The Legacy of Hope Foundation Presents – Voices from the Land Season 2 Episode 15 with Colleen Joe-Titus

(Ottawa, ON) – March 8, 2023 – The Legacy of Hope Foundation (LHF) is pleased to announce the release of episode 15 with newly retired teacher of the Southern Tutchone language Shȁnlaya Colleen Joe-Titus. Colleen is of the Crow Clan and a member of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nation. In this episode, Colleen shares great insight into the hopes of different levels of community working in concert with each other to build language revitalization for all ages and community members. Colleen’s First Nation declared language revitalization a priority and she says moves like this create opportunities for individuals to learn beyond a classroom setting, which is key to successful language revitalization.

Colleen describes her language journey as beginning later in life. She did not have the opportunity as a young person to learn her parents’ languages (as so many did not), due to their experiences in the Residential School System and inability to transmit the language. Colleen shares how the process of developing resources for language classes often falls on the shoulders of language teachers because the Yukon Territory does not have a language curriculum that currently exists. On the flip side of this, she shares that new this year is a First Nations School Board that has been ratified through the Yukon Government and First Nations. This is the groundwork needed for greater access to the 8 Indigenous languages that are in the Yukon. Colleen says: “Language revitalization is a necessary part of Truth and Reconciliation, and will be key to reclaiming and restoring our identities as Indigenous peoples! Including the restoration of intergenerational transmission. Dákwänje (our languages) are truly our life!”

You can listen to the episode here:
Voices from the Land is an Indigenous Languages Revitalization Project funded by Canadian Heritage. Over the course of the winter months of 2022, host Gordon Spence spoke with Indigenous language teachers, adult learners and parents and caretakers of children learning their Indigenous language. From Anishinaabemowin (Ojibwe); to Nehiyaw (Cree); the Michif language; Kanien’kéha (Mohawk); Onʌyoteˀa·ká (Oneida); and Dȁn k’e (Southern Tutchone), language learners, teachers and parents across Turtle Island share their insights and experiences. The goal of these 21 interviews was to gain a sense of the barriers and successes to learning one’s own language. We invite you to hear their voices and learn from their truth, as the languages have taught them so much.

The LHF is a national, Indigenous-led, charitable organization that has been working to promote healing and Reconciliation in Canada for over 22 years. LHF’s goal is to educate and raise awareness about the history and impacts on 7 generations of Indigenous (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis) children, their families and communities from attending Residential and Day Schools and subsequent Sixties Scoop. By fostering empathy and understanding, LHF encourages people to address discrimination and injustice and contributes to the equity, dignity, and respectful treatment of Indigenous Peoples.

The LHF has more than 25 educational exhibitions that promote awareness of Indigenous history that are free to borrow and is working on making exhibitions available online. LHF also has curricula for K-12 and for adults, along with Activity Guides, Workshops and Training, and Podcasts all aimed at educating Canadians about Indigenous history and the shared history of Residential and Day Schools, the Sixties Scoop, etc. in order to offer solutions on how to be an ally. The LHF works to develop empathy and understanding so as to eliminate racism against Indigenous Peoples.

For media inquiries:
Teresa Edwards, B.A. JD.
Executive Director and In-House Legal Counsel
Legacy of Hope Foundation
Phone: 613-237-4806 Ext. 303 info@legacyofhope.ca