Language Resurgence with Jessica Shonias

By Jolene Recollet

Jessica Shonias doesn’t like to call herself a fluent Anishinaabemowin speaker. However, when asked, she will tell you that she is a learner with a responsibility to share. Jessica Shonias is a member of Rama First Nation but grew up in Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and has familial ties to Serpent River First Nation and Curve Lave First Nation. Currently, Jessica is the language teacher for Niigaaniin Services and has been tasked with improving fluency amongst staff and promoting Anishinaabemowin.

Jessica did not grow up in a fluent household as a child, and her parents didn’t regularly speak Anishnabemowin to her. She thinks her dad was a fluent speaker, but didn’t speak to her growing up. When she asked her mom, she indicated that her first Anishnabemowin class was when she was in daycare in Rama and that she regularly attended ‘Ojibway’ classes throughout her schooling. She always wanted to learn the language and, as a young speaker, recognized that she was able to name objects but couldn’t speak in complete sentences.

She was first introduced to a fluent lifestyle after attending an immersion camp in Minnesota called Ojibwem Otaadidaa Gidakiiminaang in 2014. She says that she had learned more in those three weeks of immersion camp than ever had before. By the second immersion camp that she attended, she was starting to learn how to speak fluently. After that, she became a physical education teacher at M’Chigeeng’s immersion program, Mnidoo Mnising Anishinaabe Kinoomaage-Gamik. It was during these times that Jessica felt most over her head, and she felt like it humbled her and pushed her to learn more.

“It wasn’t until I learned my language that I began to know how amazing we are as a people. Now you could say anything about us, and it rolls off me like water off a duck’s back because I know the truth and am proud to be Anishina abe.”

She has returned to her community of Rama First Nation after living down south with few speakers to learn from. Jessica currently teaches Anishinaabemowin at Northshore Tribal Council and has been tasked with promoting the language and teaching staff. Staff have an opportunity to participate in one class per week and several language ‘drop-ins’ during the week. In addition, this past summer staff were given an opportunity to participate in a two-week immersion program facilitated by Jessica and supported by Niigaaniin and North Shore Tribal Council.

Why is language revitalization important?

For myself personally, I grew up knowing that as an Anishinaabe, I was different, but I wasn’t exactly sure of how I was different, or even if it was a good thing or a bad thing. The mainstream public perception of us was that it was not something to be proud of, being Anishinaabe. I saw the stereotypes of our people and even saw some of that dysfunction growing up on the reserve (substance abuse, poverty, broken families, etc.).

Without fully grasping our language and culture, it was easy to believe the bad stuff being said about our people and even be ashamed of my identity. It wasn’t until I learned my language that I began to know how amazing we are as a people. Now you could say anything about us, and it rolls off me like water off a duck’s back because I know the truth and am proud to be Anishinaabe. I want all of our kids to know their language and culture so that they can stand tall and proud in this world. But, more importantly, I want us all to be speaking our language for all of the times it was forbidden in residential schools and so that living survivors can see that the assimilation and genocidal tactics did not work on our people.

If our ancestors saw us today, it would be hard to know how we live as Anishinaabe, but they would be able to recognize us in how we speak and think—in Anishinaabemowin. It’s a beautiful language, and everyone on Anishinaabe territory should be speaking Anishinaabemowin—English is a foreign language.

What advice would you give new Anishinaabemowin speakers trying to improve their skills?

My advice to those wanting to become new speakers: get comfortable being uncomfortable. Many tend to give up when it gets tough, and that’s the exact moment when the magic happens. After a while of being relentless, you learn that you will make mistakes, and it doesn’t matter. Holding back from wanting to sound perfect also holds you back from putting in the time and effort needed to pick up the language.

Finally, share what you know as much as possible. For the language to thrive, we must pass it on. This is how I have found myself with the title ‘teacher’, as uncomfortable as it makes me. But I know I have to share what I know, and that counts for all of us.