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Cultural Centre – Kanien’kehaka Onkwawen:na Raotitohkwa Language and Cultural Centre, (KORLCC) Kahnawake Mohawk Nation Territory via Quebec
Kanien’keha Ratihwennahni:rats Adult Language Immersion Program
Kanien’keha Ratihwennahni:rats Adult Immersion Program is a two year intensive Kanien’keha language program for second language acquisition learners. The primary objectives of this program are: 1) to build language fluency capacity through a variety of teaching methods and practical applications, 2) prepare and increase employability of community participants and 3) increase the resource pool of proficient Kanien’keha speakers as per the Kaianerenhserón:ni Ne Onkwawenna’ ón:we Aónston ne Kahnawake. We have successfully graduated over eighty (80) students since its inception in 2001/02. Several former graduates from this program have successfully pursued careers in becoming Kanien’keha language teachers for the various schools in Kahnawake.
Tóta tánon Ohkwá:ri – Children’s Kanien’keha Language Immersion Puppet Television Show
With the financial support from the Kahnawake Shakotiia’takehnhas Community Services Brighter Futures Initiative and the Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund, KORLCC is able to produce a Children’s puppet show in the language using multimedia technology. The objectives of this multimedia production is to produce 20 minute segment video segments that addresses health prevention themes from a culturally based and language learning context. The program airs on Kahnawake’s local community cable television network. Developed as full immersion language program, each show is aired only in Kanien’keha and places focus on teaching phonetic chart, have a word of the day, a letter of the day followed with a theme base on the traditional calendar of Kanien’kehaka culture. Each theme of the month will reflect Kanien’kehaka culture and traditions through interaction of the characters. The primary target audience for this project is children aged 2 to 6 years old. The secondary group is anyone who falls under the category of “novice” or “beginner” learner of Kanien’keha.
Cultural Education Centres Program
The First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres (FNCCEC) is the national non profit organization which represents the cultural centres and programs funded by the Cultural Education Centres Program (CECP). The FNCCEC provides technical support and program delivery to its member centres. The FNCCEC also develops projects of interest and value to its membership. In addition, the FNCCEC is involved with public education initiatives such as cultural awareness which serves academic institutions, government, and the general public. The FNCCEC comprises of a national Board of Governors with the members duly appointed by their respective regions and territory.
The Cultural Educational Centres Program originated as a set of recommendations forwarded to Ottawa by Chiefs and Elders in 1969 to address the need for programming which would assist First Nation communities in preserving, revitalizing and promoting their cultures and languages. The Chiefs and Elders were responding to Pierre Trudeau’s federal government’s “White Paper Policy” which outlined actions and policies that were being rejected by First Nations across the country at the time. As a result, the National Indian Brotherhood (now known as the Assembly of First Nation) put forward their “Red Paper Policy” to counter attack the White Paper. Hence, in 1971, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs (DIAND) together with Secretary of State began implementing the Cultural Educational Centres Program (CECP). Thus, the FNCCEC was established to support the CEC and CP.
The Cultural Educational Centres Program (CECP) was established in 1971 as response to strong recommendations by Chiefs, Elders and the National Indian Brotherhood (now called Assembly of First Nations) that a national program was needed by First Nations communities to promote, revitalize and maintain their respective languages and culture.
Their identification of a need to support Indian cultural education was part of their response to the federal government’s “White Paper Policy”. This “policy” advocated for (among many other things) the abolition of Indian status and reserves for Indian people. The White Paper Policy met strong opposition from First Nations people across Canada.
Jean Chretien, then Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada approved the creation of the Cultural Education Centres Program. At the same time, the Friendship Centres Program was also created with a mandate to establish Indian centres in urban locations to provide programs and services to Indian people relocating to urban areas.
Initially the Cultural Educational Centres Program and the Friendship Centres Program were jointly administered by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and the Secretary of State (which later became part of the Department of Canadian Heritage). Within four years from the onset of these two programs, the Secretary of State elected to administer the Friendship Centres Program whereas Indian and Northern Affairs Canada assumed sole responsibility for the Cultural Education Centres Program.
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The Cultural Centres and Programs are funded by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs’ Cultural Education Centres Program (CECP). The Cultural Education Centres Program in present day remains with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC), and it is INAC that determines and controls the CECP funding pursuant to program authorities and policies.
The CECP is a program designed to protect, enhance and develop Indian/First Nation culture; and, despite the number of cultural centres and cultural programs that are funded under the CECP, there is little uniformity in either the funding level or range of activities of the centres and programs. For instance, Saskatchewan has only one cultural centre which administers to the language and cultural needs of all First Nations in its province. This kind of cultural centre is identified as a Corporate Centre.
Whereas, the other provinces have a few Corporate Centres and Community-Based Cultural Centres. Community Based Cultural Centres provide program and services specifically for their respective communities. In addition to Corporate Centres and Community Based Cultural Centres, there are a number of Band-directed Cultural Programs which operate either alone or in conjunction with several Band-directed schools or health services.
A main strength of the First Nations Confederacy of Cultural Education Centres has always been their flexibility in responding to community needs at a local level.
CULTURAL CENTRES
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