Manitoba Government Representatives Visit Waadookodaading

Waadookodaading News Release

On September 30, 2024, a delegation of educators and administrators from the Government of Manitoba visited the Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Institute. Lac Courte Oreilles Tribal Governing Board member David Bisonette greeted the visitors upon arrival and welcomed them to Lac Courte Oreilles on behalf of the LCO tribe.

Jackie Connell, Assistant Deputy Minister Indigenous Excellence in Education, made the request on behalf of the delegation, stating that “Manitoba is working to advance Indigenous language immersion programming, including the possibility of starting an immersion school.” The visitors spent the day learning about the Ojibwe-medium model utilized at Waadookodaading and its approach to teaching training, curriculum development and pedagogy.

Their planned visit was due to a directive given to them by the Premier of Manitoba, Wab Kinew, who was elected as the first First Nations Premier of Manitoba. Kinew’s late father was Tobasonakwut Kinew, a staunch supporter of international indigenous language, cultural, and political efforts that helped give rise to the beginnings of Waadookodaading. He visited LCO many times.

Their visit also included a stop on Tuesday, October 1st at LCOOU with Dr. Chi-migizi Sullivan and other staff regarding the related language work underway there. Both Waadookodaading Ojibwe Language Institute and Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University receive frequent requests for visits and technical assistance from many organizations, schools, and tribal nations, as part of a consortium of collaborating partners supported by the newly launched National Native American Language Resource Center, funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The consortium includes the University of Hawai’i at Hilo, University of Alaska Southeast, and the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University.

The group of representatives from Manitoba and Waadookodaading staff at the steakhouse for dinner after their tour of the school.