What is the status of BC First nations languages? - First Peoples

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The First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council (FirstPeoples’ Council) is a provincial Crown Corporation dedicated to FirstNations languages, arts and culture. Since its formation in 1990, theFirst Peoples’ Council has distributed over $21.5 million to communitiesto fund arts, language and culture projects.The Board and Advisory Committee of the First Peoples’ Council consistof First Nations community representatives from across B.C.The First Peoples’ Council Mandate, as laid out in the First Peoples’Council Act, is to:• Preserve, restore and enhance First Nations’ heritage, languageand culture.• Increase understanding and sharing of knowledge, within both theFirst Nations and non-First Nations communities.• Heighten appreciation and acceptance of the wealth of culturaldiversity among all British Columbians.The First Peoples’ Council monitors the status of B.C. First Nationslanguages, cultures, and arts, and facilitates and develops strategiesthat help First Nations communities recover and sustain their heritage.The First Peoples’ Council is committed to continuing to provide programcoordination and funding for First Nations language and culturepreservation and enhancement. The First Peoples’ Council is alsocommitted to providing communities with a high level of support andquality resources. Our cultural heritage, and the living expression of ouridentities, is integral to the health of all members of our First Nationscommunities, as well as to the well-being of all British Columbians.First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council ReportDevelopment TeamHannah Amrhein, M.A.Dr. Suzanne GessnerTracey HerbertXway’ Waat (Deanna Daniels)Megan LappiDoug Hamilton-EvansAlex WadsworthWe sincerely thank the B.C. First Nations language revitalizationexperts for the expertise and input they provided.Dr. Lorna WilliamsMandy Na’zinek Jimmie, M.A.Maxine Baptiste, M.A.Dr. Ewa Czaykowski-HigginsWe are grateful to the three language communities featured in ourcase studies that provided us with information on the exceptionallanguage revitalization work they are doing.Nuučaan̓uɫ (Barclay Dialect)Halq’emeylem (Upriver Halkomelem)Secwepemctsin (Eastern Dialect)We sincerely thank all of the B.C. First Nations communities whohave contributed to this report by completing our Language NeedsAssessments and by providing the First Peoples’ Council LanguageProgram with up-to-date and accurate data regarding the status of theirlanguages.We respectfully acknowledge all of the invaluable work being carriedout by communities and by individuals to revitalize and maintain FirstNations languages in B.C. and around the world.First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council1A Boat Ramp RoadBrentwood Bay, B.C.V8M 1N9Website: www.fphlcc.caTelephone: (250) 652-5952Fax: (250) 652-5953The First Peoples’ Council receives funding from the following funding sources:First Citizens’ Fund through theMinistry of Aboriginal Relations andReconciliationNew Relationship Trust First Peoples’ Cultural Foundation Department of Canadian Heritage B.C. Arts Council Canada Council for the Arts2For more Report information on the on Status our funding of B.C. please First Nations see our most Languagesrecent Annual Report.
ContentsExecutive Summary.....................................................4Why did we put this report together?...........................6Why is it important to act now for B.C. First NationsLanguages?.................................................................7Why are we losing languages in B.C.?............................9Causes of Language Loss.......................................... 9Decline of Fluent Speakers..................................11Graph 1: Decline of Fluent Speakers ofB.C. First Nations Languages since 1890.........................11Graph 2: Forecasted Decline of Fluent Speakersof B.C. First Nations Languages....................................11What does “language status” mean?...........................12Definition of Terms..........................................12Table 1: First Peoples’ Council Frameworkfor Defining and Measuring Language Endangerment.........13What is the status of B.C. First Nations languages?......16First Peoples’ Council Data...................................... 16Table 2: Snapshot of the Status of B.C.First Nations Languages...................................................17Language Speakers................................................. 18Table 3: Number of Speakers by Age Group.........................18Language Education............................................... 20First Nations Language Teacher Education............ 21Language Resources............................................... 21Summary................................................................. 22Table 4: Measures of Endangerment..................................23What is being done to revitalize B.C. First Nationslanguages?................................................................24In the Communities................................................ 24First Peoples’ Council Programming....................... 25What are some communities doing to revitalizetheir languages?........................................................27Case Study: Nuučaan̓uɫ (Barclay Dialect).............. 27Case Study: Sto:lo Halq’emeylem (UpriverHalkomelem)........................................................... 29Case Study: Secwepemctsin (Eastern Dialect)....... 31How can we revitalize B.C. First Nations languages? ...33Language Revitalization Strategies........................ 33Figure 1: First Peoples’ Council 8 Stepsto Language Revitalization..............................................33What’s next for B.C. First Nations languages?..............37Future Directions for B.C......................................... 37Future Directions for the First Peoples’ Council..... 39Table 5: First Peoples’ Council Goals to 2013......................39Appendix A—Language Specific Data......................... 40Appendix B—First Peoples’ Council Resourcesand Capacity building............................................. 54Appendix C—Language Needs Assessment................ 57Appendix D—First Peoples’ Language Map of B.C........ 62First Peoples’ Heritage, Language and Culture Council 3
Page 5 and 6: Language Resources• Only about 31
Page 7 and 8: Why is it important to act now for
Page 9 and 10: Why are we losing languages in B.C.
Page 11 and 12: Decline of Fluent SpeakersAll First
Page 13 and 14: Table 1: First Peoples’ Council F
Page 15 and 16: They never taught it to my dadUsage
Page 17 and 18: Table 2: Snapshot of the Status of
Page 19 and 20: Age of SpeakersOf the 170 communiti
Page 21 and 22: • University of Victoria: SENĆO
Page 23 and 24: Table 4: Measures of EndangermentB.
Page 25 and 26: • Many speakers and learners are
Page 27 and 28: What are some communities doing to
Page 29 and 30: Case Study 2: Sto:lo Halq’emeylem
Page 31 and 32: The Chief Atahm School is a model o
Page 33 and 34: How can we revitalize B.C. First Na
Page 35 and 36: Goal SettingBased on their needs an
Page 37 and 38: What’s next for B.C. First Nation
Page 39 and 40: tween communities sharing a languag
Page 41 and 42: Coast Salish LanguagesShe shashisha
Page 43 and 44: Tsimshianic LanguagesSm̓algya̱x S
Page 45 and 46: Table 12 : Communities and Populati
Page 47 and 48: Table 16 : Language Education for D
Page 49 and 50: Table 19 : Language Education for I
Page 51 and 52: Nuxalk LanguageTable 24 : Communiti
Page 53 and 54:
Xaad Kil LanguagesX̱aad Kil / X̱a
Page 55 and 56:
Language Authority and Language Pla
Page 57 and 58:
APPENDIX CLanguage Needs Assessment
Page 59 and 60:
7) Immersion Class: Do you have imm
Page 61 and 62:
Appendix D First Peoples’ Heritag
Page 63 and 64:
First Peoples’ Language Mapof Bri
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What is the status of BC First nations languages? - First Peoples

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