KCDSB: Launch of Anishinaabemowin Omiinigoziin App

Today, as part of the Kenora Catholic District School Board’s winter powwow the board released its Anishinaabemowin Omiinigoziin App. The App has been a yearlong collaboration with local Knowledge Keepers, Sheila White, Anishinaabemowin language teacher and students from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. The App has been developed to provide a resource in the local dialect of the Treaty #3 area to help students and their families learn the Anishinaabemowin language, traditions and culture.

Grand Chief Ogichidaa Francis Kavanaugh, Grand Council Treaty #3, along with dignitaries such the Honourable Robert Nault, MP and Rory McMillan, Councillor for the City of Kenora and Jojo Guillet, Education Officer from the Ministry of Education were part of the Grand Entry.  Elders, Howard Copenance and Steven Kejick, provided a welcoming and invocation. The dancing and celebration focused on honouring the children with many dancers in full regalia and children wearing jingle dresses.

“I am honoured that people refer to me as the App developer,” says Darrick Baxter from Ogoki Learning Inc., “but I just assisted the students.  The students did most of the design and programming. The App takes students through Ojibway phrases, words, numbers, colours and day-to-day conversational pieces.”

Sheila White talks about how the Elders guided the development of the App:  “The Elders came up with a vision of what they thought was important to include in the App.  They broke the App down into four directions – self was the first category.  Survival is the second category, which speaks to sharing information such as hunting, trapping and fishing.  The third category is life teachings about our babies, youth, adults and Elders.  The fourth category is the gifts we have been given such as visions, dreams, ceremonies, drums and songs.”

Sydney Flett, Grade 12 student from St. Thomas Aquinas High School talks about creating the App:  “Even being involved in recording the words I picked up a lot of the language.  I think it’s extremely important that people have access to the App to help them learn to speak the language.”

The App is available today to download at http://ojibwayapp.com/niin/.  Students plan to continue to add new language, phrases and content to the App.  The App will be used as a language resource through the Kenora Catholic District School Board and is available to anyone to download.

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For More Information Please Contact

Trina Henley
Executive Assistant to the Director & Communications Officer
p: 807-468-9851
e: thenley@kcdsb.on.ca

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