Sask. First Nation man builds Dene computer keyboard to help others to learn the language | 24CA News

A man from a northern Saskatchewan First Nation has constructed what he believes is the world’s first specialised Dene language pc keyboard, in hopes of creating the Indigenous language extra accessible. 

“There was no keyboard for me to use to type my language,” mentioned Chevez Ezaneh, who’s from English River First Nation.

“It initially started off as a hobby — I just wanted a keyboard to make the language more accessible. After I made the first keyboard prototype, I realized this is something that other people want as well,” he informed 24CA News’s The Morning Edition host Stefani Langenegger. 

While there are apps and software program keyboards that enable folks to kind in Indigenous languages, Ezaneh believes his bodily Dene keyboard is a primary.

The Dene keyboards at the moment are getting used within the Common Weal Community Arts mission to encourage extra youth on the St. Louis School in Patuanak — about 425 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon — to be taught the language.

Ezaneh says up to now, it appears to be working.

“I was amazed at how quickly they got the hang of it. Within, like, 10 minutes they had kind of figured it out.”

His mom, Michèle Mackasey, options Dene engravings via her work as the lead artist for the Common Weal Community Arts mission.

Mackasey says the mission goals to mix artwork and expertise to assist Dene language revitalization efforts. 

“It’s a fun way to get kids to participate,” Mackasey mentioned. “I think the whole idea of the project was really trying to get kids interested in using it and learning how to write their language.”

Mackasey added that the youngsters are additionally studying the language via handwriting and interesting with elders.

Technology vital in language revitalization

Statistics Canada 2021 census knowledge says the quantity of people that may converse Dene in Saskatchewan dropped practically eight per cent since 2016. 

All Indigenous languages spoken in Canada are thought-about in danger, in keeping with the UNESCO Atlas of World Language. 

Randy Morin, who focuses on Indigenous language revitalization and reclamation via his work as an assistant professor within the University of Saskatchewan’s division of Indigenous research, says expertise performs an vital position revitalizing Indigenous languages.

The decline in fluency for Indigenous language is steepest amongst youthful folks, he says.

“Indigenous languages are oral languages — that’s just how we did things, we never really wrote things down, ” Morin mentioned. 

“But in today’s day and age, because of our elders passing away, we need to preserve their stories, teachings, songs, wisdom, and we have to do that now using technology.”

Morin says having keyboards in Indigenous languages will help folks be taught them. He would prefer to see them carried out in cellphones and tablets.

“We’re trying to standardize our languages because a lot of people still speak the languages, but they don’t know how to read or write it,” Morin mentioned. 

“Having a keyboard is really good because it has special characters that can help them type out their language and help them learn.”

Morin says he’s optimistic about Indigenous language revitalization because the variety of folks that may converse them as a second language is on the rise in Canada, however there must be extra assist from governments and faculties.

“We need to reawaken the languages, we need to revitalize them and reclaim them as our own, but the danger there is we lose a unique perspective on the world when we lose the language,” Morin mentioned. 

“Indigenous people have knowledge systems that can really help the world, especially with climate change, pollution, resource management, water management and all that stuff.” 

Morin added that he want to see Indigenous languages designated as official languages of Canada. 

Plans to construct extra keyboards

Ezaneh has created a Plains Cree keyboard along with his Dene keyboard. And he would not need to cease there. 

“My hope is to continue developing this work locally to get the rest of the Indigenous languages in Saskatchewan up to date, with having access to their language through technology, ” Ezaneh mentioned.

“The next would be Dakota, Nakota and Lakota. That looks like it is going to be one keyboard all in one.”

Ezaneh want to obtain funding to construct the keyboards as a result of he at present works on the initiatives in his spare time. 

“If I had funding for it, I could develop it full time and hopefully get keyboards for all the Indigenous languages in Canada.”