Sask. waiter learning Cree to bridge barriers with Indigenous customers

A waiter in Prince Albert, Sask., is going above and beyond his duties by learning the Cree language to speak with Indigenous customers.

It all started when Adam Rieger was finding it hard to break the ice with Indigenous customers at the Smitty's restaurant where he works.

Rieger noticed that many of the customers who came in from the surrounding Northern communities were speaking Cree. He wanted to find a way to bridge that cultural gap.

He remembered how, when he was living in Edmonton, his French-speaking customers loved the fact that he was learning French.

"The French community just respected and loved the fact that I spent all this time and energy learning their language," he said. "I could see that languages are like a bridge and open doors that really communicate respect to people."

He decided to learn a few words in Cree and ask the customers who speak the language to help him.

"Immediately people would light up and they would start talking and be excited," Rieger said. "So once I saw that initial reaction I thought, 'let's take this all the way and just keep learning and see how far I can go.'"

Rieger said some of Cree speakers get surprised when he greets them in the language, but they appreciate his efforts.

"It's been really beautiful, honestly," said Rieger.

Natasha Wolfe went to lunch at the restaurant with a friend during a break from class at the First Nations University of Canada in the city.

Wolfe noticed a server speaking Cree to a customer.

"I kind of nudged my friend Charmaine and was like, 'is he speaking Cree?'" Wolfe said.

Wolfe said she observed him for a few minutes as he was walking around the restaurant, doing his thing.

"He has positive energy, and then when he came back to us, that's when he told me that he's been trying to learn Cree," said Wolfe.