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The Walrus

Michelle Cyca

ayistôtawin

“tân’si, anohc kiwî-atoskâtenaw konta itwewina,” Julia Ouellette itwew cikâstepicikanihk. miciminam masinahikanekina emasinahikâtehki âkayâsimôwina ekwa kâkihtwâm ehitwet nehiyawitwewina ecacâstapitwet ekota ohci nanisîkâc. “tânitâhtwâw,” itwew, emiciminahk masinahikanekin ehitastehk “tântahtwâw,” ehispahakemot peyak pîkiskwewinis. “tânitahtwâw, ayistôtawin.”

Ouellette, ohkomimâw ohci Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation anita kisiskâciwanihk, osihtâw nehiyaw-pîkiskwewin cikâscepayîsa kahkiyipa TikTok, ekota ehayâwât ayiwâk 16,800 ehaskôkot. cikâscepayîsa wehtinâhk, metoni e-isi-wehcasiniyik: Oellette, ekikiskahk miskîsikôkâna, ekwa nâway esikâpitahk wescakâsa, miyew kâ-askôkot âtiht nehiyaw itwewina ahpô pîkiskwewina kasesâwîyit ekisîweyit. nânapô pîkiskwewina, otîtâkosiwin metoni pakaskowewin ohci nehiyaw opîkiskwew: pakaskihtâkosiwin ekwa takahkîtâkwan, wiya “r” ekwa “l”—âpatanwa nehiyawewinihk—wâwîs kipehten kâ-akayâsîmot. ekînehiyawikiskinonohamâket Big Island sâkahikanihk Cree Nation kisiskâciwanihk, ekîmâciwâpahtihiwet cikâscepayis anita TikTok 2020 ekwa mîna covid-era pîkiskwewina tâpiskoc “kâsîcihce” ekwa “awas”, asci môcikâyâwina, tâpiskoc “miyomanitowikîsikanisi”. Ouellette namoya wihkâc masinaham nehiyaw itwewina ahpô pîkiskwewina, meskoc wihtamawew owâpahcikewa ka-ayistôtâkot kîkwây kâpehtahkik.

Ouellette ehohcît emisâk mâmawinitowin ohci iyiniw-pîkiskwewin opîkiskwewak ehâpacihtâcik mâmâtawâpacihcikan isi kiskinohamâkew âpacihcikan. James Vukelich Kaagegaabaw, aniskac ohcîwin miskinâk asinîwâciy, itwew Ojibwe itwewin kahkiyipa ohci 135,000 Instagram kâ-askôkot. Jonathon Augustine, kâ-âpacihtât RezNeck okistikew anita TikTok, mâtinamâkew Mi’kmaw kiskinwahamâkewina asci takahki cikâscepayis ohci kistikewinihk. Zorga Qaunaz, ehâpacihtât wîhowin Tatiggat, masinaham ohci tahtokîsikâw pimâtisiwin, mîkisihkahcikewin, ekwa Inuit isihtwâwin anita Tik Tok, ekwa asci tân’si kwayask ketwehk itwewina tâpiskoc “Inuit.”

anohc ekwa kâhisiyihkâtehk kanâta, mitahtâtomitanaw iyiniw mâmawinitowina ayâwa ekwa ayiwâk tepakohpomitanaw iyiniw pîkiskwewina. tâhto pîkiskwewin ekîsehkihikot paminikewin ekwa kanâta kâkihitastamawât ekîtotamohiwet ayisiyiniw kayeniht. anita kâkanaweyimihcik kiskinohamâtowikamikwa, awâsisak kâkîtakohtecik tepiyâ ekiskeyihtahkik opîkiskwewiniwâw ekîmisinôcihihcik kâpîkiskwecik isko ekiskeyihtahkik âkayâsîmowin ahpô wemistikosîmowin. mihcet opaspîwak wanihtâwak opîkiskwewiniwâw, ekwa namoya kîwîcipîkiskwemewak onekihikomâwa ekwa kehte-aya ekwa katawipayik ita ka-âsônamawâcik pîkiskwewin otawâsimisiwâwâ.

âtiht iyiniw pîkiskwewina ôta kanâta sohkastewa ekwa âpatanwa, ewakomîna Inuktit, nehiyawewin, ekwa Anishinaabemowin, tâhto ehayâki mihcetis pîtos pîkiskwewinisa—mâka mihcet namoya ayâwewak kehte-ayak epîkiskweyit. kiyâm âta UNESCO ispihteyihtam nântaw nisto iyikohk iniyiw pîkiskwewina enamatoki, kiyâm âta âtiht pîkiskwewina âcowipayiki namoya mihcet kânihtâpîkiskwecik, mistahi ehispayik ohci miyomâmitoneyicikewin.

omasinahikew ekwa otâpasinahikew Eden Fineday masinaham anita nehiyaw itwewin “awâsis” ehitwemakahk isi “child” mâka anima ehitwemakahk “ehawîkowisihk ohci nihtâwihcikewinihk, kiya ka-ohpikihat ohci kâtipeyiciket.” tâhto itwewin ehayâk kihcimitâtahtomitanaw askiy pehci-nâway ekwa sôhkeyihtamowin, epasciwehcasik ehitwemakak. kâ-atoskâtahkik pîkiskwewina âpacihtâwak “pîkiskwewin peyakohewamak,” kakiskisohiwehk aniskâc ekwa wâhkohtowin ohci pakaskowipîkiskwewina kahkîmasinahikâtewa tâpiskoc wîtisânîhitowin ekosi isi , ekonik aniskoc wâhkômâkaninawak ekwa, ka-âsônamahk, aniskoc wâhkômâkanak. kîspin pîkiskwewin namatakon, misiwe askiy kanamatakon mîna.

mitâtaht askiya, kipehtenaw mistahi sehkisiwin ohci enamatakoki pîkiskwewina. ispî 1992, American pîkiskwewin kâtoskâtahk Michael Krauss masinaham The World’s Languages in Crisis, asci ayisiyiniwiwin kânâkateyihtahk Wade Davis kîhitwew peyak metoni mikoskâcihiwewin masinahikewin emasinahamihk.” masinahikanihk kîhastew oft-cited misiwanâtahkamikak kwayaci wihcikewin: isko 90 percent piyisk kanamatakona. “mihcet kâtoskâtahkik pîkiskwewina kî-ayâwak, ekwa ka-âhkami ayâwak, ehispayikocik ewâpahtahkik wanihcikewin, ohci kâkike, ohci pîkiskwewin ekwa isihtwâwin âpacihcikana kapehten pîkiskwewinihk kwayask kowehk kwayask kamâmitoneyihtahkik opîkiskwewak,” Krauss masinaham. mâka, mastaw, itakona kihkâyâsawew. Squamich, ahpô Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Sníchim, kîhayâwewak tepiyâ mitâtaht enihtâpîkiskwecik ispî 2010. ekospî ohci, ekîmâcipayik kâkîsihohpikicik mosci iyiniw pîkiskwewin, pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkosiwin ohci apiscawâsisak ekwa kânîsoponecik, ekwa anita Instagram ehayâcik Sḵwx̱wú7mesh pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkewina. anohc, ayiwâk mitâtahtomitanaw pîkiskwewak.

namoya wihkâc iyiniwak ekwa mâmawinitowina kîhayâwak mistahi âpacihcikana ohci ka-ohpinahkik opîkiskwewiniwâwa. Nuxalk, Salishan pîkiskwewin anita Bella Coola, âpihtaw ayihk sisone kihcikamiy British Columbia, âtiht piko epîkiskwecik. mâka awâsisak ekiskinohamâkosicik Nuxalk epaminisocik kiskinohamâtowikamikohk epimipayihtâcik Nuxalk Nation. ispî, 2014, ekota ohci kitohcikan kânitohtamihk kamik epimipayihtâcik Nuxalk isihcikewin, ekwa op̂askâwihowipîsimohk, kîhayâwak nistam kitohcikewina ohci Nuxalk kitohcikewin. FirstVoices, mâmahtâwi iyiniw-pîkiskwewina kâstehk, ayâwak âcimowina, nikamowina, ekwa itwewin metawewina ohci Nuxalk ekwa app ita awiyak kâkîmasinahikew, email, ekwa kahkiyaw ohci awiyak ehâpacihtât Nuxalk masinahikewin.

Apps ekwa kahkiyaw ohci awiyak wîcihikowak aniki kâsôhkikocihtâcik opîkiskwewak: kisiwâk wahkohtowin. âyiman kakiskinohamâkosiyan kipîkiskwewin, kîspin namoya ewîkiyan kitaskîhk, ekwa akihtâsowina pâpîtos ohci askiya, itastew anita 2021 kihci-okimânâhk ohci kanâta census, iyiniwak kâwîkicik askîkânihk ayiwâk nântaw newâw iyikohk kiskeyihtamwak iyiniw pîkiskwewin iyikohk aniki ekâ askîkânihk kâwîkicik. kâwîkihk Vancouver, namoya mistahi nipehten nehiyawewin epîkiskwehk tâhtokîsikâw. nitayân nehiyawewin itwewin masinahikan, masinahikana, pîkiskwewin masinahikanekina, ekwa itwewin-ohci-kîsikâw tipahipîsimwân ekwa kinwes , ehiteyihtamân kiŝpin kakanawâpahtamân itwewina kinwes, kahkiyaw ka-ispayin.

nehiyawewin anima Ouellette nistam opîkiskwewin, epîkiskweyit okâwiya ekwa ohkoma, ekwa ekiskinohamâkosit kapîkiskwet tâpiskoc apiscawâsisak: enitohtahk, esesâwît, pîyisk kwayask itîtakosiw opîkiskwewinihk. ispî kâmâcîtât isi okiskinohamâkew owîcihitâsow anita Makwa Sahgaiehcan, kîmasinaham kayâhte okiskinohamâkewa omasinahikewin-nahâpâcikewin itôtamowina. ewihtamawât okiskinohamâkana tân’si kahitweyit itwewin, ekwa kamasinipehak itwewin anita itwewin masinahikanekina. ekwa peyak kîsikâw ehitât tân’si okiskinohamâkana anita acâwew’kamikosihk: ‘tân’si!”. ekwa kânaskomikot okiskinohamâkana ehakihcikeyit isi nisto ekwa ehitweyit ewako poko ekiskeyihtahk. “ekwa ehiteyihtamân—wahwâ, ekosi cî ôma ehitôtawakik ôki okiskinohamâkanak?” Oullette itwew. kahkînistawinamwak itwewina, kahkînaskomiwewak ohci kakwecîkemowina, mâka namoya kâhkimosci pîkiskwâsowewak. ekota ohci, kînakinam masinahikanekin ekwa masinahikanâpisk. meskoc kîmosci pîkiskwew, ehâpacihtât anima kâ-isikiskinohamâket anita TikTok: flash cards, kahkihtwâm itwewin, ahkameyitamowin ekwa sewâwîwin, ekwa kwayask ketwehk peyak itwewin. “kâkînihtâwikiyahk, ekîkiskinohamâkosiyahk kapîkiskweyahk pâmayes kamasinahikeyahk,” itwew. ahpô etikwe kititwânaw “mama” mitâtahtomitanaw pâmayes kotak ketweyahk itwewin.

poko anima ekâ ekiskeyihtamahk pîkiskwewin kisehkisinaw kâmasinahikâtehk. pihkweyihtamowin kawanitonâmoyan kakisîweyan pikwâwiyak ispayihikow, wâwîs akayâsîmowin, peyak metoni ekâ kânatohtamihk ekwa namoya takiskeyihtamihk pîkiskwewina metoni kawanahikohk tâpiskoc “epitome,” “inchoate,” ekwa “Wednesday.” ayisiyiniwak kâkâwiyotahkik iyiniw itwewin ahpô wîhowin ehayimak kahitwecik, ekakwehitwecik anima namoya enakayâskahkik. macika kâkanawâpahtamahk emasinahikâtehki itwewina “otânisimâw” ekwa “pahpiwin” ekwa ekiskeyihtamahk pîtos ehitihtâkwahki namoya ewehcasiki ahpō emâmitoneyicikâtehki mâka mihcetwâw epehtamahk ehitwehk. namoya anima osâm emasinahamihk mâka namoya mistahi epîkiskwehk; kamiskweyihtamihk poko kasesâwîhk. ayistôtawin.

tâpiskoc niya, John-Paul Chalykoff namoya ekîhohci-kiki-ohpikihiht aniskac opîkiskwewin. ekîhohcît ohci Michipicoten First Natyion, ekîhohpikit cîki ôcenâs Wawa, Ontario, ita onekihikwa ekwa wîtisâna ehakayasîmoyit wîkiwâw ispihci wiya Anishinaabemowin, Ojibwe pîkiskwewin. mâka ispî mitâthat ehitahtopiponet ahpô peyakosâp nisto iyikohk enihtânehiyawecik, asci Howard Webkamigad, pîkiskwewin okiskinohamâkew anita Algoma University ita Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario ekîkiyoket Michipicoten ekiskinohamâket peyak ayamihewikîsikâw pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkewin. kîmiywâsin ohci Chalykoff; nistomitanaw tepakohposâp itahtopiponew ekwa ekihcikiskinohamâket Anishinaabe kiskinohamâkewin anita Algoma, ewako poko kihcikiskinohamâtowikamik ehayâk kihci kiskinohamâkosiwin Anishinaabemowin.

Chalykoff kâhitôtahk ohci pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkewin pîtos iyikohk Ouellette, ekanawâpahtahk kesikâtinamihk mwestas opimâtisiwinihk. kesi ispîtisit, kiyâm iyikohk askiya ekiskinohamâkosit ekwa esesâwît, miskweyihtam enakâsinit. piyisk âtawiya, okîsohpikiwin, emoscipîkiskwehk isihcikewinihk ita ehâpatahk pîkiskwewin asci itwewina kiskinohamâkosiwin kîkway kâmikoskâteyihtahk. Anishinaabemowin, tâpiskoc nehiyawewin ekwa Inuktut, anima mihcet icwewinisa pîkiskwewin, ita peyak ehayimahk itwewin peyakwan iyikohk peyak pîkiskwewin akayâsîmowinihk (tâpiskoc, “maajibiisaan” ehitwemakahk “emâcikimowahk”). kanisitohtamihk ehispayik pîkiskwewin ehayimak. “nipewâpahten mistahi mosci pîkiskwewin isihcikewina ita ayisiyiniwak ehitihcik kanitohtahkik, ekwa ekosi kâhkihitôtamwak mihcet askiya ekwa namoya kwayask nisitohtamwak,” itwew. “mâka kawâpahtaman ehisiwîtâpisômakâki, ekota anima ayiwâk kika-ati-nisitohten.

kânâkânikot Chalykoff ehatoskâtahk kakaskihtât, wiya ohci ekwa okiskinohamâkana, astâsiwin. ewako peyakwan astâsiwin ita kanâta metoni kakwesepinehk kâwâpahtahkik meskanâs kihtwâm ehisiyihkâtamihk iyiniw pîkiskwewinihk, peyakwan ewako ohci kâ-nakacihtâhk kâ-atamiskâwiwehk tâpiskoc “tân’si” emicimipayik nikohtâkanihk kapîkiskwâtak kehte-aya. “âtiht anihi Ojibwe [kehte-aya] kâkîkiskinohamâkecik, kâkî-ayimisowak—ekwa [âtiht okiskinohamâkanak] namoya nohte-atoskâtamwak pîkiskwewin osâm eniwecihihcik kâhitihtâkosicik,” Chalykoff itwew. namoya kwayask ehitwehk anima ekosi kipimâtisiwinihk, itwew, mâka sihkimitowin poko katôtamihk.

ekwa, mîna, kâpacihtâhk. nâway askiya kî-pe-ayâwa mihcet iyiniw pîkiskwewin cikâscepayîs isihcikewina, asci 2021 nehiyaw môcikihowin Night Raiders, Comanche-pîkiskwewin itowa tâpiskoc ohci 2022 alien takahki-cikâstepayicikan Prey, ekwa 2000 animated cikâstepayîs Chicken Run ehitôtamihk Mi’kmaw peyakwâyak ohci Eskasoni, Nova Scotia. awa ohpahowi-pîsim anishinaabemowin itowa ohci Star Wars (Anangong Miigaading): A New Hope ewâpahtihiwecik. Chalykoff wiya emetawet Luke Skywalker ohcâwîsa.

mihcet anthropologists kîkiskinohamâkosiwak ekwa masinahamwak iyiniw pîkiskwewina, epaminahkik tâpiskoc kiskinohamâkewin kîkwaya ahpô isihtwâwin enhtekiskeyihtamihk—wiyawâw poko ohci kawîcihikocik okiskinohamawâkanak, namoya wiya opîkiskwewak. Frank Siebert, ekiskinohamâsot ayisiyiniwiwin, ekîmasinahahk masinahikan ohci itwewina Penobscot ehatoskahât peyakwayi ayisiyiniwak opîkiskwewak kawîtatoskemikot. ispî kânakatasket, otatoskewin piyisk kî-astew nete namoya sôniyâkewin mâmawinitowin, ekonik ekwa tipeyihtamwak; Penobscot ayisiyiniwak poko kâpakitinikocik kiskinohamâtowikamik ka-âpacihtâcik. namoya epîkiskwâtitok, emasinahamihk pîkiskwewik tâpiskoc namoya ehitakok; epimâtahki pîkiskwewin kâ-âpacihtâ pîkiskwewinihk, kiyâm emâcihtâhk kanâkatohkehk.

ispi 2019, kihci-okimânâhk kîwiyasiwâtamwak iyiniw pîkiskwewina wiyasiwewinis, ehasotahk kamekit “nahiyikohk, nâkateyihtamowin ekwa kinwes kamekit sôniyâwa ohci kawôtinikewin, pimâcihtâwin, nâkateyihtamihk ekwa kasohkastâhk iyiniw pîkiskwewina.” wiyasiwewinis enaskwehamâkehk tâpwewin ekwa kakwemiyowihcehtowin kakîtepwâtamihk katôtamihk, ekîhitwehk ôhi pîkiskwewina ohcitaw poko, mistahi iteyihtakwan, ekwa metoni enitaweyihtamihk ohci manâcihcikewin, ekwa poko ka-apit kanîkânapîhiht ohci iyiniw pîkiskwewina. onîkânapiw ekîhotinît 2021, ekwa $333.7 kisipakihtasowin ekîhasotamâcik ayiwâk niyânan askiya, ohci iyiniw kihci-okimânâhk ekwa mâmawinitowina ohci pîkiskwewin isihcikewina. nistwâw mitâtahtomitanaw ekwa tepakohpomitanaw nîsosâp mâmawinitowina kîmiyâwak sôniyâwa 2020/21. kâmisiwîcihihcik kîwîcihikwak kâtoskâtahkik mihcet peyakoskânesowak ohci oski pîkiskwewa, asci Nuxalk ekwa Squamish, opîkiskwewin ahkameyihtamowina ekîwîcihcik. anita BC, First Peoples’ Cultural Council kîhâcimowak 20 percent ayiwâk iyiniw pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâkosiwak ispî 2018 ekwa 2022.

kâmiyicik sôniyâwa ohci kihci-okimânâhk ohci iyiniw pîkiskwewina poko katôtamihk, mâka âcowipayin. 2024 kâ-akimiht sôniyâw kî-ayâwewak nistwâw asime iyikohk 2019. âcimowinihk, FPCC masinahamwak, “nawat $225 kisipakihtasowin kâ-asotamâcik niyânan askiya ohci kahkiyaw misiwihte askiy iyiniw pîkiskwewina—kayâs ohci pîkiskwewina ôta askiya—anima $4.1 kesipâkihtâsowin kâmiyikocik kihci-okimânâhk ka-âhkamikâtinâcik ekwa kayâte kâ-ayâwâcik sôniyâw ohci tâpwe pîkiskwewin sihtoskâkewin.” tâpiskoc, ispî opiniyawewopîsimohk, wemistikôsîmowin mosci pîkiskwewin kiskinohamâtowikamik anita Iqaluit kîmocikihtâwinihkewak kâkiŝihtâwît ohci $32.9 kisipakihtasowin kamiyo-osihtâhk, etipahahkik kihci-okimânâhk ekwa pihciskânesowiwin kihci-okimânâhk, kawîcihâcik okiskinohamâkana ohci kâwi-mâci-ayamihtâyit isko nistosâp kâ-ayamihtâyit. âta ayiwâk awâsisak Iqualuit pîkiskwewak Inuktut, pîkiskwewin ohci Nunavut, namoya kîkway Inuktut-pîkiskwewin kahkiyaw awiyak ohci kiskinohamâtowikamik.

Kespayik ôma wâpahcikâtew ekâ kanâta ewâpahtahk iyikohk iyiniw pîkiskwewina ehispihteyihtakwâki. kâsohkatoskâtamihk kapimâtahki nîkânihk keyâpic ayimôtamwak opîkiskwewak, ehâpacihtâcik pîkiskwewin tâpiskoc baton. “kâkike niwihtamawâwak [kihcikiskinohamâtowikamik] okiskinohamâkanak ewîtâwiskâmek isihtwâwin sehkisiwin—namoya miyo-itihtâkwan, osâm iyiniw okiskinohamâkanak ekiskinohamâkosicik opîkiskwewiniwâw,” itwew Chalykoff. “sisikoc kikisowâsin, ahpô enohtemâtoyan. nititeyihten âtiht ehiteyihtahki omihkowâw ka-wîcihikwak. ekwa mihcet kiyânaw ekosi ki-isi-akâwâtenaw, mâka metoni sohk-atoskewin ekote katakohteyan.”

mâka atoskewin wiya wehcasin: peyak itwewin isi. “namoya wihkâc nânapâwe. tepiyâ ka-tahkonam kitehihk enohtekiskinohamâkosiyan kipîkiskwewin, kakaskihon,” Oulette itwew, “ahkami itwew, tâhto kîsikâw.” kâkiŝihtât cikâstepayîs itwew “kisâkihitinâwâw”, “miyokîsikanisi” ekwa “mwestas” namoya kîkway “goodbye” nehiyawewinihk.

With thanks to the Gordon Foundation for supporting work on Canada’s North.

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