The Cree School Board announced recently that the new editions of the northern and southern Cree lexicon are now available.
The lexicon will help ensure the survival of the Cree language for many years to come. “It will undoubtedly be an integral part in the preservation and retention of the Cree language and will be an invaluable help to the teachers and students of our schools,” said Gordon Blackned, Director General of the Cree School Board.
“This publication was made possible by the commitment and dedication of many people and it will be a reminder for our Nation to participate in encouraging the continued use of our language, therefore ensuring its survival and providing a strong identity for our people,” he said.
The Cree School Board sponsored the project in collaboration with Marie Odile-Junker, a linguist at Carleton University in Ottawa.
The books will be used in schools across Eeyou Istchee starting this fall. The lexicon can also be bought for $75 in Chisasibi at the Cree School Board.
There are plans to make the lexicon available to other communities and online in the coming months.
