Orilla educator keeps Ojibwe language alive, advocates for standardized commitment to Indigenous languages

An Orilla educator is keeping the Ojibwe language alive and advocating for the Simcoe County District School Board to standardize its commitment to Indigenous languages. Beausoleil First Nation member Jake King said that there are not enough Indigenous language teachers to meet the current demand. There has been no Ojibwe instruction at the secondary schools that students from Beausoleil First Nation and Rama First Nation attend until recently. King himself did not have an opportunity to take Ojibwe in high school, but was able to learn his language and culture and finish high school as an adult. Since graduating from Georgian College’s Anishnaabemowin and Program Development diploma, King said that it has been his mission in life to keep the Ojibwe language alive. “It is a top priority for myself to advocate for Indigenous languages and culture for the students that are attending schools,” said King. “It gives them a very real sense of identity and pride. It’s beneficial for their lives to know who they are.”

Orillia Matters