‘Reclaim your language’: This librarian is helping kids pen letters to Santa in Anishinaabemowin [Video]

A librarian from Kettle and Stony Point First Nation is using the magic of Christmas to teach children their Indigenous language this holiday season. 

Anastasia Shawnoo has written up letters to Santa in the language of Anishinaabemowin, also called Ojibway, which students at Hillside School on the First Nation are using as inspiration draft their own letters to the North Pole. 

It’s all part of her efforts to preserve and teach the language to the community’s youth, and spread a little Christmas cheer.

“When you’re a child, you really look forward to the gift of giving and receiving, just to see this whole process and the lights in their eyes is very heartwarming and complete,” she said.

Each year, Kettle and Stony Point First Nation participates in Canada Post’s campaign to deliver letters from kids to Santa. However, that wasn’t possible this year due to the ongoing Canada Post strikes …