52 Ways to Reconcile: How to Walk with Indigenous Peoples on the Path to Healing

Week 11
Learn Everyday Words in Indigenous Languages
from Robertson, David A. 52 Ways to Reconcile: How to Walk with Indigenous Peoples on the Path to Healing

In this chapter, Robertson returns to a theme he touched on earlier: the importance of language. For many Indigenous communities, language is deeply tied to identity, culture, and worldview. Elders often say that when a language is lost, a culture is lost with it. Because of the lasting impacts of colonial policies, including residential schools, many Indigenous languages are now at risk as older fluent speakers pass away and fewer young people have had the chance to learn.

Robertson believes that language revitalization is one of the most important aspects of reconciliation, and he reminds readers that everyone can play a small part in that work. Becoming fluent in an Indigenous language may not be realistic for most people, but learning a few everyday words can be a meaningful sign of respect. Simple greetings or expressions of gratitude can help acknowledge the language and culture of the people whose lands we share.

One important step, he notes, is learning the language connected to the Indigenous communities in your own region. Canada is home to more than seventy Indigenous languages, and many areas include several different Nations and language groups. Taking the time to learn words from the appropriate language shows care and awareness.

Robertson shares a personal story about learning this lesson himself. At the launch of his first graphic novel, he thanked the audience by saying “Meegwetch,” only to have his father gently remind him afterward that their family’s language is Cree, where the word for thank you is “Ekosani.” It was a small mistake, but one that taught him the importance of knowing which language belongs to which community.

There are many ways to begin learning. Online dictionaries, language apps, and websites can help translate words, while books, especially children’s picture books designed for language learning, can be wonderful tools as well. Indigenous bookstores and publishers often carry materials created specifically to support language revitalization.

For Robertson, the point is not perfection but intention. Even learning a few words, using them respectfully, and sharing that learning with others can be a small but meaningful act of connection and respect.

What words from the Indigenous languages of your region might you begin learning, and how could using them help deepen your awareness of the people and cultures connected to this land?

Want to read last weeks post, you can do so here.