Category: Munsee

Released: 2025-03-31

The 2021 Census of Population revealed that 243,155 people reported the ability to speak an Indigenous language well enough to conduct a conversation. There were more than 70 distinct Indigenous languages reported on the census questionnaire. Within this rich diversity of Indigenous languages, the data reveal varying levels of vitality and patterns of acquisition and use.

The history of colonial practices in Canada has had a profoundly negative impact on the use of Indigenous languages. Perhaps most notably, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report detailed many of the harms done to the languages of First Nations, Métis and Inuit children through the residential school system, in an effort to assimilate Indigenous people and break their ties to their culture.

In response to the Calls to Action by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the Indigenous Languages Act was passed in 2019. With its passage, the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages was created to “help promote Indigenous languages and support the efforts of Indigenous peoples to reclaim, revitalize, maintain and strengthen their languages.”

Today, the Centre for Indigenous Statistics and Partnerships at Statistics Canada, in collaboration with the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages, is releasing nine new reports on Indigenous languages in Canada, providing relevant data on the vitality and patterns of language acquisition and use. Among these reports, eight are framed around one of the major Indigenous language families in Canada—Algonquian, Athabaskan, Inuktut (Inuit), Iroquoian, Salish, Siouan, Tsimshian and Wakashan—and one report focuses on languages that are not part of any specific family (Haida, Ktunaxa [Kutenai] and Michif).

Algonquian, Inuktut (Inuit) and Athabaskan language families are those spoken most often

Indigenous languages are generally classified into one of eight major language families, such as Athabaskan languages or Inuktut (Inuit) languages. In terms of language knowledge, the largest Indigenous language family in 2021 was Algonquian languages, with 163,815 speakers. The…

Continue reading

Start of text box

This report is a collaborative research project between Statistics Canada and the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages. It is intended to provide a general overview on the vitality, acquisition and use of Indigenous languages belonging to the Algonquian language family. For more information on the work of OCIL see Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages – Home.

End of text box

Algonquian languages

The Algonquian family represents the largest speaker base among all Indigenous languages in Canada. Among all people who reported the ability to speak an Indigenous language, more than two thirds were speakers of an Algonquian language. Algonquian language speakers were present in every province and territory in Canada, in 2021, and they made up the majority of all Indigenous language speakers in nine of ten provinces. Algonquian languages stretch beyond Canadian borders and are present in languages such as Arapaho in the United States, and Kickapoo, spoken in both the United States and Mexico.

Within this report the following Algonquian languages are presented:

• Blackfoot
• Atikamekw
• Cree languages
• Innu (Montagnais)
• Naskapi
• Mi’kmaq
• Wolastoqewi (Malecite)
• Anicinabemowin (Algonquin)
• Oji-Cree
• Ojibway languages
• Algonquian languages, not included elsewhere (n.i.e.)

Summary language statistics are provided for these languages in table 2.

Knowledge and mother tongue

In 2021, there were 163,815 people who reported that they could speak an Algonquian language well enough to conduct a conversation. The number of those who reported that an Algonquian language was their mother tongue—that is, the language first learned as a child and still understood—was 123,130.

The largest group within the Algonquian language family was those who reported Cree languages, with 87,875 speakers and 66,205 having a Cree mother tongue; this was followed by Ojibway languages (26,165 speakers and 15,890 mother tongue), and Oji-Cree (15,305 speakers…

Continue reading

SPRINGFIELD – More than 175 years after their reservation in Illinois was illegally sold at auction, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is now in line to get their land back.

Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation Friday authorizing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to hand over to the tribe the ownership title to Shabbona Lake State Park, a 1,500-acre tract in southern DeKalb County that largely overlaps the tribe’s original reservation.

×

This page requires Javascript.

Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

kAm“%9:D >@>6?E C67=64ED E96 A@H6C @7 4@==23@C2E:@? 2?5 E96 D92C65 56D:C6 E@ 3F:=5 2 7FEFC6 C@@E65 😕 ;FDE:46 2?5 C6DA64E[” !C2:C:6 q2?5 !@E2H2E@>: r92:C>2? y@D6A9 ‘+6<6” #FA?:4< D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] “x==:?@:D 92D D9@H? ECF6 4@FC286 2?5 G:D:@? 3J =625:?8 E96 H2J 😕 E96 {2?5 q24< >@G6>6?E[ 56>@?DEC2E:?8 E92E 962=:?8 2?5 C64@?4:=:2E:@? 2C6 A@DD:3=6]”k^Am

kAmp=E9@F89 @H?6CD9:A @7 E96 =2?5 H:== C6G6CE 324< E@ E96 EC:36[ G:D:E@CD E@ E96 A2C< D9@F=5 ?@E ?@E:46 2?J 5:776C6?46[ 2E =62DE ?@E 7@C ?@H]k^Am

kAm$6?2E6 q:== gef[ DA@?D@C65 3J $6?] |2C< (2=<6C[ spC=:?8E@? w6:89ED[ 2=D@ C6BF:C6D E96 EC:36 2?5 s}# E@ 6?E6C :?E@ 2 =2?5 >2?286>6?E 28C66>6?E E92E H:== <66A E96 =2?5 @A6? 7@C AF3=:4 C64C62E:@?]k^Am

kAm!C2:C:6 q2?5 !@E2H2E@>: @77:4:2=D 92G6 D2:5 AF3=:4=J E96J 92G6 ?@ A=2?D E@ 56G6=@A E96 AC@A6CEJ 7@C 2 42D:?@ @C 2?J @E96C 4@>>6C4:2= FD6] %96J 2=D@ A@:?E E@ 2 a__d x==:?@:D DE2EFE6 E92E C6BF:C6D E96 8@G6C?@C E@ D66< =68:D=2E:G6 2AAC@G2= 367@C6 6?E6C:?8 :?E@ 2 4@>A24E 2FE9@C:K:?8 2 EC:36 E@ 4@?5F4E 82>3=:?8 😕 x==:?@:D]k^Am

kAm“%9:D =68:D=2E:@? AFED x==:?@:D @? E96 C:89E D:56 @7 9:DE@CJ — 7@DE6C:?8 2 A2CE?6CD9:A H:E9 :?5:86?@FD 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 C6EFC?:?8 H92E H2D HC@?87F==J 24BF:C65[” (2=<6C D2:5 :? 2 DE2E6>6?E] “x 92G6 H@C<65 H:E9 E96 !C2:C:6 q2?5 !@E2H2E@>: }2E:@? @? E9:D 3:== D:?46 a_`g[ 2?5…

Continue reading

PANAMA – Panama Central School officials recently released the school’s honor and merit rolls for the second quarter of the 2024-25 school year. They are:

HONOR ROLL

12th Grade: Gavin Anderson, Alexander Barmore, Lillian Borowski, Carter Brink, Isaiah Burkholder, Spencer Carlson, Tate Catanese, Deidre Cavness, Kirsten Chase, Emma Cooper, Ava Ecker, Logan Ellsworth, Tess Flikkema, Xander Gould, Payton Gunnell, Bryce Hinsdale, Kaitlyn Horton, Izabella Hurlburt, Richard Lyon, Cassandra Lyon, Owen Martin, Arehlyn Pattison, Kolten Rhoades, Blayne Rumaihi, Emmett Sheldon, Brody Stravato, Hannah Taft.

11th Grade: Abigail Bullaro, Lincoln Gibbs, Sarah Golden, Andrew Hammond, Kiersten Olson, Chloe Rowland, Autumn Rumaihi, Jackson Scolton, Brooke Warner, Mason Weber.

10th Grade: Johnathyn Abers, Aniela Becker, Connor Horner, Owen Johnson, Haven Karlson, Jessica Lyon, Jack Martin, MacKenzie Miles.

Ninth Grade: Andrew Apthorpe, Alexis Becker, Lucy Bullaro, Oliver Burgeson, Lisanna Campbell, Ella Lawson, Levi Munsee, Nathan Ruch, Samuel Ryan.

Eighth Grade: Wyatt Braun, Evan Conklin, Zadok Hughesman, Jackson Kaltenbach, McKenna Kolstee, Luke Martin, Malory Munson, Zachary Odell, Matthew Pearson.

Seventh Grade: Aubree Adams, Angelina Braun, Layla Brewer, Sophia Carlson-Brandi, Violet James, Owen Kinney, Grace Munsee, Daisy Sheldon.

MERIT ROLL

12th Grade: Kadyn Abers, Cole Johnson, Michael Johnson, Reese McGaffick, Emily Roberts, Katelyn Schroder, Andrew Spiesman.

11th Grade: Elliott Gonzalez, Ava Lawson, Kiera Loberg, Johnathan Lyon, Sawyer Ramsey, Laura Warner.

10th Grade: Kendra Bernik, Kody Howard, Renee Raynor, Ryan Smith, Michael Spiesman, Avery Taft, Toby Watson.

Ninth Grade: Arick Feldt, Emma Ferguson, Kiedon Graves, Lillian Hyde, Marley Kelwaski, Aiden Langworthy, Kaden Lisciandro, Alexzander Lombardo, Konner Morgan, Norah Weaver.

Eighth Grade: Alexander Braun, Gavyn Chwazik, Mallorie Seekings, Lukas Stanton.

Seventh Grade: Mason Anderson, Jenica Ayres, Leah Chase, Isabella Conley, Wayne Gutheil, David Kunselman, Victoria Lombardo, Winnifred Ryan, Marlie Seekings, Anthony Williams, Jaxon Wolcott.

Continue reading

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People’s Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People’s Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People’s Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People’s Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People’s Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People’s Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People’s Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, Revolutionary People’s Rep’c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People’s RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom…

Continue reading

State AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyomingPuerto RicoUS Virgin IslandsArmed Forces AmericasArmed Forces PacificArmed Forces EuropeNorthern Mariana IslandsMarshall IslandsAmerican SamoaFederated States of MicronesiaGuamPalauAlberta, CanadaBritish Columbia, CanadaManitoba, CanadaNew Brunswick, CanadaNewfoundland, CanadaNova Scotia, CanadaNorthwest Territories, CanadaNunavut, CanadaOntario, CanadaPrince Edward Island, CanadaQuebec, CanadaSaskatchewan, CanadaYukon Territory, Canada

Zip Code

Country United States of AmericaUS Virgin IslandsUnited States Minor Outlying IslandsCanadaMexico, United Mexican StatesBahamas, Commonwealth of theCuba, Republic ofDominican RepublicHaiti, Republic ofJamaicaAfghanistanAlbania, People’s Socialist Republic ofAlgeria, People’s Democratic Republic ofAmerican SamoaAndorra, Principality ofAngola, Republic ofAnguillaAntarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S)Antigua and BarbudaArgentina, Argentine RepublicArmeniaArubaAustralia, Commonwealth ofAustria, Republic ofAzerbaijan, Republic ofBahrain, Kingdom ofBangladesh, People’s Republic ofBarbadosBelarusBelgium, Kingdom ofBelizeBenin, People’s Republic ofBermudaBhutan, Kingdom ofBolivia, Republic ofBosnia and HerzegovinaBotswana, Republic ofBouvet Island (Bouvetoya)Brazil, Federative Republic ofBritish Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago)British Virgin IslandsBrunei DarussalamBulgaria, People’s Republic ofBurkina FasoBurundi, Republic ofCambodia, Kingdom ofCameroon, United Republic ofCape Verde, Republic ofCayman IslandsCentral African RepublicChad, Republic ofChile, Republic ofChina, People’s Republic ofChristmas IslandCocos (Keeling) IslandsColombia, Republic ofComoros, Union of theCongo, Democratic Republic ofCongo, People’s Republic ofCook IslandsCosta Rica, Republic ofCote D’Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of theCyprus, Republic ofCzech RepublicDenmark, Kingdom ofDjibouti, Republic ofDominica, Commonwealth ofEcuador, Republic ofEgypt, Arab Republic ofEl Salvador, Republic ofEquatorial Guinea, Republic ofEritreaEstoniaEthiopiaFaeroe IslandsFalkland Islands (Malvinas)Fiji, Republic of the Fiji IslandsFinland, Republic ofFrance, French RepublicFrench GuianaFrench PolynesiaFrench Southern TerritoriesGabon, Gabonese RepublicGambia, Republic of theGeorgiaGermanyGhana, Republic ofGibraltarGreece, Hellenic RepublicGreenlandGrenadaGuadaloupeGuamGuatemala, Republic ofGuinea, Revolutionary People’s Rep’c ofGuinea-Bissau, Republic ofGuyana, Republic ofHeard and McDonald IslandsHoly See (Vatican City State)Honduras, Republic ofHong Kong, Special Administrative Region of ChinaHrvatska (Croatia)Hungary, Hungarian People’s RepublicIceland, Republic ofIndia, Republic ofIndonesia, Republic ofIran, Islamic Republic ofIraq, Republic ofIrelandIsrael, State ofItaly, Italian RepublicJapanJordan, Hashemite Kingdom ofKazakhstan, Republic ofKenya, Republic ofKiribati, Republic ofKorea, Democratic People’s Republic ofKorea, Republic ofKuwait, State ofKyrgyz RepublicLao People’s Democratic RepublicLatviaLebanon, Lebanese RepublicLesotho, Kingdom…

Continue reading

Anishinabek Nation 2SLGBTQQIA+Advisory Council member Heidi Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation joined the Nation Council panel on Day 2 of the 9th Annual Lands and Resources Forum held from February 11-13, in North Bay, Ont. – Photo by Laura Barrios

By Kelly Anne Smith

NORTH BAY- The 2025 Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources Forum featured the Anishinabek Nation Councils Panel to start the second day of the three-day Forum from February 11-13.

Anishinabek Nation Councils Panel included Eshki-niigijig Southwest member from Munsee Delaware Nation Katelyn Peters; Kwe-Wuk-Southwest member from Chippewas of the Thames First Nation Betsy Kechego; 2SLGBTQQIA+ member Heidi Whetung of Curve Lake First Nation; Kwe-Wuk Northern Superior member from Michipocoten First Nation Evelyn Stone; Getzidjig Southwest member Leroy Dolson from Munsee Delaware Nation; and Eshki-niigijig Southeast member Terra Roy from Beausoleil and Nipissing First Nations.

Heidi Whetung urged that the language be included to talk about diversity. Whetung says she does not like the term 2SLGBTQQIA+, “Because a lot of our youth and adults don’t identify with any of those terms. It would be really nice to get back to the language. Put the language in there.”

Whetung says more education is needed in our communities.

“Acceptance, inclusive policies and practices, inclusive ceremony. So many of our youth and adults want to come to ceremony but aren’t accepted. Inclusive language. I don’t know if any of you have looked at the 2SLGBTQQIA+ action plan? It needs to be revisited…”

She says work needs to be done on stigma and discrimination in some communities and calls for culture, community, and community acceptance.

“If you look at this action plan, you don’t really see our youth, our people included in that action plan. It says, today, us 2SLGBTQQIA+ individuals continue to express stigma,…

Continue reading

The Spirit of the Land panel featuring (from left) Katelyn Peters, a Munsee Delaware Nation member on the Eshki-niigijig Advisory Council; Northern Superior Regional Chief Mel Hardy and Getzit Nmishomis James Mishquart, both from Biinjitiwaabik Zaagiing Anishinaabek; and Angel Ransom from First Nations Major Projects Coalition. The Spirit of the Land panel took place at the Anishinabek Nation’s 9th Annual Land and Resources Forum in North Bay from February 11-13. – Photo by Laura Barrios

By Kelly Anne Smith

NORTH BAY—Opening the Anishinabek Nation’s 2025 Lands and Resources Forum on February 11 in North Bay, Ont., Ookomis Donna Debassige from Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory recited the Chi-Naaknigewin preamble, Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishnaabe (One Anishinaabe Family).

Nipissing First Nation Gookmis Evelyn McLeod gave Anishinaabemowin words of wisdom, as did Mishoomis Richard Assinewai of Wiikwemkoong Unceded Territory, the Anishinabek Nation’s Head Getzit.

Mishoomis Assinewai reminded Forum participants to care for our gifts the Anishinaabe way.

“It’s time to start rising. To start speaking. Start speaking for the lands, the people, language, treaties – everything. Start speaking for it. Protect it. We have a gift in that Preamble (Ngo Dwe Waangizid Anishinaabe). We do it our way, not somebody else telling us how to do something.”

During the Anishinabek Nation Leadership panel, Southeast Regional Chief Marsha Smoke commended the Lands and Resources Department for all of the data collected and worked on and the input from communities, providing the foundation for political advocacy. Northwest Regional Chief Mel Hardy said the province is coming across the land, not taking consideration for the Spirit of the Land.

Northwest Regional Chief Hardy has been working alongside Angel Ransom, a Nak’azdli Whut’en First Nation member who helps communities with environmental assessments. Ransom is the vice-president of environmental services with First Nations Major…

Continue reading

By Jared Castañeda

Posted 2/12/25

Passersby driving through Route 416 in the Town of Montgomery have likely observed a sacred area across the street from Medline’s facility: the town’s African American Cemetery, the …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Attention subscribers

To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, below, or purchase a new subscription.

Please log in to continue Need an account? Print and web subscribers If you’re a print and web subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Online-only subscribers If you are a digital subscriber with an active, online-only subscription then you already have an account here. Just reset your password if you’ve not yet logged in to your account on this new site. Non-subscribers Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.

Posted Wednesday, February 12, 2025

By Jared Castañeda

Passersby driving through Route 416 in the Town of Montgomery have likely observed a sacred area across the street from Medline’s facility: the town’s African American Cemetery, the resting place for dozens of African Americans, both enslaved and free, who were buried during the 18th and 19th centuries. In honor of these individuals, the Sacred Place of My Ancestors hosted its fifth annual wreath-laying ceremony in the town last Saturday, February 8, featuring several speeches and ample reflection.

Due to icy terrain surrounding the cemetery, most of the ceremony took place in the town…

Continue reading