Brandon Friendship Centre’s Eagle Healing Lodge hosted its first three-day language camp in August to help people reconnect with their Indigenous language through land-based and cultural teachings. The 3-day camp helped many strengthen their knowledge and control over speaking Dakota, Cree, Anishinaabemowin, and Michif. It felt like home to many attendees as they connected their language to the land in Southwestern Manitoba. The camp was nestled in a ceremony site east of Southwestern Manitoba’s biggest city, Brandon.
The three-day camp, held Tuesday through Thursday, was an opportunity for participants to learn native languages while connecting over various activities such as setting up tents, smoking meat, or medicine picking. Brandon Friendship Centre’s Eagle Healing Lodge program coordinator Denise Sinclair said the camp helped people reclaim their Indigenous languages through land-based activities.
“It’s incredible to see people making connections as they learn and use their languages,” Sinclair said. “This is important work that must continue to support language revitalization. Whatever you learn, you’ll remember it. You’re building your core memory with the language, something that you needed while growing up,” Sinclair explained.
Since 2021, the healing lodge has been building a community focused on strengthening Indigenous languages. It started as a program for Sixties Scoop survivors and expanded to include residential school survivors and others.
Language helps people reconnect with their culture and identity in a safe space focused on healing. “We have to remember that there’s still that sense of something being taken.” “Now they feel safe to talk to us as learners because they feel the importance of passing on that language,” Sinclair said.
Martina Richard, from Waywayseecappo First Nation, camped at the site for two days with her family to learn about their language and culture. Participants could choose to camp or go home for the night.
Lacey Hotain from Sioux Valley Dakota Nation worked as a cultural support worker at a healing lodge. Hotain wants to teach Dakota to young people in the future and involve herself in various cultural activities. She feels a strong sense of importance in her role and believes in the obligation to prioritize language preservation. Her knowledge was further strengthened by working on the land at the camp. The Eagle Healing Lodge is planning to host a second language camp in the spring.
Source: CBC
