The Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC) and SiriusXM Canada have partnered on the launch of Words and Culture, a series of radio programs supporting the revitalization and preservation of Indigenous languages.
Scheduled to debut in early 2024, five six-episode series will be produced by an all-Indigenous team, led by award-winning Anishinaabe and Mohawk producer and SiriusXM host Kim Wheeler, weaving together conversations with Indigenous language keepers, community stories, and featured music by Indigenous artists.
Each of the five series will delve into a distinct Indigenous language family – Iroquoian, Athabaskan, Anishinaabemowin (Ojibway), Inuktitut, and Cree – hosted by learners and speakers of the language.
“The hosts I have chosen almost all come from a broadcasting background and from the nation of the language they will be presenting. I’m thrilled to be working with powerful women like January Rogers (Six Nations of the Grand River), and Christine Genier (Táän Kwách’än Council),” said Wheeler, in a programming announcement.
The Words and Culture program will be offered for broadcast at no cost to all Indigenous, community and campus-licensed radio stations in Canada. It will also air on SiriusXM’s The Indigiverse (ch.165 and on the SiriusXM app) and be made available to schools, Indigenous language immersion programs, and other educational services, in addition to being adapted as a podcast.
“Globalization certainly has had an impact on Indigenous cultures around the world and there is a wide-ranging desire for access to Indigenous languages, with the biggest challenge being access to those who hold the knowledge,” added CRFC Executive Director, Alex Freedman. “Through our partnership with SiriusXM Canada, this programming will be available to anyone who wants to listen to and learn about Indigenous languages in Canada.”
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