Course Description

Program Description Many universities offer programs in modern languages, ranging from English, French, Spanish, and Italian, to Chinese, Russian, and Japanese. Very few universities, however, offer studies in Anishinaabemowin, or one of the languages of the “First” or “Original Peoples” who inhabited much of Canada. Algoma University is the only university in Canada to offer a three-year undergraduate degree in Anishinaabemowin, the Ojibwe language. Currently, Anishinaabemowin faces many of the dangers other languages around the world face – extinction. The language was originally passed on by elders to younger generations through oral storytelling; however, this tradition has changed in recent years. The language now relies on students learning the native tongue and teaching it to others on reserves and in communities. By studying Anishinaabemowin, you have the power to revive and maintain the language of one of the earliest cultures in Canada. Anishinaabemowin is a unique program, offering basic- to advanced-level instruction in the Ojibwe language and culture. Within the program, students will gain a functional level of fluency in the language and will thoroughly investigate the challenges posed by the written word. Students will individually and collectively examine social structures and values within Anishinaabe society, and will also study the Anishinaabe worldview and philosophy. By examining the culture’s oral and written history, students will come to understand the grammar and sound of Anishinaabemowin through various written exercises. Our students will also be exposed to Anishinaabe music and social activism, as well as the regional differences that exist in the Anishinaabe culture across Canada. What makes our program even more unique is the rich cultural history in which Algoma University is founded on. Over 12 percent of our student body is Anishinaabe (First Nations, Métis, or Inuit), and more Anishinaabe students continue to come to Algoma U to study here. With a special mission and commitment to cross-cultural learning, our Anishinaabemowin program looks to bring Chief Shingwauk’s vision of “sharing, healing, and learning” to fruition. Algoma University is located at the site of the former Shingwauk Indian Residential School Site, and is today committed to researching, collecting, preserving, and displaying the history of the Residential Schools system; developing and delivering projects in relation to Chief Shingwauk’s mission; and bringing about individual and community cultural restoration under the name of The Shingwauk Project. Thus, the educational experience you will receive here is unlike any other and is deeply rooted in Anishinaabe culture and history.

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