These puppets make learning Kanienkha fun

Cory Bilyea is one of three recipients of the 2024 CJF-CBC Indigenous Journalism Fellowships, established to encourage Indigenous voices and better understanding of Indigenous issues in Canada's major media and community outlets.

A small but mighty team in Kahnaw:ke has dedicated the last two decades of their careers to preserving and revitalizing their language, using puppets to catch the attention of their youngest community members.

Everybody loves puppets, said Konwannhon Marion Delaronde, artistic director and producer of Tta tnon Ohkw:ri.

Tta tnon Ohkw:ri is a colourful puppet TV show similar to Sesame Street. It is produced by the Kanienkeh:ka Onkwawn:na Raotitihkwa Language and Cultural Center in Kahnaw:ke, a Kanienkeh:ka (Mohawk) community south of Montreal.

The show combines learning Kanien'kha (the Mohawk language) with fun and life lessons.

It just gives me a sense of pride because it's been in my family, said Delaronde.

My father was a Mohawk teacher, my grandmother was a Mohawk teacher. And it's something that I can do, too, using the skills that I've developed to help with the multi-generational legacy of keeping our language alive.

Many Indigenous people have lost their ability to speak their own language due to the Indian Act and the residential school system. 

Although language revitalization efforts are happening in each Kanien'keh:ka community, every dialect of Kanien'kha is on UNESCO's list of "definitely endangered" languages in Canada.

Delaronde believes that learning their language is crucial for Indigenous people as it helps their overall mental, physical and spiritual well-being.

It is essential to be part of a community with "a shared sense of identity, a connection to our language and culture and a positive idea of who we are, our resilience and our ability to help each other," she said.

Tta tnon Ohkw:ri began in 2004 with two puppets, Tta (grandmother) and her curious grandson Ohkw:ri, and has grown into an entire community of puppets.

According to its website, aside from promoting the language, the show also aims to create awareness around health and wellness issues, like diabetes, obesity, cancer and mental health.

Delaronde said it is important for any type of community program to promote healthy lifestyles, but what we see with this little TV show for kids is that we've captured their attention with these lively characters. And because they care about the characters and the show, they care about what they go through.

Delaronde is proud of the program's success and pointed out that even though the show is geared toward children, it's been around long enough that adults who grew up watching the puppet duo are still fans.

Kahnaw:ke resident Tiohawhton Peterson grew up watching the show and said that it inspired them.

I wanted to be able to speak Kanien'kha like how Ohkw:ri would speak to his Tta, said Peterson.

When Peterson was 11 or 12, they were invited to be a guest on the show as part of a traditional singing group. They said it was like meeting celebrities.

The bonus for Peterson was that Ohkw:ri sang along with the group of students.

The shows inspiration didnt stop there, Peterson said.

It got me on the path to want to start my journey in the language and want to become a teacher someday, and I've succeeded in becoming an educator in the system now, said Peterson.

Konwatsi'ts:wi Phillips, production assistant and puppeteer, has been with the show since the beginning.

Phillips said her grandmother was a first-language speaker and grew up in her house until she was 11 years old. She also attended a language immersion school.

She said the translators they use for the show are invaluable. Phillips said the late Marty Cross, who was one of their regular translators, was so helpful, especially with old words that werent being used anymore.

In our language, there's so many different ways to ask one question. There's so many different words based on the speaker, based on where they live, based on what they do, Phillips said.

So being able to take those words and put them in our show and have us use them and people hear them. The thought of us being able to even revitalize one word that hasn't been heard in however many years is really great.

Multimedia Technician Cory Phillips works behind the scenes at the show, recording and editing the videos and uploading them to various platforms.

He said he appreciates the opportunity to contribute to the community.

I'm not a language speaker myself, but I can use my skills to help with language revitalization, he said.

Cory said he thinks keeping the show on the lighter side, a fun show, is important because "a lot of times people look at language as a serious business. But I think when it's fun, it helps people learn."

WATCH | Kanienkha-speaking puppets make language learning fun:

Delaronde echoed that sentiment, saying they laugh a lot and that their guests on the show enjoy participating because it's such a positive experience.

Tta tnon Ohkw:ri can be seen on the Kanienkeh:ka Onkwawn:na Raotitihkwa Language and Cultural Center YouTube channel, and heard on local radio.