‘Honour their ancestry’: Michif pre-K in Battleford builds momentum after first year

A child’s voice carried the words “I know the Michif words now,” marking a moment that showed how a new pre-kindergarten program in Battleford is keeping a language alive.

“One of our teachers ran into a former student that was in my program last year, and she shared that she knows three languages now instead of two languages,” teacher Shayln Fedler recalled, noting those are Michif, French and English.

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“That’s a nice moment to know that the kids are very proud of what they’re learning and honour their ancestry.”

The Michif Pre-K at St. Vital School opened last fall with just six students. This year, enrolment has doubled to 12, and Fedler said the language is not only sticking with the children but being carried home to their families.

“The kids have gotten experience with elders and knowledge keepers in our program,” she said. “We have one-on-one access to those, so they’re just building language with the Michif.”

Students have made dreamcatchers, painted, and even pretended to be voyageurs to connect with Métis history.

What began in one classroom now greets the whole school each morning. Principal Natasha Nichol said students learn a new Michif word together over the announcements.

“Each week there is a Michif Word of the Week,” she said. “Like last week we did Taanishi, which is hello, and this week is Bonn Maytan, which is welcome.”

Cultural events have also brought the wider school community in.

Students took part in Métis song and dance – from jigging to playing spoons – while also making li beignes, a traditional treat, and listening to stories from knowledge keepers.

Nichol said one family even had four generations take part in supporting the class.

“So there was the young girl who was in the program and then the mother and then the grandmother was involved and a great grandmother was involved too,” Nichol said.

“It was really neat to have that representation of the family in the classroom.”

The program is sponsored by Métis Nation–Saskatchewan and currently only offered at the pre-K level.

For Fedler, who came from the SUNTEP (Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program) at the University of Saskatchewan, the work is personal.

“I think it’s very heartwarming,” she said.

“The younger, the better. If they know some key aspects and can carry it forward, like that’s always going to grow and broaden the Métis culture and bring awareness to this amazing opportunity and the things that we can create.”

With spaces still open this fall, they’re eager to welcome more children — and more families — into what has quickly become a community project to keep a language alive.

Parents can learn more about enrolling their child in the program on The Living Sky School Division website.