by Molly MacNaughton and Ellie Enticknap-Smith

On a rainy day in late May, the countdown is on for Mi’kmaw educator Beverley Jeddore, busy getting ready for the North American Indigenous Games (NAIG) happening in Nova Scotia this July.

But she’s not training for a sport; she’s translating.

Jeddore is the language lead for NAIG 2023.

“I believe that our language is a gift from our creator,” she says.

Jeddore carries a crate into the cultural centre in Eskasoni, the largest Mi’kmaw community in the world. It’s filled with teaching supplies, the ji’kmaqn, a traditional musical instrument made from ash tree, and the Waltes, a traditional Mi’kmaw dice-and-bowl game. She holds flashcards filled with Mi’kmaw words, conjugations and pictures, all designed by Jeddore.

“When a creator gives you a gift, you must use it, you must acknowledge it, you must keep it,” she says. “And whenever you meet other people, you have to express that gift wherever you go.”

The games will bring together thousands of young athletes representing more than 756 Indigenous Nations from across Turtle Island.

“You have to ask, ‘who’s hosting this?’” she says. “The whole of Nova Scotia is L’nui’katik (the place where we speak Mi’kmaw)… so I think it’s important for us to pretty well acknowledge our people.”

NAIG is about more than just sports; this is the first time Mi’kmaw culture and language will be highlighted at the games. < ...

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