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

Languages that are used in an area for a long period of time develop regional differences in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Variations of Nakawē dialects were widely spoken in Canada therefore it is natural that regional variations in Nakawē are still more prevalent than in English. The type of language spoken in a certain area is called a dialect specific to that area.

For information on where Nakawē is spoken in Canada see https://www.statcan.gc.ca/eng/start

Dialects

Dialects are varieties of a language that differ in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. In addition, some Nakawē 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. Nakawē is a written language; its dialects can be written using Nakawē syllabics or the Standard Roman Orthography.

The following is an example of the two dialects used in Saskatchewan:

In Nakawē Language

Nakawē Language Alphabet Chart

Nakawē Language

The Nakawē language has an extensive inventory of speech sounds with 15 consonants and 7 vowels. Since the Nakawē language is also a tone language, some words may sound very similar depending on whether or not the vowels are pronounced with a tone or not.

Nakawē sound chart

Nakawē Alphabet

The following words are suggested as key words for the pronunciation of the Nakawē alphabet.

The spelling system is a phonetic alphabet, which is designed to indicate pronunciation in a consistent way.

In reference to word structure:

• Every word begins with a vowel or consonant.
• There is no combination of vowels together, they are separated by the letter “h” no word begins with the letter “h”.

• Every sound has its own symbol.
• Every symbol represents one sound.
• Each single sound is written with a singular.

The letters of the alphabet that are used most frequently are the vowels. There are three (3) short vowels which are spoken quickly. They are a,i,o. There are four (4) long vowels which are spoken slowly and are more pronounced. They are ē,ā ī,ō. These vowels have a bar over them, which is called a macron.

The consonants b, d, g, h, j, k, m, n, p, s, t, w, y, z, sound the same in the English alphabet. The letter c sounds like ch, as in church.

The letter h serves two (2) purposes:

• To separate two (2) vowels in a word mazina h igan (book).
• Is used as a glottal stop wīcih (help him/her) pīh (wait for him/her).

Some consonant clusters that have “wa” in are as follows: The “wa” make the “aw” sound, when it follows these letters.

Instructional Strategies

Oral Communication

Nakawē 10, 20, 30 emphasizes the development of the oral communication skills learners need to understand and interact with others, to express themselves clearly and with confidence, and to use the various media to communicate their ideas. Development of oral language provides the foundation that enables learners to learn to read and write. Listening and speaking are inseparable in real-life situations, these skills are developed together in the classroom.

Learners perform more successfully when they have an adequate “listening period” before they are expected to communicate in Nakawē. Strategies such as (facial expression, body language, pictures, intonation, context, and familiar words) are developed to deduce the meaning of new words and to make sense of the spoken language.

Learners benefit from numerous opportunities to use Nakawē for real purposes and in real situations. For example, learners should be provided with opportunities:

• listen to Nakawē spoken by live and recorded voices, and by people of different ages in a variety of contexts;
• discuss subject matter, reading materials, personal concerns and interests;
• prepare and archive oral presentations;
• role-play in dramatization and simulations;
• conduct surveys and interviews; and
• develop an appreciation for all cultures.

“Indigenous storytelling is rooted in the earth. Years upon years of a kinship with the land, life, water and sky have produced a variety of narratives about intimate connections to the earth. In a call and response lasting through time, First Nations peoples have experienced a relationship of give and take with the natural world” (Circle of Stories, Many Voices).

Oral tradition has been the most important method of passing on knowledge and information from one generation to the next. Oral tradition has been the means of communication by which First Nations cultures along with many other cultures have survived throughout the years. Each time the traditional Indigenous narratives of the Nakawē people are shared, the audiences learn something about the beliefs, values, cultures and the way of life practiced by a group of people in past generations. This is how cultural knowledge is passed on and shared with others. Narratives were used to help explain the creation of plant and animal life, and to help explain natural phenomenon that otherwise could not be explained. Many narratives were used to teach lessons, to entertain and to help listeners learn about the Nakawē way of life.