Page 1
Page 2
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Page 7
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 13
Page 14
Page 15
Page 16
Page 17
Page 18
Page 19
Page 20
Page 21
Page 22
Page 23
Page 24
Page 25
Page 26
Page 27
Page 28
EducationLanguage9TuesdayApril232013wouldliketothankallofyououttherewhovolunteeryourtimeandeffortstohelpmakeyourcommunityabetterplacetolive.KaesersStoresLtd.FortSmithNT867872-2345ByMEAGANWOHLBERGTheoutgoinglanguagecommissionerfortheNorth-westTerritoriessaysDeneleadershipneedstolookintostartingitsownschoolsifAb-originallanguagesaregoingtosurviveintheterritory.SarahJeromewhosefour-yeartermendsnextmonthtoldtheDeneNationlead-ershipatlastweeksspringmeetingsinYellowknifethatdrasticactionneedstotakeplacetorevitalizelanguageandcultureforyouthstart-ingwiththecreationoftheirownimmersionprogramsontheland.Rightnowthroughtheschoolsystemyouhavetodeliverallthecoresubjectsandlanguageisbeingtaught30minutesaday90hoursayear.Thatsnotenough.Weneedtotakesomedras-ticactionandsayenoughisenough.Weneedtodosome-thingshetoldTheJournal.Throughoutthevalleytheleadershipshouldstartseriouslythinkingaboutset-tingupDeneschoolsbe-causeunlesswedoitwerestillgoingtobeundertheEnglishsystemofeducationandwellneverbeabletorevitalizeourlanguagesinWeneedtotakesomedrasticactionLanguagecommissionerendstermwithcalltocreateDeneschoolsabox.Becauseforalotofuswhenwewereputintotheresidentialschoolswewereputintoaboxwherewewereforbiddentotalkourlanguage.Soweneedtobeoutthereinthenatu-ralenvironmentonthelandsurroundedbyeldersrightwhereitsnaturalforustoteachalanguage.Thelanguagecommis-sionerpositionfunctionsasanombudsmanatarmslengthfromtheterritorialgovernmentprovidingan-nualreportsonwhattheGNWTneedstodointermsoflanguageservices.Jeromesaidthemajorityofconcernsexpressedtoherovertheyearswereaboutalackofinterpretationandtranslationinthehealthcaresystem.Shesaiddespitefouryearsofrec-ommendations-onesmirror-ingthosemadebyherthreepredecessors-thedepartmentofHealthandSocialServicesisnoclosertoensuringser-vicesinmostoftheterrito-rysofciallanguageseitherintheterritoryorinEdmon-tonwhereresidentsareoftensentforcare.IfoundoutthatitwaskindoflikelipserviceshesaidForexampleifIwenttothehealthdepartmentandaskedthemforaninter-preter-translatortheygavemenamesofpeoplethathadretiredfromthedepartmentorpeopleIknewthatwerenotuentdidnotknowthemedicalterms.Sothereforetheywerenotprovidingtheservicesthattheysaidtheywere.Soitwasreallyreallyfrustratingforme.OnceJeromeaskedforservicesinGwichinatahealthcentre.Everybodywasrunninginalldirectionsshesaid.Theyshouldbehavingculturalorientationfordoc-torsnurses-anybodythatscomingin...IamjustfedupwithrepeatingmyhistorytolocumsandIwonderwhatoureldersgothrough.ThesamewastrueoftheJusticedepartmentshesaid.Peoplearenotbeingofferedthenecessaryworkshopsonlegalormedicalterminologyandasthesmallpopulationofcapableinterpreter-trans-latorsagereplacementsarenotbeingtrained.Theyregettingtiredtheyreattheendoftheirca-reersso-to-speaktheyretiredoftravellingandyettheresnobodybeingpreppedJe-romesaid.ThatsoneoftherecommendationsIkeepmakingthroughmyannualreport-notonlymyselfbutthethreepreviouslanguagecommissionerskeepsayingwhydontwesetupalanguagebureaulikewehadunderthegovernmentatonetimeandstarttraininginterpreter-trans-latorsTheyrenotdoingit.Herend-of-termrecom-mendationsincludefund-ingforinterpreter-translatortrainingandforthestandingcommitteeattheLegislaturetorespondtoanyrecommen-dationsmadebylanguagecommissionerssinceBettyHarnumwasrstappointedtothepositionin1992.JeromeoriginallyfromAklavikmanagedtorelearnherlanguageafter12yearsofresidentialschoolwiththehelpofhergrandmotherwholivedtotheageof106.JeromesaidhermotherandhergrandmotherspokeonlyGwichinwithherandhersiblingsoutonthelandandthatswhatkeptitaliveforthem.SheencouragedtheDeneleadersandeldersintheroomtotakeituponthem-selvestomakesuretheirgrandchildrendontgrowupwithouttheirlanguageevenwithoutfundingtodoso.Languageissoimpor-tantshesaid.Pleasedontgiveup.ChiefsandelderspresentatthemeetingcongratulatedJeromeonherlifelongdedi-cationtoeducationandcul-turefollowingapresenta-tionbyJeromeonthestateofDenelanguagesintheNWTwhichshemadeinGwichin.ImsoproudofSarahKatlodeecheFirstNationChiefRoyFabiansaidatthemeetings.Wewenttoschooltogetherbackintheearly70s.BackthenwejusttalkedinEnglishsoitsre-allygoodtohearhertalkingherownlanguage.DoyouwantaPerfectWeddingCascadeGraphicscanhelp.Talktousaboutinvitationsdecorationspersonalizedaccessoriesandotheruniquetouches.CascadeGraphics.207McDougalRd.FortSmithNT867-872-3000ex.20SarahJeromeaGwichinelderoriginallyofAklavikfinishesherfour-yeartermastheNWTLanguagesCommissionerinMay.PhotoMeaganWohlberg