Stories by Fern Marmont

When Karihwenháwi Caira Nicholas made the decision to enroll in the Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program three years ago, she never realized that it would inspire her younger sister to follow in her footsteps.

The Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program is celebrating 10 years of official language revitalization efforts. When students return from summer break in September, staff plan to begin developing a 10-year strategy for the future of the program.

For nearly three years, high schooler Jayda Lloyd has helped bring designer and classmate Aoife Swandel’s creations to life on the runway. This year, the duo has reached a new achievement, with Lloyd having the opportunity to model Swandel’s award-winning Equinox Dress.

More than 150 family members, community members, elders, and language learners gathered to celebrate and honour the graduating cohort of the Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program over the weekend.

By the end of each day, Oró:te Etienne’s mouth hurt. As a child, she spent years in speech therapy learning how to pronounce difficult sounds in English. As an adult, Etienne found herself facing a similar challenge, this time while learning Kanien’kéha.

The Kanesatake Warriors made their first appearance at the Chambly Lacrosse Tournament last weekend, with some athletes scoring their first goals.

Rows of tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, onions, and flowers stretched across the field as over 70 volunteers knelt in the soil, using trowels or their bare hands to plant this season’s crops at Gardens of Hope’s annual planting day.

Graduating students from the Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program crossed the stage in their regalia at McGill University, complete with a certification in education.

For Otsi’tsa’ón:we Gaspe, enrolling in the the Ratiwennenhá:wi Kanien’kéha language immersion program was the fulfillment of a dream decades in the making.

The First Nations Education Council (FNEC) Inter-School games wrapped up this weekend, with students and staff from Rotiwennakéhte Elementary School and Ratihén:te High School returning from Quebec City tired but triumphant.