A Little Plains Cree Book for Children contains useful noun categories, phrases, and some basic rules for the Plains Cree language.
Following the themes of the Saskatchewan Curriculum Guide for Kindergarten to Grade 12 on Aboriginal Languages, the content focuses on terms familiar to the First Nations Cree people of Saskatchewan.
The enhanced e-book edition, available separately, gives learners an opportunity to see and hear the text spoken by a Plains Cree Elder. This book should also be supplemented by total physical response (TPR) methods, in addition to teaching materials such as songs, games, and flash cards.
Our hope is to encourage a basic understanding of the language so that learners are able to converse with Plains Cree speakers. The best path to fluency in the Plains Cree language is immersion, but learning one word at a time is a good place to start!

Awards:
Finalist. 2024 Saskatchewan Book Awards: Scholarly Writing Award.

ABOUT ALLEN J. (A.J.) FELIX Allen J. (A.J.) Felix, Sturgeon Lake Nation, Saskatchewan, is an Elder, Knowledge Keeper, and experienced translator of the spoken Plains Cree language. He provided the audio and video translations used in the e-book of nēhiyawēwin awāsi-masinahikanis— A Little Plains Cree Book for Children (YNWP, 2023).ABOUT ELMER BALLANTYNE Elmer Ballantyne, B.Ed., Certificate Ed. Admin. Saskatchewan Teachers Federation), is from Little Red First Nation, Saskatchewan, and provided the written translations for this book. Elmer was raised in the Plains Cree language, is a former Cree teacher, and provides translations in the SRO Plains Cree format.ABOUT INEZ DEITER Inez Deiter (née Wuttunee) holds a B.A. in Cree Linguistics and is an Elder of Peepeekisis Cree Nation, Saskatchewan. Inez is originally from the Red Pheasant Nation and is a Residential School survivor who had to relearn her Cree language. As an Elder, she has worked as a Cree teacher and translator.ABOUT PATRICIA DEITERPatricia Deiter, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., is member of the Peepeekisis Cree Nation, Saskatchewan. She has several reports and publications to her name, a selection of which includes: peepeekisis atoyokēwina: Sacred Stories from the Peepeekisis Cree Nation (YNWP, 2021); “Tawow,” Welcome to Pow-wow Country! kā-kī-pē-isi-nakatamākawiyahk / Our Legacy: Essays, edited by Cheryl Avery and Darlene Fichter (University of Saskatchewan, 2008), among other publications.

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