating urban aboriginal people into wider language revitalization efforts is an essential step. Bringing urban aboriginal people together with their heritage languages can enhance connections between peoples, homelands, and cultural identities” (Baloy, 2011, p. 539). It is essential to find a “meaningful ways of integrating aboriginal heritage into urban lifestyles can extend to making placed for aboriginal languages” (Baloy, 2011, p. 528). Creating places for people to safely express their cultural beliefs and

A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION OF LIFE values, makes a place “for language in the city involves identifying how aboriginal languages can fit into urban people’s lived, integrating language with other forms of urban cultural expression, engaging in ideological clarification to determine motivations and goals for learning and updating vocabularies to reflect city lifestyles” (Baloy, 2011, p. 531). “Competing priorities of city life can also pose a major challenge…” (Baloy, 2011, p. 536) for this generations people being raised/ living outside of a reserve. Language and culture are interwoven; language plays a crucial part in the existence of culture in the world. “As languages disappear, cultures die. The world becomes inherently a less interesting place, but we also sacrifice raw knowledge and the intellectual achievements of millennia” (NSW Government, 2015). By empowering cultural identity “… by promoting and understating Aboriginal worldviews, languages, and knowledge” (Battiste, 2000, p.193) provides people with an engaged image of cultural pride. Traditional Indigenous education focus on “Land-based teaching that connects children to community, history, and culture is key to revitalizing and sustaining Indigenous language and tradition” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.45). Land based teachings need to be included into the current formal educational system. By preserving foundational Aboriginal knowledge, future generations of people with cultural knowledge and students not educated in Indigenous traditions will have access to historical knowledge. This historical knowledge brings together cultures and helps create an understanding amongst. “One of the most powerful ways of preserving Indigenous cultures is for parents and institutions to teach children, so that they grow up to be proud and confident of who they are and have a clear path toward their future. Children need to understand their past in order to order to flourish in the present and share their language and cultural traditions with future generations” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.47).

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A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE IS A DIFFERENT VISION OF LIFE “Teaching and impairing cultural knowledge proves to be of great significance to the learners’ linguistic expression as culture plays a vital role in fostering intercultural communicative competence” (Shamail, 2015, p.21). “Incorporating the culture of the target language along with linguistic skills has brought rapid change in language teaching” (Shamail, 2015, p.20). The revitalization of the Aboriginal language requires the effort of not just individuals that identity with the Aboriginal community but the surrounding cultures. We “… can all play a role in our daily lives by respecting Indigenous cultures and Integrating them both in policy and practice” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.47). “The revival of culture and languages, in effort not to lose our identity as First Nations people, will take great effort by community members” (Clearsky, 2011, p.2). The unfortunate reality is that “Many Indigenous languages are just one or two generations from extinction” (Carlson, Codopony, Gayleg and Gilbert, 2016, p.43). “…language revitalization, represents opportunities for reclamation of Native identity and pride, decolonization, and assertion of sovereignty” (Baloy, 2011, p. 518). Language transforms the World in which we all share.

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References

Baloy, N. (2011). We Can’t Feel Our Language: Making places in the City for Aboriginal Language Revitalization. University of Nebraska Press. Read pages 515-539. Battiste, M. (2000). Maintaining Aboriginal identity, language and culture. In Reclaiming Indigenous voice and vision. UBC Press.Vancouver. [E-book] Read pages 192–208. Carlson, B., Codopony, C., Gayleg, K., & Gilbert, T. (2016). The Critical Role of Early Educators in Sustaining Endangered Languages and Cultures. Exchange (19460406), (230), 43–47. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=116 968507&site=eds-live Clearsky, E. (2011). Destruction of a Language and Culture: A Personal Story. Diaspora, Indigenous & Minority Education, 5(4), 260. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edb&AN=664 37433&site=eds-live Fellini, F. 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/language Hewitt, D. (2000). A Clash of Worldviews: Experiences From Teaching Aboriginal Students. IAC Publishing. 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.reference.com/world-view/many-culturesworld-a6b66f86285de851 Merriam-Webster. 2019. Retrieved from: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/language NSW Government. 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.racismnoway.com.au/aboutracism/understanding-racism/the-importance-of-culture-language-and-identity/

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Rader, D. (2015). Valuing languages and cultures: the first step towards developing intercultural understanding. International Schools Journal, 34(2), 17–22. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=113 372381&site=eds-live Shamail, A. (2015). The Nexus of Language and Culture in Foreign Language Education. Perspectives (TESOL Arabia), 23(1), 18–23. Retrieved from http://0search.ebscohost.com.aupac.lib.athabascau.ca/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=101 662710&site=eds-live...