“First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples have a great heart. However, our spirit has been battered and bruised because the cradle of our spirit is in our languages. It is imperative we breathe life back into our languages.”
—Ronald E. Ignace, commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages

Indigenous languages must not only be revitalized — they must be championed. These languages hold diverse worldviews and connect generations. Canadian Geographic’s new Discovery Language series uplifts stories of language preservation and reclamation to show the heart of our identities as Onkwehón:we (Original Peoples). Brought to you by the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages and fiercely fought for with dedication, grit and innovation, these stories need to be told.

Shé:kon! My name is Gin Sexsmith, and I am a mixed-Kanyen’kehá:ka, Indigiqueer novelist, songwriter, language learner and journalist from Kenhtè:ke, Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory, and a member of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation. I am also the Discovery Language editor for this new series, which will share stories from nations across what some of us call Turtle Island. In Canada alone, more than 70 distinct Indigenous languages are spoken among First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities. South of the border, there are more than 160 languages.

In a world that often homogenizes Indigenous people, celebrating our diversity is a vital step from reconciliation towards reconciliaction — not only to teach non-Indigenous people about our multi-faceted cultures, but to be a source of representation for language learners and speakers within these communities. The hardest part of my job so far is deciding which stories to tell when there are so many.

Every Indigenous person you know is a relative of a residential school survivor — we’ve all felt the effects of forced assimilation, and the subsequent language loss, in our family trees and communities. We now share the pride and pressure to become fluent in our languages to keep them alive for future generations. But other than these overarching pan-Indigenous themes that trickle down from colonization, our languages and stories are our own.

Our first story, “The birth of a language speaker” by Shelby Lisk, published in the upcoming May/June issue, shares what it takes to raise a Kanyen’kéha (Mohawk) speaker from birth. (Shout out to Katie Doreen, fellow Canadian Geographic and Biinaagami editor and community member, for choosing it to kick off the series.) This story is close to my heart, not only because it’s from my community, but because my lifelong goal has always been to provide my future children with a foundation in Kanyen’kéha. I want them to feel sure of their identities from their very first words, to think in a decolonized way, to know their worth, to feel interconnected to all aspects of Creation, to be compassionate, intentional and grateful — all characteristics that are woven into the Kanyen’kéha language.