ς Bridges le ε κ ι τ ν Mon υθ ε α de d n o s S e e g h c t o n e La a nda i M d ngu A il ry L Vol 4 & 5. Issue 1. May 2020 u es M B ustang Khelsilem, a young man who through language is helping revitalize a Nation Broadbrand internet access, to 1000 unit housing projects, to being on of the young minds of his nation to help revitalize the Squamish language, Khelsilem is the definition of language as life. He developed an immersion program at SFU for the Squamish language, is fighting at the national level to enshrine Indigenous language rights as well. Khelsilem points to studies that show how behaviour changes when different languages are spoken. The idea of decolonizing therefore can start in the mind through learning Indigenous languages. “In my experience, the language creates a behaviour of respectfulness and reciprocity and carefulness and kindness,” Khelsilem believes that Squamish promotes appreciation of the land, community, and relationships in a different manner from English. “I really feel that when you are able to become a language speaker, or you are raised with a language, you have a different way of both looking at the world and also a different way of behaving when you operate from the mindset of that language,” he said. “That’s the decolonization that can happen from language reclamation.”
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t’s t Squ he nam ami e sh p of the eop l Sḵw le s anguag x̱wú pea e 7 (Sq k? uam mesh S ish Lan níchim gua ge) By Ms. Annie Ohana
Photos Courtesy of Maria Davradou
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