Breathing life into Lunáapeew language through echoes of the past using archival recordings
Date
2026
Authors
Noah-Nicholas, Velma
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Abstract
This project focuses on contributing to preserving and revitalizing the Lunáapeew language by using archival audio materials. It centres the recorded voices of Lunáapeew elders from the Eelunáapeewi Láhkeewiit Nation in Southwestern Ontario, Canada—voices that serve as an irreplaceable record of ancestral sound. With only one remaining first‑language speaker, the authentic sound of the language is at risk of being lost.
This project seeks to maintain, honour, and make the original sound of Lunáapeew accessible to community members
The project includes creating an activity booklet that pairs archived audio recordings with QR codes, allowing learners to connect visuals, writing, and sound. This resource supports incremental language learning—one word, one sound, one memory at a time—and helps safeguard the linguistic heritage of the Lunáapeew People.
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Lunáapeew language, preserving, revitalization, archival audio materials, ancestral sound, Lunáapeew elders