Reclaiming language: Mi'kmaw Kina'matnewey breaks down new language revitalization strategy (2025)

Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey has been making waves as the recipient of federal and provincial funding in the past month for the Mi’kmaq Language ReVITALization strategy.

Mi’kmaq Kina’matnewey executive director Blaire Gould shared that the funding is the result of years of hard work from many key players and that she is very happy it has come to fruition.

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“I would like to say first that Minister Karla MacFarlane was the first cabinet (minister) within the province who really took this on and was doing legislation for the Mi’kmaq language back in 2021,” Gould said.

“She committed the province to working on this and what this looks like. She was the first champion who really dedicated time and space and energy to working on this collaborative team.”

‘ALL PARTIES COULD STAND TOGETHER’

Since former minister MacFarlane’s work on the revitalization legislation of the Mi’kmaq language, other key players have been L’Nu Affairs Minister Leah Martin, Arthur LeBlanc and Grand Chief Norman Sylliboy.

“It was nice that all parties could stand together on this very important issue for the people,” said Gould.

She shared that unfortunately, the timeline aligned where the new Mi’kmaw Language Act legislation was to be passed around the time that post-tropical storm Fiona struck in 2022. Despite the natural disaster, the legislation had no delay in passing.

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“The legislation spoke to the development of our number one priority, which is visibility. We want it to be everywhere,” Gould said.

“This is the first language of this province; it’s the original language of this land of the people of this land.”

$7.1 MILLION AND $1.3 MILLION ANNUALLY

Over the past couple of years, Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey has worked alongside the provincial government to continue to further initiatives that prioritize the language, which lead to the recent federal and provincial funding they have received.

Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey has received $7.1 million in federal funding, as well as an additional annual $1.3 million in funding from the provincial government to advance the language revitalization initiatives and build capacity within the communities.

“The strategy comes with five pillars and all the pillars are the foundational pieces for where we want to start out and call for action,” said Gould.

‘MEETING PEOPLE WHERE THEY’RE AT’

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The five pillars essentially outline the need for more resources, the communication of those resources and programs, and how to enact those resources and programs. The basis of the strategy is meeting each Mi’kmaw community where they are.

“If you’re not meeting people where they’re at, they will not be successful, so we’re very intentional about that. Out of the $1.3 million, 75 per cent of that is going directly to the individuals from every single community who will be helping us work on this strategy,” Gould explained.

“Several positions have already been created and we have already started this work to help bring long-term programs that work for each specific community. The remainder of the provincial funding will go into building programs for the strategy for general use.”

With this new strategy, they intend to create 100 more fluent Mi’kmaq speakers by 2030.

“We’re really grateful that the province acted quickly to fulfill our request and so we look forward to getting some work done together,” said Gould.

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‘MAKE THE LANGUAGE MORE ACCESSIBLE’

Martin shares those sentiments and expressed her excitement for the annual provincial funding towards the Mi’kmaq Language ReVITALization strategy.

“It does respond to the calls to justice of the national inquiry into missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and the calls to action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission,” Martin explained.

“With that recognition, came a responsibility to take action and to create those opportunities for people to learn Mi’kmaq and make the language more accessible.”

Martin has a personal investment in the success of the strategy as well, being a Mi’kmaq woman from Millbrook First Nation.

“To my knowledge, this language strategy is the first of its kind and with that, it’s about so much more than just preserving the language. At this scope and scale, it’s about strengthening identity, culture and ways of knowing,” she said.

“I’m a proud member of Millbrook First Nation and so we know that language is more than just a means of communication. It’s the heartbeat of our identity. Indigenous language carries the essence of our history, culture and worldview.

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“I see this strategy as a way of not only revitalizing and preserving our language, but also strengthening my identity, culture and ways of knowing and passing it along to our future generations.”

BUILDING CAPACITY IN MI’KMAQ COMMUNITIES

Martin emphasized how integral the strategy and its basis will be to the development of Mi’kmaq speakers reclaiming and relearning their language.

“It lays out the concrete steps to support the growth and sustainability of the language in Nova Scotia,” she explained.

“It also helps to build capacity in Mi’kmaq communities. It will build language programs, create new learning opportunities, and promote the use of Mi’kmaq in communities, schools and workplaces, which to me is an incredible thing.”

While Martin was the person to announce the funding earlier in the month, she was not the only one behind securing it, she shared eagerly.

“The strategy is Mi’kmaq led and there are so many people that make this happen,” she said.

“Our Mi’kmaq elders, the appointed members of the language advisory council, the knowledge holders, Mi’kmaq community members, members of the urban Mi’kmaq community in K’jipuktuk, the Mi’kmaq language sub-committee, the Mi’kmaw Kina’matnewey leadership and language team, translation services, the province of Nova Scotia, L’Nu Affairs staff and senior officials, and the premier of Nova Scotia have all been supportive of this initiative.”

Meghan Dewar is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for the Cape Breton Post covering Indigenous Affairs.

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