Lindsay Morcom: A history of Indigenous languages -- and how to revitalize them | TED

Translator: Rubén Ventoso Martínez Reviewer: Xosé María Moreno

Dene Elder Paul Disain said,

Paul Disain, un ancián dene, dixo:

"Our language and culture

"A nosa lingua e cultura

is the window through which we see the world."

son a xanela a través de que ollamos para o mundo."

And on Turtle Island,

E, en Turtle Island,

what is now known as North America,

o que agora se coñece como América do Norte,

there're so many unique and wonderful ways to see the world.

hai moitas formas únicas. e marabillosas de ollar para o mundo.

As a person of Indigenous heritage,

Como persoa de herdanza indíxena,

I'm interested in learning Anishinaabemowin,

quero aprender anishinaabemowin,

which is my heritage language,

a miña lingua de herdanza,

because it lets me see the world through that window.

para ollar para o mundo a través desa ventá.

It lets me connect with my family,

Permíteme conectarme coa miña familia,

my ancestors, my community, my culture.

os meus devanceiros, a miña comunidade e cultura.

And lets me think about how I can pass that on

E permíteme pensar sobre como o vou legar

to future generations.

ás futuras xeracións.

As a linguist,

Como lingüista,

I'm interested in how language functions generally.

estou interesada en como as linguas funcionan en xeral.

I can look at phonetics and phonology --

Podo mirar á fonética e fonoloxía,

speech sounds.

os sons da fala.

I can look at morphology, or the structure of words.

Podo ollar á morfoloxía, isto é, a estrutura das palabras.

I can look at syntax,

Podo ollar para a sintaxe,

which is the structure of sentences and phrases,

que é a estrutura das oracións e frases,

to learn about how humans store language in our brains

para aprender sobre como os humanos almacenamos a linguaxe nos cerebros

and how we use it to communicate with one another.

e como a usamos para nos comunicar.

For example,

Por exemplo,

Anishinaabemowin, like most Indigenous languages,

o anishinaabemowin, coma a maioría de linguas indíxenas,

is what's called polysynthetic,

é polisintética,

which means that there are very, very long words,

o que significa que hai palabras longuísimas,

composed of little tiny pieces called morphemes.

compostas de pequenas pezas chamadas morfemas.

So I can say, in Anishinaabemowin, "niwiisin," "I eat,"

En anishinaabemowin podo dicir "niwiisin", "eu como",

which is one word.

cunha soa palabra.

I can say "nimino-wiisin," "I eat well,"

Podo dicir "nimino-wiisin", "como ben",

which is still one word.

tamén cunha soa palabra.

I can say "nimino-naawakwe-wiisin," "I eat a good lunch,"

Podo dicir "nimino-naawakwe-wiisin", "como un bo xantar",

which is how many words in English?

cantas palabras son en inglés?

Five words in English, a single word in Anishinaabemowin.

Cinco palabras inglés, unha soa en anishinaabemowin.

Now, I've got a bit of a quiz for you.

Ben, teño unha pequena proba para vós.

In a one-word answer, what color is that slide?

Cunha soa palabra, de que cor é esa diapositiva?

Audience: Green.

Audiencia: Verde.

Lindsay Morcom: What color is that slide?

Linday Morcom: De que cor é esa diapositiva?

Audience: Green.

Audiencia: Verde.

LM: What color is that slide?

LM: De que cor é esa diapositiva?

Audience: Blue.

Audiencia: Azul.

LM: And what color is that slide?

LM: E de que cor é esa diapositiva?

(Audience murmurs)

(A audiencia murmura.)

Not trick questions, I promise.

Prométovos que non son preguntas trampa.

For you as English speakers,

Como falantes de inglés

you saw two green slides and two blue slides.

vistes dúas diapositivas verdes e dúas azuis.

But the way that we categorize colors varies across languages,

Porén, a forma de categorizarmos as cores varía de idioma a idioma.

so if you had been Russian speakers,

Se fósedes falantes de ruso

you would have seen two slides that were different shades of green,

teríades visto dúas diapositivas con distintos tons de verde,

one that was "goluboy," which is light blue,

unha que sería "goluboy", azul claro,

one that is "siniy," dark blue.

e outra "siniy", azul escuro.

And those are seen as different colors.

E estas considéranse cores diferentes.

If you were speakers of Anishinaabemowin,

Se fósedes falantes de anishinaabemowin

you would have seen slides that were Ozhaawashkwaa

veríades diapositivas que serían ozhaawashkwaa

or Ozhaawashkozi, which means either green or blue.

ou ozhaawashkozi, que significa verde ou azul.

It's not that speakers don't see the colors,

Non é que os falantes non vexan as cores,

it's that the way they categorize them and the way that they understand shades

é que a forma en que as categorizan e en que entenden os tons

is different.

é distinta.

At the same time,

Así mesmo,

there are universals in the ways that humans categorize color,

existen universais sobre a categorización das cores,

que dan información sobre como o cerebro humano

and that tells us about how human brains

understand and express what they're seeing.

entende e expresa o que está vendo.

O anishinaabemowin ten outra característica marabillosa:

Anishinaabemowin does another wonderful thing,

which is animate, inanimate marking on all words.

animado ou inanimado, que se marca en todas as palabras.

So it's not unlike how French and Spanish

Non é diferente de como o francés e o castelán

mark all words as either masculine or feminine.

marcan as palabras como masculinas ou femininas.

Anishinaabemowin and other Algonquian languages

O anishinaabemowin e outras linguas algonquinas

mark all words as either animate or inanimate.

marcan todas as palabras como animado ou inanimado.

The things that you would think to be animate are animate,

As palabras que credes que serían animadas son animadas,

things that have a pulse: people, animals, growing plants.

cousas que teñen pulso: xente, animais, plantas crecendo.

But there are other things that are animate

Mais tamén hai outras cousas que son animadas

that you might not guess, like rocks.

que non adiviñariades, coma as pedras.

Rocks are marked as animate,

As pedras son animadas,

and that tells us really interesting things about grammar,

o que nos conta cousas moi interesantes sobre a gramática.

and it also tells us really interesting things

Tamén nos conta cousas moi interesantes

about how Anishinaabemowin speakers

sobre como os falantes de anishinaabemowin

relate to and understand the world around them.

se relacionan e entenden o mundo que os rodea.

Now, the sad part of that

A parte triste desta historia

is that Indigenous languages are in danger.

é que as linguas indíxenas están en perigo.

Indigenous languages that posses so much knowledge of culture,

As linguas indíxenas, que teñen tanto coñecemento sobre a cultura,

of history,

a historia,

of ways to relate to one another,

sobre formas de se relacionar cos outros,

of ways to relate to our environment.

sobre formas de nos relacionarmos co entorno.

Having been on this land since time immemorial,

Ó levaren nesta terra desde tempos inmemoriais,

these languages have developed here

estas linguas desenvolvéronse aquí

and they contain priceless environmental knowledge

e conteñen coñecemento ambiental que é incalculable,

that helps us relate well to the land on which we live.

que nos axuda a relacionarnos ben coa terra en que vivimos.

But they are, in fact, in danger.

Mais si, están en perigo.

The vast majority of Indigenous languages in North America

A inmensa maioría das linguas indíxenas de América do Norte

are considered endangered,

considéranse en perigo,

and those that are not endangered are vulnerable.

e as que non, considéranse vulnerables.

That is by design.

Isto fíxose a mantenta.

In our laws, in our policies,

Nas nosas leis, nas nosas políticas,

in our houses of governance,

nas nosas instancias políticas,

there have been stated attempts

houbo intentos estatais

to eliminate Indigenous languages and cultures in this country.

de eliminar as linguas e culturas indíxenas deste país.

Duncan Campbell Scott

Duncan Campbell Scott

was one of the architects of the residential school system.

foi un dos arquitectos do sistema de internados.

On tabling a bill that required mandatory residential school attendance

En 1920, ó redactar o proxecto de lei que obrigaba a asistencia ós internados

for Indigenous children in 1920, he said,

para os nenos indíxenas dixo:

"I want to get rid of the Indian problem.

"Quérome librar do problema indio.

Our objective is to continue

O noso obxectivo é continuarmos

until there is not a single Indian in Canada

ata que non haxa nin un indio no Canadá

that has not been absorbed into the body politic

que non se absorbese no organismo político

and there is no Indian question, and no Indian Department;

e non haxa un asunto indio, nin un Departamento Indio.

that is the whole object of this Bill."

Esta é a finalidade deste proxecto de lei."

The atrocities that occurred in residential schools were documented.

As atrocidades que ocorreron nos internados están documentadas.

In 1907,

En 1907

P.H. Bryce, who was a doctor and an expert in tuberculosis,

P.H. Bryce, que era médico e experto en tuberculose,

published a report that found that in some schools,

publicou un informe que mostrou que nalgunhas escolas

25 percent of children had died from tuberculosis epidemics

o 25% dos nenos morrera en epidemias de tuberculose

created by the conditions in the schools.

debidas ás condicións nas escolas.

In other schools, up to 75 percent of children had died.

Noutras escolas morrera ata o 75% dos nenos.

He was defunded by federal government

O goberno federal retiroulle os fondos

for his findings,

polos seus descubrimentos,

forced into retirement in 1921,

e obrigárono a se retirar en 1921.

and in 1922, published his findings widely.

En 1922 publicou as súas investigacións.

And through that time,

E durante ese tempo

Indigenous children were taken from their homes,

sacaron nenos indíxenas dos seus fogares,

taken from their communities

das súas comunidades

and forced into church-run residential schools

e leváronos á forza a internados relixiosos

where they suffered, in many cases,

onde, en moitos casos, sufriron

serious emotional, physical and sexual abuse,

abusos emocionais, físicos e mais sexuais.

and in all cases, cultural abuse,

E, en todos os casos, abusos culturais,

as these schools were designed

xa que estas escolas deseñáranse

to eliminate Indigenous language and culture.

para elimitar as linguas e as culturas indíxenas.

The last residential school closed in 1996.

O último internado pechouse no ano 1996.

Until that time, 150,000 children or more attended residential schools

Ata esa data, máis de 150 000 nenos acudiron a esas escolas

at 139 institutions across the country.

en 139 institucións en todo o país.

In 2007,

En 2007

the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement came into effect.

aprobouse o Convenio sobre os internados indios.

It's the largest class action lawsuit in Canadian history.

Foi a maior demanda colectiva na historia do Canadá.

It set aside 60 million dollars

Reserváronse 60 millóns de dólares

for the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.

para establecer a Comisión de Canadá para a Verdade e a Reconciliación (TRC).

The TRC gifted us with the ability to hear survivor stories,

A TRC deunos a posibilidade de escoitar historias de superviventes,

to hear impacts on communities and families

da ver o impacto en comunidades e familias

and to gain access to research

e de conseguir acceso á investigación

that explored the full effect of residential schools

que explorou todo o efecto dos internados

on Indigenous communities and on Canada as a whole.

nas comunidades indíxenas e en todo o Canadá.

The TRC found that residential schools

A TRC descubriu que os internados

constituted what's called cultural genocide.

consituíron o que se denomina xenocidio cultural.

They state that, "Physical genocide is the mass killing of the members

Afirman que: "O xenodicio físico é a matanza en masa de membros

of a targeted group,

orientada a un grupo,

biological genocide is the destruction of that group's reproductive capacity.

o xenodicio biolóxico é a destrución da capacidade reprodutiva do grupo.

And cultural genocide is the destruction of those structures and practices

E xenocidio cultural é a destrución das estruturas e prácticas

that allow the group to continue as a group."

que permiten que o grupo continúe a existir como grupo."

The stated goals of Duncan Campbell Scott.

Xusto os obxectivos declarados de Duncan Campbell Scott.

So they find that it's cultural genocide,

Descrubriron que foi xenocidio cultural,

although as children's author

aínda que, como di o escritor infantil

and a great speaker David Bouchard points out,

e gran orador David Bouchard,

when you build a building,

se cando constrúes un edificio,

and you build a cemetery next to that building,

e constrúes un cemiterio a carón dese edificio

because you know the people going into that building are going to die,

porque sabes que a xente que vaia a ese edificio vai morrer,

what do you call that?

como lle chamarías?

The TRC also gifted us with 94 calls to action,

A TRC tamén nos porporcionou 94 chamadas á acción,

beacons that can lead the way forward as we work to reconciliation.

faros que nos fan avanzar mentres traballamos na reconciliación.

Several of those pertain directly to language and culture.

Moitas delas afectan á lingua e á cultura.

The TRC calls us to ensure adequate, funded education,

A TRC fainos un chamamento para asegurar educación adecuada e financiada,

including language and culture.

incluída a lingua e mais a cultura.

To acknowledge Indigenous rights, including language rights.

A recoñecer os dereitos indíxenas, incluídos os dereitos lingüísticos.

To create an Aboriginal Languages Act

A crear unha lei sobre idiomas aborixes,

aimed at acknowledging and preserving Indigenous languages,

coa finalidade de recoñecer e preservar as linguas indíxenas,

with attached funding.

con financiación asignada.

To create a position for an Aboriginal Languages Commissioner

A crear un posto para un comisionario de linguas aborixes

and to develop postsecondary language programs

e a desenvolver programas lingüísticos post-secundarios,

as well as to reclaim place names that have been changed

como tamén a reclamar os nomes de sitios que se cambiaran

through the course of colonization.

durante a colonización.

At the same time as the Indian Residential School Settlement Agreement

Ó mesmo tempo que entrou en vigor

o Acordo para a Liquidación das Escolas Residencias Indias

came into effect,

the United Nations adopted

as Nacións Unidas adoptaron

the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People

a Declaración de Dereitos dos Pobos Indíxenas

in 2007.

no 2007.

It states that Indigenous people have the right to establish and control

Declara que os pobos indíxenas teñen dereito a establecer e controlar

their own education systems and institutions

os seus propios sistemas e institucións educativos,

providing education in their own languages,

con educación no seus propios idiomas,

in a manner appropriate to their cultural methods

dunha forma axeitada ós seus métodos culturais

of teaching and learning.

de ensino e aprendizaxe.

In 2007,

En 2007,

when that was brought into effect,

cando se intentou aplicar,

four countries voted against it.

houbo catro países que votaron en contra.

They were the United States, New Zealand, Australia

Estados Unidos, Nova Zelandia, Australia

and Canada.

e o Canadá.

Canada adopted the United Nations

O Canadá adoptou a Declaración das Nacións Unidas

Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People in 2010.

sobre os Dereitos dos Pobos Indíxenas en 2010.

And in 2015, the government promised to bring it into effect.

E en 2015 o goberno prometeuna aplicar.

So how are we collectively going to respond?

Entón, como deberiamos reaccionar como colectivo?

Here's the situation that we're in.

Esta é a situación en que nos atopamos.

Of the 60 currently spoken Indigenous languages in Canada,

Das 60 linguas que se falan na actualidade no Canadá,

só seis non se consideradan ameazadas polas Nacións Unidas.

all but six are considered endangered by the United Nations.

So, the six that aren't are Cree, Anishinaabemowin,

As seis que non, son cree, anishinaabemowin,

Stoney, Mi'kmaq,

stoney, mi'kmaq,

Dene and Inuktitut.

dene ou inuktitut;

And that sounds really dire.

o que soa como unha situación desesperada.

But if you go on to the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger

Se ides ó Atlas das Linguas do Mundo en Perigo

through the UNESCO website,

na web da UNESCO,

you'll see a little "r" right next to that language right there.

veredes un "r" pequeno xusto a carón desa lingua.

That language is Mi'kmaq.

Esa lingua é o mi'kmaq.

Mi'kmaq has undergone significant revitalization

O mi'kmaq pasou por un forte proceso de revitalización

because of the adoption of a self-government agreement

debido á adopción dun acordo de autogoberno

that led to culture and language-based education,

que conduciu a educación baseada na lingua e na cultura,

and now there are Mi'kmaq children

así que agora hai nenos mi'kmaq

who have Mi'kmaq as their first language.

que teñen o mi'kmaq como primeira lingua.

There's so much that we can do.

Hai moito por facer.

These children are students

Estes nenos son estudantes

in the Mnidoo Mnising Anishinabek Kinoomaage,

no Mnidoo Mnising Anishinabek Kinoomaage,

an immersion school on Manitoulin island,

unha escola de inmersión na illa de Manitoulin,

where they learn in Anishinaabemowin.

onde estudan en anishinaabemowin.

They arrived at school in junior kindergarten

Chegaron á escola no xardín de infancia

speaking very little, if any, Anishinaabemowin.

falando moi pouco, se é que falaban anishinaabemowin.

And now, in grade three and grade four,

E agora, con nove e dez anos,

they're testing at intermediate and fluent levels.

fan exames de niveis intermedios e fluídos.

At the same time,

Do mesmo xeito,

they have beautifully high self-esteem.

tamén teñen unha alta autoestima.

They are proud to be Anishinaabe people,

Están orgullosos de ser anishinaabe,

and they have strong learning skills.

e teñen unha gran capacidade de aprendizaxe.

Not all education has to be formal education either.

Mais non toda a educación ten que ser formal.

In our local community,

Na nosa comunidade local,

we have the Kingston Indigenous Language Nest.

temos o Kingston Indigenous Language Nest.

KILN is an organization now,

KILN é unha organización hoxe en día,

but it started six years ago with passionate community members

pero comezou hai seis anos con membros da comunidade

gathered around an elder's kitchen table.

reunidos arredor da mesa da cociña dun ancián.

Since then, we have created weekend learning experiences

Desde entón, creamos experiencias de aprendizaxe de fin de semana

aimed at multigenerational learning,

dirixidas a aprendizaxe multixeracional,

where we focus on passing language and culture on to children.

centradas en transmitir a lingua e a cultura ós nenos.

We use traditional games, songs, foods and activities to do that.

Usamos xogos tradicionais, cancións, comida e actividades para o facer.

We have classes

Temos clases

at both the beginner and intermediate levels

de niveis principiante e mais intermedio

offered right here.

que se ofertan aquí mesmo.

We've partnered with school boards and libraries

Temos acordos con comités escolares e bibliotecas

to have resources and language in place in formal education.

para conseguirmos recursos e o idioma na educación formal.

The possibilities are just endless,

As posibilidades son ilimitadas,

and I'm so grateful for the work that has been done

e estou moi agradecida polo traballo que se fixo

to allow me to pass language and culture on to my son

para me permitir legar a lingua e a cultura ó meu fillo

and to other children within our community.

e a outros nenos da nosa comunidade.

We've developed a strong, beautiful, vibrant community as well,

Desenvolvemos unha comunidade forte, linda e tamén dinámica,

as a result of this shared effort.

como resultado deste esforzo compartido.

So what do we need moving forward?

Entón, que temos que facer para avanzar?

First of all, we need policy.

Primeiro de todo, precisamos políticas.

We need enacted policy with attached funding

Necesitamos políticas aprobadas con financiación

that will ensure that Indigenous language

que aseguren que as linguas indíxenas

is incorporated meaningfully into education,

se incorporan de forma real na educación,

both on and off reserve.

tanto nas reservas coma fóra delas.

On reserve, education is funded at significantly lower levels

Nas reservas a educación finánciase menos

than it is off reserve.

ca fóra das reservas.

And off reserve,

E fóra das reservas

Indigenous language education is often neglected,

a educación en linguas indíxenas déixase de lado a miúdo

because people assume

porque a xente pensa

that Indigenous people are not present in provincial schools,

que non hai indíxenas nos colexios provinciais,

when actually, around 70 percent of Indigenous people in Canada today

cando de feito, case o 70% dos indíxenas do Canadá

live off reserve.

viven fóra de reservas.

Those children have equal right to access their language and culture.

Eses nenos teñen os mesmos dereitos a acceder a súa lingua e cultura.

Beyond policy, we need support.

Máis aló de políticas, precisamos de apoio.

And that doesn't just mean financial support.

Con iso non quero dicir só apoio económico.

We need space where we can carry out activities,

Precisamos espazos para facermos actividades,

classes and interaction with nonindigenous populations as well.

clases e interactuar con poboacións non indíxenas.

We need support

Precisamos apoio

that looks like people wanting to learn the language.

en forma de xente que queira aprender a lingua.

We need support where people talk about why these languages are important.

Precisamos que a xente fale de por que estas linguas son importantes.

And to achieve that, we need education.

E, para acadarmos iso, precisamos educación.

We need access to immersion education primarily,

Precisamos acceso a educación con inmersión,

as that is most certainly the most effective way

xa que é o método máis efectivo

to ensure the transmission of Indigenous languages.

para asegurarmos a transmisión das linguas indíxenas.

But we also need education in provincial schools,

Tamén precisamos educación nas escolas provinciais,

we need education for the nonindigenous populations

necesitamos educación para os non indíxenas,

so that we can come to a better mutual understanding

para alcanzarmos así un mellor entendemento

and move forward in a better way together.

e avanzarmos, xuntos, da mellor forma.

I have this quote hanging in a framed picture on my office wall.

Teño esta cita colgada na miña oficina.

It was a gift from a settler ally student that I taught a few years ago,

Foi un regalo dun alumno ó que dei clase hai xa anos.

and it reminds me every day

Lémbrame a diario

that we can achieve great things if we work together.

que podemos acadar grandes cousas ó traballarmos xuntos.

But if we're going to talk about reconciliation,

Pero se imos falar de reconciliación,

we need to acknowledge

necesitamos recoñecer

that a reconciliation that does not result

que a reconciliación que non implica

in the survivance and continuation of Indigenous languages and cultures

a supervivencia e continuación das linguas e culturas indíxenas

is no reconciliation at all.

non é reconciliación.

It is assimilation,

É asimilación,

and it shouldn't be acceptable to any of us.

e non debería ser aceptable para ninguén.

But what we can do is look to the calls to action,

O que podemos facer é ollarmos para as chamadas para a acción,

we can look to the United Nations Declaration

podemos ollar para a Declaración das Nacións Unidas

on the Rights of Indigenous People

sobre os dereitos dos pobos indíxenas

and we can come to a mutual understanding

e podemos alcanzar un entendemento mutuo

that what we have,

de que o que temos,

in terms of linguistic and cultural heritage

en sentido de herdanza lingüística e cultural

for Indigenous people in this country,

para xente indíxena deste país,

is worth saving.

pagan a pena de conservar.

Based on that, we can step forward,

Partindo diso, podemos ir cara adiante,

together,

xuntos,

to ensure that Indigenous languages are passed on

para asegurarmos que as linguas indíxenas se transmiten

beyond 2050, beyond the next generation,

máis alá do 2050, máis alá da seguinte xeración,

into the next seven generations.

ata as próximas sete xeracións.

Miigwech. Niawen’kó:wa. Thank you.

Miigwech. Niawen’kó:wa. Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos.)