Education, Grad Studies, Uncategorized, Walking About, Work

WSCLA Conference (McGill University)

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My colleague Kahtehrón:ni Stacey and I were honoured to be invited to co-present at the Workshop on Structure & Consistency in Languages of the America’s (WSCLA) conference at McGill University on Friday April 28, 2023. Our talk featured our family stories, personal language learning journeys, and a recap of the efforts made in Kahnawà:ke in language reclamation for over fifty years.

REFLECTION, RESISTANCE, & RESILIENCE: The past, present, and future of Indigenous language reclamation efforts in Kahnawà:ke

I am presently in the analysis stage of my doctoral research. I briefly discussed one of the themes that I am exploring in my research, language – which includes: language loss/shift as a result of Indian Day Schools, impacts of Indian Day Schools on language & cultural identity transmission, and language reclamation as a healing process from multigenerational trauma.

Kahtehrón:ni spoke about her important work exploring new pedagogical tools for advanced second language learners, specifically Haudenosaunee women. This included a structural approach (lexical expansion & grammar refinement) and a communicative approach (kin focused communication & oral tradition). This is a promising and exciting framework for Rotinonhsión:ni advanced language pedagogy!

Niawenhkó:wa to the organizers, student volunteers, and attendees. We had many great questions and discussion following our presentation. It was truly a pleasure to have so many community members and scholars engaged in discussions about Onkwehonwehnéha 🙂

*Photo courtesy of Professor Jessica Coon, Linguistics McGill University.

~ Wahéhshon

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Education, Walking About, Work

Virtual Indigenous Research Ethics Panel

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McGill University is collaborating with several other academic institutions and Indigenous community organizations to have discussions about research ethics and data sovereignty. I represented the Kahnawà:ke Education Center (KEC) on a virtual research ethics panel titled: “Understanding Indigenous research data management and research protocols”. The panel was well attended, with several questions and comments at the end. There will be additional events on this topic coming in 2023.

My presentation focused on the new policy and process that I helped to implement at the KEC, see below.

Presentation Title: Education research, ethics, and community protocols in Kahnawà:ke

Summary

Introducing a new Research Policy and Code of ethics in the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) territory of Kahnawà:ke. Through this policy, the Kahnawà:ke Education Center is using research activities to pursue our strategic goals as leaders in Indigenous education, fostering research relationships in a respectful and meaningful way for the benefit of our community.  Examples of Indigenous and community-centered research collaborations will be provided. The Kahnawà:ke Education Center’s Research Policy & Code of Ethics provides a model for Indigenous community-based education research, grounded in Haudenosaunee worldview.

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Walking About, Work

Diggstown – Season 4 episode 3 aired on CBC Gems!

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In February, I was invited to the writer’s room for a TV series called Diggstown on CBC Gem. The show is a Canadian legal drama series. The writing team was putting together an episode about Indian Day Schools and invited me as an “Indigenous expert” to consult on the script. It was a great experience!

The episode aired on October 26, 2022: Donald Kitpu Christmas (season 4, episode 3). Apparently, I was also an inspiration for the character “Cheyenne Claire”, an “Indigenous expert” called to the stand during the trial. The actors, writers, cast and crew did an excellent job on this episode! I really enjoyed it.

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Education, Grad Studies, Walking About, Work

Language Policy & Planning Conference 2022

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My colleague Kahtehrón:ni Iris Stacey and I were invited to do a workshop at the Language Policy Planning conference at McGill University today – August 25, 2022.

This was the first hybrid conference presentation that I participated in. Fortunately, the conference was well organized and the folks on hand managed the technical side of things. The title of the workshop was:

Language policy, activism & strategic planning: over fifty years of Indigenous language reclamation efforts in Kahnawà:ke

Our talk including the following key things:

  • Our backgrounds and community
  • An overview of our doctoral research
  • Sharing our learning journey (as second-second language learners of Kanien’kéha)
  • A brief history of language reclamation efforts in Kahnawà:ke
  • Language revitalization projects at the Kahnawà:ke Education Center that we have worked on (Skátne Enionkwaio’ten & NEȾOLṈEW̱)

We appreciated how enthusiastic and engaged participants were with what we shared. We were surprised to be presented with generous gifts at the end. This was definitely one of my favorite speaking events this year.

Niawenhkó:wa to Mela & her team for inviting us and for treating us with great care and respect.

Wahéhshon Shiann Whitebean & Kahtehrón:ni Iris Stacey
Photo courtesy of Bianca Gonzalez – McGill University.
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