Indigenous sisters developing video games to revitalize Mohawk language
Two Kanienʼkehá:ka (Mohawk) sisters from Montreal are on a mission that is close to their hearts: to save the language of their ancestors.
Kahentawaks and Wennekerakon Tiewishaw are from Kanesatake, about 40 minutes northwest of Montreal.
They learned to speak Kanienʼkéha (Mohawk language) in elementary school, but with few chances to practice, they ended up losing it.
"Our mother and father don't speak at all, but our grandmother and grandfather spoke fluently, but they didn't pass it on to their kids," said Wennekerakon.
The sisters hope to revitalize the language through Indigenous video games called Revital Software. A demo of the game Karihonniennihtshera is available online.
Their goal: to make learning fun and engaging for everyone young and old.
The games are based on well-known Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) legends, stories steeped in tradition they heard growing up.
"There is something about Indigenous languages that will teach you how to think of yourself in relation to nature and in relation to other people in a more respectful way," said Kahentawaks. "Today, the Mohawk language has fewer than 4,000 speakers worldwide: most of them are elderly."
Kahentawaks said she has lost sleep over the thought of her language being lost, which spurred on the desire to work on the games.
Karihonniennihtshera by Revital Software"It's a great motivator to continue to motivate us to work on these projects because we want to be able to help the teachers in our communities," said Wennekerakon. "Hopefully, it will remind ourselves a lot more about how to speak and how the right intonation and communicate with each other eventually."
Once these games are off the ground, the sisters want to expand to other Indigenous languages, as they fight to keep a crucial part of their identity alive.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trudeau acknowledges charges in Nijjar killing, calls for commitment to democracy
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has acknowledged the charges laid Friday in relation to the murder of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Bodies recovered in Mexico likely 2 Australians, 1 American who went missing: officials
Three bodies recovered in an area of Baja California are likely to be those of the two Australians and an American who went missing last weekend during a camping and surfing trip, the state prosecutor’s office said Saturday.
Princess Anne lays wreath at B.C. veteran's cemetery; receives 21-gun salute
Princess Anne paid tribute to veterans buried at a cemetery in British Columbia today, laying a wreath to honour the more than 2,500 military personnel and family members buried there.
Mystik Dan wins the 150th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in a three-horse photo finish
Mystik Dan won the 150th Kentucky Derby in a photo finish, edging out Forever Young and Sierra Leone for the upset victory.
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Work stoppage possible as WestJet issues lockout notice to maintenance engineers' union
A lockout notice issued by WestJet to a union representing aircraft maintenance engineers could result in a work stoppage next week.
London Drugs begins 'gradual reopening' on 7th day after cyberattack
Almost a week after all London Drugs stores across Western Canada abruptly closed amid a cyberattack, they began a "gradual reopening" on Saturday.