Skwxwú7mesh Language
From time immemorial, First Nations languages existed throughout British Columbia. However, over the years, due to the devastating effects of colonialism, many First Nations languages have declined in use. As the teachers have learned in their inquiry, every time a language dies so does an expression of human experience and culture. At our IB Conference in Portland, "Beyond Symbolism," our facilitator stressed how First Nations cultures and languages are inseparable and intertwined. Knowledge, relations with the land, and beliefs are expressed through language. Given the reconciliation work many indigenous communities have been doing to reclaim and revive their language, our school community invited Rebecca Duncan, Squamish Language Specialist to educate our staff and students.