Voices from the Land: Indigenous Peoples Talk Language Revitalization - Rev. Larry Beardy

The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is pleased to announce the release of episode 20 with Reverend Larry Beardy. Rev. Beardy is from Tataskweyak Cree Nation on Treaty 5 Territory. Rev. Beardy is a former Cree language syllabics teacher.

 

Rev.Beardy shares how he entered teacher training in his own community and learned about the structure of the syllabics writing through the local Elders who used to teach the language. For younger students, he shares that it is important to focus solely on the oral form and to be in an environment where the language thrives, for example with transmission of the language through story-telling. Rev. Beardy shares how the language and the culture must be taught together and how important it is to teach it on the land, not just in the classroom. He talks about the history of the Cree syllabics language system, sharing: “My understanding of creating the syllabic system, it was created by our people. Our own people. They took the symbols of the land or the signs, what I call monuments… it’s all in the symbols of our syllabics.” Rev. Beardy thinks often about how to re-introduce the language back to the youth so that the Elders and the young can speak together. He says the language is healing and can be found within, it is just a matter of learning how to bring it out.