Sadly, the Cree Language Retention Committee has been out of operation since at least 2003, but here is a 15-second tv spot from its height – probably about 2000, judging by the age of some of the kids. It features the late Dr Freda Ahenakew, and some of her very favourite children and grandchildren. (Pro tip: they were – every one of them – her favourites!)
The description of the committee’s logo includes some interesting ideas about the sacred number 4:
| mihkwâw wâpanohk itêhkê ê-sâkâstêk kâ-sîkwahk | ᒥᐦᒁᐤ ᐚᐸᓄᕽ ᐃᑌᐦᑫ ᐁ ᓵᑳᐢᑌᐠ ᑳ ᓰᑿᕽ | The east is red for the sunrise in spring |
| osâwâw sâwanohk itêhkê ê-âpihtâ-kîsikâk kâ-nîpihk | ᐅᓵᐚᐤ ᓵᐘᓄᕽ ᐃᑌᐦᑫ ᐁ ᐋᐱᐦᑖ ᑮᓯᑳᐠ ᑳ ᓃᐱᕽ | The south is yellow for noon in summer |
| sîpihkwâw pahkisimôtâhk itêhkê ê-otâkosik kâ-takwâkik | ᓰᐱᐦᒁᐤ ᐸᐦᑭᓯᒨᑖᕽ ᐃᑌᐦᑫ ᐁ ᐅᑖᑯᓯᐠ ᑳ ᑕᒁᑭᐠ | The west is blue for evening in autumn |
| wâpiskâw kîwêtinohk itêhkê ê-wâsêtâhkwâk kâ-pipohk | ᐚᐱᐢᑳᐤ ᑮᐍᑎᓄᕽ ᐃᑌᐦᑫ ᐁ ᐚᓭᑖᐦᒁᐠ ᑳ ᐱᐳᕽ | The north is white for starlight in winter |
The four eagles fly to represent the four stages of language learning.
| nisitohtamowin | ᓂᓯᑐᐦᑕᒧᐏᐣ | understanding |
| pîkiskwêwin | ᐲᑭᐢᑵᐏᐣ | speaking |
| ayamihcikêwin | ᐊᔭᒥᐦᒋᑫᐏᐣ | reading |
| masinahikêwin | ᒪᓯᓇᐦᐃᑫᐏᐣ | writing |
Although the committee is no longer active, it is still doing good things every year. All of its remaining funds were used to create a scholarship that awards $500 to a Cree language student at First Nations University two times each year. The scholarship was created jointly in the names of Dr Freda Ahenakew, and Dr Jean Okimāsis, and receives a continuing endowment from the royalties earned by the print edition of nêhiyawêwin: itwêwina / Cree: Words, Arok Wolvengrey’s Cree Dictionary.
Learn more about the scholarship here:
