Language can be omnipresent, but it can also disappear.
Here in Canada, English and French are the two official languages. But they’re not the only ones, and they’re not the oldest ones spoken here.
More than 200,000 Canadians reported in the 2011 Census that an Indigenous language was their mother tongue. There are more than 60 Aboriginal languages, with 12 grouped into language families such as Algonquian and Inuit.
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But unless people speak the languages, those languages will fall silent and disappear.
That’s why the retention of Indigenous language was struck a blow in recent days by the deaths of Clarence Nepinak and Roger Roulette.
Clarence, who died Nov. 2 at age 73, was a traditional knowledge keeper and a fixture (with his wife Barbara) giving opening prayers at numerous events in the city.
Roger, who was 64 when he died on Nov. 3, not only spoke Ojibway with his family growing up, he made preserving it his life’s work.
Clarence, the eldest of five sisters and two brothers, was born in the bush in Camperville. He was a member of the Pine Creek First Nation.
He was a program manager with Health Canada for almost three decades before he retired. He and his wife, who also worked for the federal public service, would say their work helped them decide to give back to the community.
Clarence shared his passion for the Ojibway way of life through language preservation, but also in raising awareness about diabetes and climate change.
Together, the couple taught the Ojibway language to young people in the Seven Oaks School Division.
He was also a pioneer of the Thunderbird House, helped shape exhibits in the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and was an original member of the Aboriginal Languages of Manitoba. He also helped create an oral history walking tour of The Forks.
But, for many people, the couple may have been best known for the bannock they served over a fire to people who visited The Forks during winter.
As for Roger, he was born and raised in McGregor. He was not only able to speak his Ojibwe language with his family but also continued speaking it throughout his lifetime. He taught himself how to read and write standardized Ojibwe and was a translator and transcriber.
He began teaching the language in evening courses at the Manitoba Association for Native Languages in Winnipeg, as well as helping with skits put on at the organization’s festivals.
Roger went on teach introductory and intermediate Ojibwe — as a sessional instructor and adjunct professor at the University of Manitoba — and was co-author of books, including the award-winning Naamiwan’s Drum, and the author of Ojibwe grammar textbooks.
Thanks, in part, to both Clarence and Roger, the Ojibway language is stronger now in Manitoba than it has been for decades. And the children who they taught, many now adults, will continue burning the language flame they tended for generations to come.
Clarence is survived by his wife, three daughters, an adopted son and daughter, and numerous other relatives. He was predeceased by his daughter, Rebecca, just a month ago.
Roger was predeceased by his parents and all his siblings but is survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
How They Lived
Shannon Romaniuk celebrated her 24th birthday just eight days before her death.
Shannon, who died Oct. 16, had been planning to go back to school. And she spent a lot of her youth in cadets.
She died in an unsolved hit and run at Portage Avenue and Berry Street. Call police at 204-986-7085 if you have information that might help solve the case.
Read more about Shannon.
Jacques Prefontaine lived his entire life in St Pierre-Jolys.
Jacques, who died Oct. 22 at age 89, repaired appliances in the area, also farmed there, but he is best known for helping people furnish their homes and aiding children receive an education.
Sik Ngok Chau dedicated her life to being a loving mom and keeping her family together.
That’s a good thing because Chau, who was 97 when she died Oct. 27, had a large family and they moved a long way.
Chau was born in China, and her family — with 10 kids — moved to Burma, Taiwan and Canada.
Read more about Chau.
Like many, Faye Micay was known as a generous person. But not just anyone donates a home.
That’s exactly what Faye, who died July 7 at age 97, did, donating the family home to Shalom Residences to house people with intellectual disabilities.
Bea McMahon was one half of Bill and Bea’s Variety Store.
Bea, who was 84 when she died Oct. 25, owned and operated the store with her husband. The business was a staple in Teulon for 35 years. She also taught herself how to play the 12-string guitar and went on to sing and play on the Western Hour.
Read more about Bea.
A Life’s Story
Glenda Buhr was a champion in two sports.
Glenda, who died April 19 at age 87, was one of the country’s top curlers back in the 1960s and 1970s, winning the provincial women’s championship and coming one shot short of earning a national title.
Jan. 8, 1969, women curlers (from left) Peggy Casselman, Marg Hudson and Glenda Buhr in their curling sweaters. (University of Manitoba Archives).
“We played well, but it was just one of those things,” her teammate Miriam Cook says.
Later, Glenda became a skilled lawn bowler, winning a national championship in 1996 in women’s fours.
To learn more about Glenda’s life, go here.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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