Language And Culture Of Anishinaabe People Essay

Language And Culture Of Anishinaabe People - Essay Example Children learn their language, governance, the judicial system, culture, religion, and citizenship. This culture was overshadowed by Christianity and modernization, but the remaining descendants teach their children about their ancestors in order to ensure the continuity of their culture. It is difficult to maintain ethnic identity without the existence of language. The Anishinaabe descendants struggle to maintain continuity of their language by teaching their children. The learning process begins by explaining the meaning of the verbs in the seven teachings (Apple, 2008). The seven pronouns are set in the teachings called the seven grandfathers. These are Nbwaakaawin (wisdom), Zaagi’idiwin (love), Minaadendamowin (respect), Aakwa’ode’ewin (bravery), Debwewin (truth), Dibaadendiziwin (humility) and Gwekwaadiziwin (Honesty). These are part of the original words of the ancestors that form the roots of the language. Understanding language helps to understand the cultural practices, institutions, and social festivities observed by the Anishinaabe. The elderly in the communities act as reference points for teachers and learners of the language. Their dialect and understanding of the language have not been overly diluted by the English language, as is t he case among the young people (Eigenbrod, LaRocque and DePasquale, 2010). The Ojibway language, part of the Algonquian language group, is the most frequently spoken Aboriginal language besides Cree and Inuit languages. It is usually expressed in syllabics or the Roman orthography. The syllabics were invented in 1840 by James Evans, a missionary working in Hudson’s Bay. Some Anishinaabe people claim that he did not invent the symbols, but he incorporated them into the writing system.