History

Knowledge of nłeʔkepmxcín has slowly eroded largely because of the Residential School experience where it was forbidden to speak nłeʔkepmxcín. Later when Residential Schools were closed in 1992, nłeʔképmx children were removed from families and communities and put into foster care with non-indigenous families. As a result, many generations of the nłeʔképmx people have lost the ability to speak the language fluently.

Program

The manager selected to revitalize the language of the nłeʔképmx communities is Madelynn Albert. Her team consists of:

Suzanne Washington - nłeʔkepmxcín resource support/transcriber

Alicia Ned - nłeʔkepmxcín resource support

Keli Botel - nłeʔkepmxcín resource support

Teresa Thomas - nłeʔkepmxcín resource support

Cheyanne Shackelly - nłeʔkepmxcín Archivist

Our team is responsible for developing and promoting language resources for CNA members via various avenues that include the CAN-8 language learning software, downloadable resources on our website , YouTube videos, SoundCloud audio, and more!

CAN-8 – This program provides learners with visual and audio aids from a nłeʔkepmxcín speaker. The curriculum includes written words and pronunciation, and learners can also record their own voice and compare it to the speaker's using CAN-8. Additionally, oral elements such as stories, songs, and cultural teachings are incorporated.

Our language resource archive is available for download. These include flashcards, worksheets, coloring sheets, activity books, language posters and more.

Other language resources available can be found at:

Soundcloud     https://soundcloud.com/user-799814567.

Instagram       https://www.instagram.com/citxwnlakapamuxassembly/.

TikTok            https://www.tiktok.com/@citxwnlakapamuxassembly?lang=en.

YouTube         https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6bsBVDvOgTbpx-aV6vCeYw.

With the support of Elders and fluent speakers, our team strives to indefinitely develop these resources, revive forgotten words, and create new ones. We encourage community members to participate in language revitalization and support traditional and land-based learning programs to improve language retention in unique ways.

"To maintain or renew a language is a never-ending task since each generation has the potential to either transmit the language or let the language die. It is only the speakers of the language who can save it and who either care enough to pass it on or decide to let it pass away."

Author Unknown