Legacy
Language & Culture
13.We call upon the federal government to acknowledge that Aboriginal rights include Aboriginal language rights.
Considering the strong influence of language on culture (and vice versa - the two have a symbiotic relationship strongly linked to identity), this is an important Call in terms of maintaining Aboriginal identities. Most ancestral languages are either extinct or near extinction; in some cases, there is only one person left who speaks their ancestral language. As these languages were used as a way to pass down knowledge from one generation to the next, you can see the importance of keeping such languages alive, especially if we truly are concerned with ensuring the continuation of Indigenous cultures.
Some other useful links about Aboriginal languages and the extinction thereof:
Stats Canada
The Canadian Encyclopedia
Canadian Commission for UNESCO
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