The Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaw Fluency Project is moving forward after receiving funding from the Department of Canadian Heritage.

The Ktaqmkuk Mi’kmaw Fluency Project is a student-led, not-for-profit organization, committed to bringing back fluency in the Mi’kmaw language, as a cornerstone of the Mi’kmaw cultural revival in Ktaqmkuk. As more funding sources become available, learning opportunities will be expanded to anyone with an interest in learning, regardless of their background or geographic location. However, the initial launch will be open to those who identify as Mi’kmaw, with a focus on those from or having a connection to Ktaqmkuk (the island of Newfoundland).

In addition to hosting virtual lessons 10 months of the year for varying levels of capabilities, the school will also host mini-immersion experiences in Cape Breton, and in-person events across Newfoundland. The organization’s vision is to create a community of fluent speakers who can teach future generations, to ensure that the Mi’kmaw language has a place in the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Executive Director, Dean Simon says, “This is a big step in cultural revitalization of Newfoundland Mi’kmaq.”

Simon has spent over two years in mostly self-directed immersion in Mi’kmaw communities. He is the only Newfoundlander to have participated in the Nova Scotia Apprentice-Mentor program and a graduate of the Reclamations Methods course at the University of Southern Maine.

Board Chairperson, Jordan Lawrence says, “The organization has a 7-member board and currently 120 members at three levels. Virtual lessons are supervised by fluent speakers and expected to start by late January.”