Syllabics
From August 3–9, 2025, the First Nations University of Canada Indigenous Language Program hosted Cree 250, a week-long, land-based Cree language course at nêwoskan, its Traditional Campus near St. Louis, Saskatchewan. This immersive course brought together adult learners, fluent speakers, Elders, children, and families to reconnect with nêhiyawêwin through art, land, and community.
Participants spent the week living and learning outdoors, guided by traditional teachings and supported by fluent language speakers and Knowledge Keepers. Students created birch bark medallions, wrote original songs and poems in Cree, and practiced speaking the language throughout the daily rhythms of camp life.
Children also participated in the learning by singing Cree songs and creating art inspired by the land and language, demonstrating that language revitalization is truly intergenerational.
Shared meals, creative expression, and ceremony all contributed to a meaningful learning experience rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. Cree 250 demonstrated the power of land-based learning to reclaim language, strengthen identity, and nurture community.
ninanâskomin. I am grateful to the university, to the students, to all the teachers, and to the Elders and Knowledge Keepers for helping create such a beautiful experience.
Submitted by: Tammy Ratt, Lecturer, Program Coordinator, Indigenous Languages
Photo Credits: Tammy Ratt
For campus locations, maps and hours of operation, please visit our contact us page.
(the good path through life)
(the good path through life)
