nēhiyawēwin is a language of relationships – relationships to the kisē-manitow (Creator), itāhkohtowak (to others) and to okāwimāwaskiy (Mother Earth) that encompasses all living things. Because of this interconnectedness, nēhiyawēwin is a rich and complex language that emphasizes kinship, nature and spirituality. The grammatical structure of nēhiyawēwin highlights the relationships between humans and their environment with its focus on animate and inanimate nouns. Many objects considered inanimate by non-nēhiyaw speakers are honoured with animate status by nēhiyaw speakers.

According to Statistics Canada, the nēhiyaw (Cree) language is spoken by about 85,000 people across the country, which makes it the most commonly spoken language of Canada’s First Nations’ languages. The nēhiyaw language is spoken in many communities across Saskatchewan, Alberta, Manitoba, northern Ontario and Quebec. More than 75% of those that speak nēhiyawēwin live in Saskatchewan, Alberta or Manitoba. Approximately 26,000 of these speakers live in Saskatchewan. Languages that are used in an area for a long period of time develop regional differences in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Variations of nēhiyaw dialects were widely spoken in Canada therefore it is natural that regional variations in nēhiyawēwin are still more prevalent than in English. The type of language spoken in a certain area is called a dialect specific to that area.

Dialects

Dialects are varieties of a language that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. In addition some nēhiyaw words are spelled differently from one group to another. People speaking different dialects of a language are usually able to communicate with each other because the dialects are similar enough that they can understand each other because there are still many common elements in the spoken language. nēhiyawēwin is a written language, its dialects can be written using nēhiyaw syllabics or the Standard Roman Orthography. The following is an example of the three dialects used in Saskatchewan.

In Cree Language of the Plains, Okimāsis (2004) conveys that the “th” Woodlands Cree is spoken in various northern communities such as Peter Ballantyne, La Ronge, Stanley Mission, and Southend. The “n” Swampy Cree is spoken in the Eastern Central part of Saskatchewan in and around Cumberland House and Red Earth. The “y” Southern and Northern Plains Cree is spoken in communities located within an area ranging from White Bear reserve in the southeast corner to the northwest community of Onion Lake. In addition to these places the following also speak the “y” dialect: Ochapahwace, Piapot, Thunderchild, Red Pheasant, Muskeg Lake, Beardy’s, Sandy Lake, James Smith and others. You will find the “y” dialect spoken in the following northern communities along with many others: White Fish, Sturgeon Lake, Meadow Lake, and Canoe Lake.