Why Indigenous Languages Matter and What We Can Do to Save Them | Lindsay Morcom | TEDxQueensU

Lindsay Morcom explores why Indigenous languages are matter to linguists and to Indigenous communities. She begins with a discussion of the cultural and linguistic reasons that Indigenous languages are so important. She then describes why they are at risk of being lost, with a focus on Canadian historical and current social contexts, from the genocide of residential schools to modern policy developments. Finally, she explores what practical things communities can do to help make sure that Indigenous language revitalization is a reality. She also describes what is needed in terms of policy, education, and support to ensure that Indigenous languages survive to be passed on to the next seven generations. After all, any reconciliation that does not involve the preservation and growth of Indigenous languages and cultures is no reconciliation at all: it is assimilation. Dr. Lindsay Morcom (Algonquin Métis, Bear Clan) is an interdisciplinary researcher with experience in education, Aboriginal languages, language rev