Join us for early registration on Sunday evening in the hotel lobby to check in and receive your event materials.

• Opening Drum
• Welcome from SILR Advisory Council
• Qulliq lighting ceremony
• Opening remarks

 Speaker: Joan Greyeyes

The Elders Wellness space is designed to honour and care for Elders throughout the Gathering. This space is made possible by the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta, with the dedicated support of student volunteers from Indigenous Focus-- a discussion group within the occupational therapy program that emphasizes Indigenous health, knowledges, and self-determination in professional practice.

The Wellness Space offers:

• Hand therapy: Elders can sign-up for a warm wax bath followed by a gentle hand massage to relax and rejuvenate
• Drop-in Guided Beading Circle
• Tea and Coffee
• Relaxation Area

Sign-Up Details:

Elders can sign up for the wax bath and hand massage at the registration table at the start of each day. The sign-up sheet will then move to the Wellness Space for the remainder of the day.

Speakers: Roberta Alook, Reuben Quinn, Jerry Rain, Katerina Rain

Facilitator: Yazmín Novelo

This workshop will provide a space for attendees to envision alternative, positive, and vibrant futures for their languages – to move from surviving the future to building a better one. Future visioning is not a new practice. For Indigenous Peoples, the dreaming and visioning of futures are ancient and contemporary practices that allow us to understand past and present events and their relationship with the future. In this workshop, we will draw on systems- and futures-thinking to collectively envision possibilities for Indigenous languages, beyond fatalistic narratives. Participants will be encouraged to step outside the box of prescribed futures and, through conversation and creative activity such as drawing, mapping, or poetry, they will craft and share their visions for the future of their languages. Lastly, we will speak about some different methodologies to create a plan to enact these future visions. By nurturing collective dreaming and creativity, we hope to create a space for language advocates to come together, imagine, and bring to life the futures they desire for their languages.

Facilitator: Rohahiyo Jordan Brant

Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa is a full-time, adult Kanyen'kéha (Mohawk language) immersion program that operates with the goal of bringing in new students, with little to no background in the language, and make them proficient Advanced-level speakers after 2 school years. This session will provide participants with the history, infrastructure, curriculum, teaching methods, assessment, proficiency goals, community and nationwide impact, potential for replication, and future goals of the program.

Facilitated by: Maskwacîs Curriculum Department, Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC)

This special workshop is offered at an additional cost of $50 + GST. The fee covers a Yoto player, headphones, and Yoto cards, provided at a reduced rate through SILR’s support.

This hands-on workshop introduces participants to Yoto players, innovative screenless devices designed to allow the youngest of learners to explore stories, music, and language content independently or in centres. Yoto players provide a platform to upload your own content for student use as well as access to parents via a playlist. Learn how MESC is using these players to create oral listening stations for their learners that reflect community based language. Participants will learn how to use Yoto players to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that provide children with a fun, safe, and accessible way to connect with their heritage and culture.

Important Details:

• Limited spots available: Space is limited to 25 participants with prepaid registration
• Do not register for both Yoto workshops – the sessions on Monday and Tuesday are identical.
• Pre-registration and ticket purchase required. Be sure to select the corresponding Add-on Ticket during registration to attend this session. 

Facilitator: Aiyana Twigg

This workshop offers an in-depth exploration of the newly published toolkit, Safeguarding Your Language Through Documentation written by Aiyana Twigg. Designed for individuals without formal training in linguistics, documentation, or technology, this toolkit provides a straightforward guide to equipment options, content and ethical considerations, setting up recording sessions and elicitation strategies. Participants will gain hands-on experience with elicitation techniques, a crucial aspect of language documentation. The practical steps outlined in the toolkit aim to support language learners, Knowledge Holders, youth, and anyone else on their language journeys. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively document their languages.

Facilitator: Peigan Board of Education Society (PBOES)

This session will provide an overview of PBOES’ new values-based language curriculum for K-12 students. Participants will be shown the scope & sequence for each grade and the progressive nature of lessons between grade levels. Lessons include traditional Piikani values as described by Elders and Cultural Resource people along with the linguistic structure and grammar of Piikani language. Additionally, Piikani language learning kits developed for K4/K5 students will be shown and described for participants. These language kits are gifted to students as their first language libraries and learning kits in the home. You will hear stories of challenges and of celebration with our Piikani language revitalization initiatives.

Facilitator: Government of Northwest Territories & partner Indigenous governments

The Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) and partner Indigenous governments will present a panel discussion around the NWT Mentor-Apprentice Program (MAP) and the value of partnerships in the delivery of Indigenous language programming.

An overview of the NWT’s experience delivering MAP will be provided, highlighting the importance of the partnership between the territorial and Indigenous governments.

A discussion will be facilitated of the challenges and successes of the program and what has been learned over the past six years. Additionally there will be a discussion around the wellness supports needed to support learners on their language learning journey.

Facilitator: Glenn Jim and Amanda Aust, First Peoples Cultural Council 

This session explores the approach of the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) and the differences between language planning and language projects. Participants will learn about FPCC’s Wholistic Planning Framework, which is built on five fundamental principles that enhance community capacity and mobilization of language revitalization work.

The session on Day 2 will discuss how to start the planning process including how to identify what is already happening to support language revitalization and what remains to be done. We will then discuss the core components within a language revitalization plan and how to choose strategies that lead to effective outcomes in language revitalization.

Speaker: Michael Running Wolf

Michael Running Wolf, a Native American technologist and AI researcher, explores how communities can build and maintain AI tools for preserving Indigenous languages. The presentation will discuss practical approaches that blend technology with cultural awareness, empowering communities to create lasting solutions for language documentation and revival. The talk emphasizes community-driven development methods that ensure AI tools remain accessible, culturally appropriate, and effectively serve the ongoing needs of language reclamation efforts.

The Elders Wellness space is designed to honour and care for Elders throughout the Gathering. This space is made possible by the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Alberta, with the dedicated support of student volunteers from Indigenous Focus-- a discussion group within the occupational therapy program that emphasizes Indigenous health, knowledges, and self-determination in professional practice.

The Wellness Space offers:

• Hand therapy: Elders can sign-up for a warm wax bath followed by a gentle hand massage to relax and rejuvenate
• Drop-in Guided Beading Circle
• Tea and Coffee
• Relaxation Area

Sign-Up Details:

Elders can sign up for the wax bath and hand massage at the registration table at the start of each day. The sign-up sheet will then move to the Wellness Space for the remainder of the day.

More details to come!

Facilitator: Aiyana Twigg

This workshop offers an in-depth exploration of the newly published toolkit, "Safeguarding Your Language Through Documentation" written by Aiyana Twigg. Designed for individuals without formal training in linguistics, documentation, or technology, this toolkit provides a straightforward guide to equipment options, content and ethical considerations, setting up recording sessions and elicitation strategies. Participants will gain hands-on experience with elicitation techniques, a crucial aspect of language documentation. The practical steps outlined in the toolkit aim to support language learners, Knowledge Holders, youth, and anyone else on their language journeys. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to effectively document their languages.

Facilitator: Yazmín Novelo

This workshop will provide a space for attendees to envision alternative, positive, and vibrant futures for their languages – to move from surviving the future to building a better one. Future visioning is not a new practice. For Indigenous Peoples, the dreaming and visioning of futures are ancient and contemporary practices that allow us to understand past and present events and their relationship with the future. In this workshop, we will draw on systems- and futures-thinking to collectively envision possibilities for Indigenous languages, beyond fatalistic narratives. Participants will be encouraged to step outside the box of prescribed futures and, through conversation and creative activity such as drawing, mapping, or poetry, they will craft and share their visions for the future of their languages. Lastly, we will speak about some different methodologies to create a plan to enact these future visions. By nurturing collective dreaming and creativity, we hope to create a space for language advocates to come together, imagine, and bring to life the futures they desire for their languages.

Facilitator: Michael Running Wolf

This workshop will be a hands-on exploration of practical AI tools for language maintenance, led by Michael Running Wolf, a Native American technologist and AI researcher. Participants will learn to blend modern AI tools with traditional preservation methods for recording and revitalizing Indigenous languages. The workshop focuses on using technology effectively while preserving cultural authenticity and integrity of their heritage languages.

Facilitated by: Maskwacîs Curriculum Department, Maskwacîs Education Schools Commission (MESC)

This special workshop is offered at an additional cost of $50 + GST. The fee covers a Yoto player, headphones, and Yoto cards, provided at a reduced rate through SILR’s support.

This hands-on workshop introduces participants to Yoto players, innovative screenless devices designed to allow the youngest of learners to explore stories, music, and language content independently or in centres. Yoto players provide a platform to upload your own content for student use as well as access to parents via a playlist. Learn how MESC is using these players to create oral listening stations for their learners that reflect community based language. Participants will learn how to use Yoto players to create engaging and meaningful learning experiences that provide children with a fun, safe, and accessible way to connect with their heritage and culture.

Important Details:

• Limited spots available: Space is limited to 25 participants with prepaid registration.
• Do not register for both Yoto workshops – the sessions on Monday and Tuesday are identical.
• Pre-registration and ticket purchase required. Be sure to select the corresponding Add-on Ticket during registration to attend this session.

Facilitator: Indigenous Language Revitalization Team, Government of the Northwest Territories

The workshop will explore the NWT’s pilot of a simple community-based approach to hosting fun, engaging, and effective language sessions that can be delivered on a variety of introductory language topics. Participants will have the opportunity to watch a video which demonstrates the immersion circle approach and learn about the different resources created to support the sessions. The goal of the session is for participants to understand the framework of the approach, know the resources required, and have the confidence to host an immersion circle in their community. Participants will be provided with three sample session outlines that can be used to develop their own immersion circle sessions.

Facilitator: Glenn Jim, First Peoples Cultural Council 

This session explores the approach of the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) and the differences between language planning and language projects. Participants will learn about FPCC’s Wholistic Planning Framework, which is built on five fundamental principles that enhance community capacity and mobilization of language revitalization work.

The session on Day 2 will discuss how to start the planning process including how to identify what is already happening to support language revitalization and what remains to be done. We will then discuss the core components within a language revitalization plan and how to choose strategies that lead to effective outcomes in language revitalization.

Facilitator: Rohahiyo Jordan Brant

Onkwawenna Kentyohkwa is a full-time, adult Kanyen'kéha (Mohawk language) immersion program that operates with the goal of bringing in new students, with little to no background in the language, and make them proficient Advanced-level speakers after 2 school years. This session will provide participants with the history, infrastructure, curriculum, teaching methods, assessment, proficiency goals, community and nationwide impact, potential for replication, and future goals of the program.