Government of Canada supports Nametwaawin: Land and Language project
News release
WINNIPEG, August 6, 2019
The Honourable Pablo Rodriguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, announced today $171,576 in funding for the Manitoba Museum for its project, Nametwaawin: Land and Language, a student educational kit to be used in Indigenous communities.
Over the past six years, the museum has designed a series of education kits for northern Manitoba Indigenous communities. Working with local elders, educators and artists, the Manitoba Museum aims to contribute to the cultural awareness and linguistic proficiency of students as well as give educators better access to regionally specific and culturally appropriate educational materials.
The kits focus on language retention and acquisition while also showcasing artistic achievements. Past kits have included books and recordings of history, legends, beading, sculpture, embroidery, and syllabic-enabled keyboards. Nametwaawin: Land and Language is the museum’s latest education kit.
Nametwaawin is a collaboration with Indigenous communities in the newly designated UNESCO World Heritage Site of Pimachiowin Aki (The Land That Gives Life). The area encompasses the traditional lands of four Anishinaabe First Nations (Poplar River, Pauingassi, Little Grand Rapids, and Bloodvein), Atikaki and South Atikaki Provincial Parks in Manitoba as well as Woodland Caribou Provincial Park and the Eagle–Snowshoe Conservation Reserve in Ontario.
This new funding is provided through the Museums Assistance Program.
Quotes
“Our government is committed to preserving and encouraging the use of Indigenous languages, particularly in remote communities. With the help of elders, educators and artists, the Manitoba Museum has created educational programs specific to the chosen communities and their needs. This collaboration is an important step in protecting and sharing unique languages, local histories and traditional values of Indigenous Peoples.”
—The Honourable Pablo Rodríguez, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism
“The Manitoba Museum is grateful for the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and its ongoing commitment to public engagement programming in remote Indigenous communities. The museum is looking forward to working collaboratively with community members from the Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage site region to develop resources that meet the needs of the local school curriculum. The resources created through the Nametwaawin: Land and Language project will encourage community stewardship and build on the exciting groundwork from the bid for UNESCO World Heritage Site status.”
—Claudette Leclerc, CEO, The Manitoba Museum
Quick facts
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The Manitoba Museum is the province’s largest not-for-profit heritage and science centre. It welcomes more than 300,000 visitors annually and educates more than 90,000 students through its curriculum-based programs and activities.
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The Museums Assistance Program supports heritage institutions and workers in their efforts to preserve and present heritage collections. The program encourages the preservation of Indigenous culture and gives Canadians better access to heritage collections. It also promotes professional knowledge, skills and practices related to key museum functions.
Associated links
Contacts
For more information (media only), please contact:
Simon Ross
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
819-997-7788
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca
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