Many residents of Pinehouse and other communities attended the culture camp. (submitted photo/Glen McCallum)

By Derek Cornet

National magazine

Canadian Geographic interested in Michif language in Pinehouse

Sep 23, 2019 | 5:12 PM

Canadian Geographic has taken a special interest in the strong Michif language roots in Pinehouse Lake.

A representative from the Ottawa-based magazine attended a traditional hunting and culture camp north of the small community at Kilometer 67. The five-day camp ended Sunday and was also attended by Métis Nation – Saskatchewan (MN-S) President Glen McCallum. He said inviting Canadian Geographic to the locally-organized event was a way of promoting the Michif language, as well as northern Saskatchewan.

“They want to do some work with the Métis Nation on a Pinehouse documentary, the positives of what’s happened in the last 30 years from the time we were a dysfunctional community up to now we’re we are… succeeding,” he said.

In specific, Canadian Geographic is working on a project to increase the number of Michif speakers in the province. Representatives with the company had never witnessed a tradition hunting camp before and doing so was part of the visit. Speakers of the language were also interviewed and McCallum noted a camera crew will likely be attending the annual elders gathering this spring.

“They are interested in coming to see how far we have moved in a short period of time,” he said of the MN-S. “We have moved so far ahead and made headway on all of our files.”

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Pinehouse resident Dennis Pastl was involved with the camp and he estimates there are only 600 Michif speakers left in Canada. He stated the language program Canadian Geographic is expected to deliver will encourage the speakers to teach Michif to the younger generation in order to ensure its survival. The majority of the speakers are more than 60 years old, Pastl stated, so there isn’t much time left to make it happen.

Traditional food was a big part of the event. (submitted photo/Glen McCallum)

He also went on to say if the program is successful in Saskatchewan, it will likely be duplicated in Alberta, British Columbia and Manitoba.

“They had never been to a camp like that before, so they wanted to come and see what was going on, how we live off the land and how we gather food in the fall,” Pastl said. “That’s where the hunting and fishing and all that comes in. People also gather and tell stories, and they had never been to one, so they wanted to come and check it out.”

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno