Brodie Thomas
Northern News Services
Published Monday, June 9, 2008

TETLIT'ZHEH/FORT MCPHERSON - The Gwich'in language is getting a boost in Fort McPherson thanks to the efforts of the Gwich'in social and cultural institute (GSCI) and some fluent Gwich'in speakers in the community.

The lessons are held every Monday and Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the adult education classrooms. Generally about a dozen students, all adults, come in to listen to and speak the Gwich'in language.

"First of all we have the lord's prayer in Gwich'in. We do that together. Right now we're going through the consonants, the Gwich'in alphabet they say. We went through all the vowels. We've learned the colours, the numbers, the basic everyday greetings and the weather," said Margaret Macdonald, a regular student.

"I've always wanted to learn and now is the time when my mind was there and the classes were available," she said.

McDonald has been learning from teachers Hannah Alexie and Joanne Snowshoe. Snowshoe grew up with Gwich'in as her first language. The GSCI wants to help her pass on her language so it is never lost.

"Joanne is one of the remaining few who speak the old way of the Tukduh Gwich'in language," said Edward Wright, resource coordinator with the GSCI."

What you hear nowadays is a more modern way of speaking. Joanne has the full capability and all the knowledge and wisdom of the older language. It's the older language that Archdeacon McDonald wrote out," said Wright.

The Archdeacon was one of the first missionaries to come to McPherson and he helped record the language on paper.

Snowshoe said she loves helping at the classes, but played down her role in the classroom.

"Hannah is really the one that teaches. She writes that new way of writing. Me, my writing is different because I'm really an old timer," she said with a laugh. "But I'm catching on to her way of writing, too. Me, I just tell them stories and things like that," said Snowshoe.

Although writing is a part of the curriculum, the classes focus more on conversational Gwich'in. The GCSI wants people to use the language on a day to day basis.

"With the group that we're in we're told when we see them we have to speak to them with whatever we learn in our class. And also on the phone. If I phone Margaret I need to speak to her with whatever we learn in our class," said Mary Ross, another regular student.

Ross said that speaking with elders is also important, because they can hear and correct mistakes, which is all part of the learning process.

McDonald said that learning the language is difficult because there are new sounds that an English speaker can't hear or pronounce at first. She said your tone of voice can change the meaning of the word.

"You have to tune in your ears and throat. That's why it is so difficult," said McDonald.

While nobody said learning the language would be easy, McDonald and Ross say that they've been waiting a long time for classes like these to start, and they're happy to have the same opportunity as the generation of youth who now have language classes in school.

"My granddaughter is in grade two and she's helping me with the numbers. She's teaching me things too. They're doing really well in school now," said McDonald.

Wright said the GSCI is preparing to restart similar classes in Tsiigehtchic and Inuvik. He is also trying to find Gwich'in speakers in Aklavik who would be willing to teach the course.