Listuguj First Nation immersion classes help families learn Mi'kmaw together

In a colourful classroom surrounded by forest, Brenda Germain is teaching her kindergarten students the Mi'kmaw words for animals they might find in the woods around them.

Ten years ago, she only knew a few words of Mi'kmaw, but today, Germain is fluent enough to teach immersion classes in Listuguj First Nation, Que., just across the Restigouche River from Campbellton in northern New Brunswick.

Germain says learning her language is a lifelong process. 

"I'm prepared to do that and hopefully help other people, especially my age, who have children in the immersion," she said.

Germain learned the language as an adult, through an immersion program designed to help parents support their children learning Mi'kmaw.

The adult classes allow parents to learn at an intense pace toward becoming a fluent speaker. They've helped families start speaking Mi'kmaw at home and even turned existing English-speaking teachers into immersion instructors themselves.

Germain grew up in Windsor, Ont., far from her home community of Listuguj First Nation. She returned to teach in English and enrolled her own children in the Mi'kmaw immersion stream offered at the Alaqsite'w Gitpu School. 

That's when Germain decided it wasn't too late for her to become a Mi'kmaw speaker and she signed up for immersion classes.

"I noticed that when I was helping my son even with his simple kindergarten homework that there was a definite disconnect between myself and trying to help my son learn the language. So then I thought I should probably try to learn," she said.

Germain also took her Mi'kmaw lessons back home to practice with her children. Her son Ryker Isaac is in Grade 4 Mi'kmaw immersion.

"She helps me speak it in Mi'kmaw," he said. "So if I say I want a sandwich, she'll say the Mi'kmaw words and I'll have to copy it."

After completing all three levels of the program, Brenda Germain also started teaching a land-based forest kindergarten program. Her aunt, Joyce Germain, speaks Mi'kmaw as her first language and is there to help.

Joyce is preparing to retire after 25 years of teaching. She said finding new, qualified immersion teachers is a challenge, but Brenda has shown how people can become speakers later in life.

"You really have to want to do it and have the passion to do it. So there's one good example right there," she said.