"Mocikan – Songs for learning Cree" is a fun collection of studio and field recordings to support the learning of the Nihiyaw (Cree) language ‘Y’ dialect, spoken throughout much of Alberta, Saskatchewan and parts of Northeastern BC. Included in this diverse audio collage are language lessons, stories, community field recordings and sing-along songs for the young at heart performed by Art Napoleon and his friends and family. Listening to and repeating these songs and words will help listeners with their vocabulary and pronunciation of the Cree language." This is how it is said in the liner notes.
The CD begins with a nice flute intro with the reverb on. Spoken in English the narrator emphasizes how much fun it can be to learn a language.
It immediately moves into an Animal Song and Art Napoleon sings the song. The song is a story about how a little boy asks four animals where they are going and they answer with their habitat. Goose to the South, Moose into the forest, Fish into the lake, and the Eagle into the sky.
Next is an Animal Word lesson that teaches several various words for common animals with a class of children engaged in the lesson follows the animal song.
We move easily into the Bannock Boogie and Art blows his harp with a rhythm section, bass and drums. This song rocks hard baby. The children’s choir adds a dimension of spontaneity and depth to the song. Ever tasted Bannock? I have. Yummmm!
There can’t be language learning without a Kinship Lesson or lessons on words for relations. This lesson on kinship comes from grandma and includes the children’s participation. The kinship lesson is of course followed up with a Kinship Song that Art sings with some nice vocal harmony back up.
The Cree Sound Lesson consists of Art teaching us three short sounds, three long sounds, and gives us the distinction, the slight variations between Northern and Plains Cree. There are also several words borrowed from the early French voyageurs.
When you learn a language one of the first lessons will undoubtedly be a lesson in counting and numbers. This CD doesn’t let us down. I’m thinking given another listen through that I’ll be able to count to ten in Cree.
There is a lesson on Greetings like, "How are you?" The kids engaged in learning a language is a real nice touch. It makes it more believable and reachable by the novice language learner. This lesson is followed by a lesson on various commands.
In Ikosi or "closing" the CD ends the way it started with the traditional flute indicating of course that we have come full circle. The Cree language has its own spirit and if that spirit is cared for learning the language becomes easier. There are no words in Cree for "Good-bye" just "See you again."
This is a tribe specific language recording but is also accessible by anyone that has an interest in Native languages. It is an archive document that establishes the foundation for language revitalization and the continued maintenance of a tribal identity, a tribal culture.
This CD stands on it’s own merits as a work of art that is unique and individual while the overall production quality is excellent.
"Mocikan which means having fun or celebrating" presents itself in a format that as the liner notes state, is "a sound collage." This is a beautiful and very professional presentation and even though I do not understand a word of Cree this CD is fun from beginning to end and I think I’m beginning to learn the language despite myself.
I sincerely believe that what we have here is a look into the future of the language revitalization programs that are springing up on every reservation and in urban populations all across the U.S. and Canada.
The unique format and the all out "learning our traditional language is fun" approach provides the listener with a listening experience that really shouldn’t be missed. This format can be "the blue print for other language projects".
This project was funded by the First People’s Cultural Foundation and is indicative of what can be accomplished when people put their hearts and minds to a collaborative project of this scope and nature. It is important for us to understand that our cultural survival depends on collaborations of this kind.
Language revitalization presents us with a methodology for retaining the cultures that are indigenous to the North American continent. Art Napoleon and the Nihiyaw Language and Culture Society along with the First People’s Cultural Foundation are to be commended on their efforts with the vital challenge of language revitalization. Thank you.
For further info on this artist please surf to the following web site: http://www.artnapoleon.com/
For info on Cree language development & lessons from the Mocikan CD, go to www.nihiyawsociety.ca
To contact Art Napoleon:
Jamison Mahto
Indigenous Internet Chamber of Commerce
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