Métis Language Revitalization at Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle

By Jackie Dormer, 1^st year MDP student

Taanshi Kiyawaaw! Hello, everyone! My name is Jackie Dormer, and I am completing my first-year field placement with Prairies to Woodlands Indigenous Language Revitalization Circle (P2W). P2W is a non-profit grassroots community organization that focuses on revitalizing Southern Michif and other languages spoken by Métis people and their kin. It was co-founded by language activist and learner-teacher Heather Souter, and Elders and mother-tongue speakers Verna DeMontigny and Gail Welburn. P2W believes in the importance of community building and creating contexts where languages can thrive.  

P2W’s work includes programming such as Mentor-Apprentice programs, Southern Michif community classes, an online self-paced introductory Southern Michif course, as well as print and digital resources, including a brand-new app, Southern Michif for Learners. You can learn more about the organization and their work here: https://michif.org and https://www.southernmichif.org.

My role at P2W includes general administrative support for day-to-day operations as well as programming support for weekly community languages classes. I have also been involved in the development and writing of a chapter on Métis language policy and the development of a presentation that will be given at the WAVES 2025: Global Indigenous Languages Summit in Ottawa.

During my placement, I also had the opportunity to visit Camperville, where Heather Souter (P2W co-founder and director) is located. Heather kindly hosted me, and in between drafting papers and teaching community classes, we found time to go berry picking and tend to the garden. My time in Camperville was a reminder of the importance of spending time with the land as well as learning language in context. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and all that I have learned.