I’m so proud of my friend Pearleen Lachhab: she commented in Cree on a Friday Saskatoon Star Phoenix article. The article by Doug Cuthand (who is also a Cree speaker) is titled “Racism Tarnishes Canada’s Squeaky Clean Image” and addresses media silence about the presentation of 20 Canadian First Nations about systemic racism in the Canadian media. The note itself is tiny, but seeing the editorial comment published in Cree registers defiance and resilience in the face of racism’s effects.
Her comment, simple and to the point:
Ay hay kinanaskomitin mistahi e-pikiskwêstamawiya:
“Thank you, I am very grateful to you for having said this.”
I’m grateful to Doug for writing this article too.
Pearleen is a cousin of the late Donna Paskemin, has degrees from Universities of Saskatchewan, Alberta and San Diego, has taught in Canada and the Middle East, and is an old and valued friend of the Cree Literacy Network.
