Still on topic of the Shuswap people and the importance of conserving aboriginal languages, I came across this site which is excellent because there are many newsletters (in English as well as the Secwepemc language). This site contains archives of newsletters and currents issues that are posted and can be easily read on-line. The Secwepemc Cultural Education Society (SCES) is a non-profit organization devoted to preserving and promoting the language, culture and history of the Secwepemc people. It is vital for the Shuswap to maintain their language and values (before they are lost forever), and I feel that societies such as this are the key to helping to support this endeavor. This reflects the reading by (Hare, 2011), where it is quoted:
“Indigenous languages are important. When talked about in English, you miss out on the meaning. Language has a direct relationship with the land”. In order for the Shuswap to hang onto tor their values, it is vital that they know their language.
Their Vision Statement
The vision statement of the Secwepemc is Metéltwecw-kt Es Knúcwetwecw-kt
“Everyone come together to help one another.” This emphasizes the concept of family and community instead of focusing on the individual, which (Hare, 2011) also discussed in his article.
http://www.secwepemc.org/node/61
Within the site I came across this declaration (written in both English and in Secwepemc). I am very interested in the topic of collecting and recording the memoirs of the elders. This has now given me some more ideas to see if I can find some podcasts to listen to and to see what fluent Shuswap sounds like. Also, in this declaration, are the signatures of 17 Shuswap Band Representatives, our local Canim Lake Band included. It’s fun to see that Elsie Archie is the signature here from Canim, probably the grandmother, mother or aunt of the incumbent chief, Mike Archie.
http://www.secwepemc.org/files/Shuswap%20Declaration%2004.pdf
Reference
Hare, J. (2011). Learning
from Indigenous knowledge in education. In D. Long and O. P. Dickenson
(Eds.), Visions of the heart, 3rd Edition (pp. 91-112). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.