Chief Terry Paul
Director of Education Darren Googoo
Director of Day Care Josephine LaPorte
Mi'kmaw Language teachers six

     Membertou is home to six hundred and seventy-nine Mi'kmaq.  The number of households in this community is two hundred and ten.  It is located within the boundaries of the city of Sydney, which may be the reason why Mi'kmaw language usage has declined drastically in the past twenty years.  We are told that the youngest speaker is forty years old.  Although there are some young people who understand Mi'kmaw, the majority of them do not speak it.

     Prior to September 1998, children in primary to grade two attended school off the reserve.  This year there are forty children who attend the Wallace Bernard Memorial Centre in their community.  The children's first language in the school is English.  Parents of this community prefer to have their children taught Mi'kmaw as a second language.  Membertou is very fortunate to have all fluent teachers, but parents believe that immersion at this time would be too much for the children.

     The three and four year old children are taught Mi'kmaw each day for twenty minutes.  Children in primary and grade one get thirty minute periods; grade two, forty-five minutes.  The emphasis is in conversational.

     Children in grades three to six attend nearby St. Anthony Daniel School.  There, they have had a fluent Mi'kmaw language teacher since September of 1998.  She teaches both native and non-native children twice in a six-day cycle.  The teacher used themes most appropriate for the time of the year, for example, the Halloween theme would be covered in October.  A teacher marveled at the children's ease to pronounce the language and their enthusiasm to learn.

     Students at the junior high level attend a very modern high tech school in Sydney known as Sherwood Park.  In this facility, amidst all the modern technology, Mi'kmaw is taught.  The teacher is fluent with several years experience teaching Mi'kmaw.  She teaches students from Membertou as well as seven non-native children.  The students are all non-speakers so the Mi'kmaq Studies Program is very basic.  The teacher covers aspects of the Mi'kmaw language including native issues such as; centralization, Grand Council, Donald Marshall Jr. and the justice system, role models and so on.  With the high tech capacity of the school, students are able to use the internet to conduct further research on specific issues.

     There are plans to have all the students attend school in Membertou someday.  But, right now, the people are pleased that the initial steps to bring back the Mi'kmaw language in their community have been taken.  The future of the Mi'kmaw language revival is possible in this community.
 
 

How many and what ages in household?	Language spoken most often at home?	Why is Mi'kmaw not spoken in home?	How many speak Mi'kmaw in household?
How many understand but do not speak Mi'kmaw in household?	Can anyone at home read Mi'kmaw?	Can anyone in home write Mi'kmaw?	Has any member taken a Mi'kmaw course?
What type of course was taken?	How long was the course?	What course would you take if offered?	Have you attended a St. Ann's Mission?
Was the Mi'kmaw language used?	What percentage of Mi'kmaw was used?	What other cultural activities were you involved in?	Are you aware of books/materials in Mi'kmaw?