First Nation helps develop its own language learning app

York Factory First Nation (YFFN) in northern Manitoba has launched its own Cree language learning app called Inineemowin.

Developed by a committee of YFFN language experts, HFC Planning and Design, and Vincent Design Inc., the app provides users with an interactive platform to learn the Nation’s stories, words and teachings.

“It’s a wonderful resource for the young people,” said YFFN councillor Louisa Constant. “They are loving it at home. There have been so many downloads by the younger generations. It’s wonderful work.”

The project began about a year ago with funding from the Heritage Canada’s Indigenous Languages Program. A second phase later this year will expand the content available for users.

“York Factory came to Vincent Design in December last year and had this idea, a very loose idea, for an app they wanted for language learning,” said Jordan Dysart, software developer for Vincent Design Inc., an Indigenous-led Winnipeg design creative agency.

In the following months the groups met and gathered information and resources to be used in the platform.

“The intention with this language app is we really wanted to tie the app and experience to the community, and in this is their work,” said Dysart. “We want to highlight them as a community. York Factory Language Committee is trying to inspire youth and language learners to continue on and provide tools so that it makes it more accessible to learn about history, culture, local stories, and landmarks.”

Dysart said each area throughout the western communities that speak Cree have “slight differences” in their dialect.

When users launch the app, they will be presented with an illustration of a map which represents the community.

Important landmarks and cultural gathering sites throughout the community are highlighted including an explanation or an image with a Cree title and a Cree word describing it. There is also an option for users to play an audio file of the words.

The app’s Learning Path takes users through eight modules of lessons that introduce basic grammar and phrases in the context of cultural traditions including spring goose camp, winter carnival and sewing.

“(Then) you can explore some of the other features that we’ve created,” Dysart said. “One where you can learn these curated progressions … in full on phrases of the Cree language. The next category of that learning chapter is something that goes and pulls translations directly from the dictionary that we have saved on the device and it pulls and shuffles a certain amount of words directly from the dictionary.”

These words can be chosen by selecting the user’s skill level. And then, if they want to use them again, they can choose to use the audio files to hear the words.

Dysart explained these options offer a more diverse learning experience aside from just reading the words.

“They can use the audio recognition as well (to test their progress),” he added.

The Syllabics section of the app provides users with audio, recorded by the committee, that explains each symbol’s meaning.

In addition, Inineemowin provides local Knowledge Keeper’s stories, children’s stories, community stories and historical photographs.

Dysart used his own Cree heritage and prior experience with language revitalization initiatives to provide a unique fusion of tradition and technology for the app.

His personal connection to the work made the development of the Indigenous language learning app a significant milestone for Vincent Design Inc.

“This is an area that’s very important to me,” Dysart said. “I’m a Cree man from northern Manitoba, very close to York Factory. It’s been such a wonderful process and we’re so excited to have this out. There is so many lessons and memories that are drafted in the language and as language develops it develops around the environment that it’s spoken in. Inside jokes or comments around the campfire, if you’re in the Rockies it’s going to be different in the Prairies.”

Once the app had been developed, Dysart was able to have a ‘focus group’, which actually consisted of his grandparents, try it out.

“It was really cool to see my grandparents playing on the app,” said Dysart adding they were testing the various translations and showed a lot of interest with the differences to their own dialect.

The Inineemowin app is available on the App Store or Google Play.