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Renison University College offers first Indigenous language course at UWaterloo
August 14, 2017
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This fall, Renison University College is offering the University of Waterloo’s first Indigenous language course, Introduction to Kanien’kéha (Mohawk Language). Offered through Renison’s Culture and Language Studies department, in collaboration with the Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre (WAEC) at St. Paul’s University College, ARTS 190 is intended for University of Waterloo students in any Faculty or discipline with minimal to no knowledge of Kanien’kéha.
Renison University College at UWaterloo has long been a provider of language education, including degree-level East Asian languages since the 1980s and, more recently, Arabic. The college is well-positioned to add the Mohawk language to its course offerings, according to Kofi Campbell, academic dean of Renison.
“From its origins, Renison has sought to be a bridge between cultures and peoples, often through language instruction,” he said. “It is our hope that Renison can again serve as that bridge, but perhaps, this time, between peoples closer to home and at a time of great significance. We see this course as one step towards meeting our important obligations under the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.”
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Call to Action Number 16 highlighted the need for post-secondary institutions to offer degree and diploma courses in Indigenous languages.
“A result of colonization and government policies of assimilation has been the disruption of the natural transference of Indigenous languages from parents to children,” said Lori Campbell, director of WAEC. “Post-secondary institutions play a key role in knowledge transference and offering an Indigenous language course through Renison is a good way to work towards supporting Call to Action Number 16.”
Given the current number of Kanien’kéha speakers, this course is coming at an important time. According to the course instructor, Nicole Bilodeau, within the community of Six Nations of the Grand River there is only one first-language speaker of Kanien’kéha, an extremely limited number of second-language speakers that have achieved a fluency level close to first-language speech, and approximately 20 second-language speakers who have a functional conversational vocabulary.
“Technically it is a very complex language,” said Bilodeau. “It would be on the same scale as trying to learn Arabic or Japanese. It is just so different from Indo-European languages that learning Kanien’kéha requires a totally different approach. The language is so well-constructed that it almost feels mathematical, but it’s also very beautiful and intuitive once you’re able to open your mind to how the language actually functions.”
Bilodeau is hopeful that this course could be the beginning of new conversations and understandings for students.
“I think teaching Kanien’kéha will help non-Indigenous people understand a little bit about who Indigenous people are and what our priorities are. I hope it sparks interest in people, Indigenous or not, to learn more about our collective history,” she said.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Brendon Bedford
Renison University College
519-884-4404 x28657
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WAEC, CONTACT:
Eugenia Xenos Anderson
St. Paul's University College
519-885-1460 x25232
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ABOUT RENISON UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Renison University College is affiliated with the University of Waterloo and was founded by the local Anglican community in 1959. Located on the west side of the University of Waterloo campus, it offers degree programs in social work and the social sciences as well as other programs in languages, humanities, and culture. Almost 1,000 degree-track students are enrolled in Renison’s programs and 220 Renison and Waterloo students call the college’s residence home.
ABOUT THE WATERLOO ABORIGINAL EDUCATION CENTRE
The Waterloo Aboriginal Education Centre is located at St. Paul’s University College, also affiliated with the University of Waterloo. The WAEC facilitates the sharing of Indigenous knowledge and provides culturally relevant information and support services for all members of the University of Waterloo community, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous students, staff, and faculty.
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