WIIKWEMKOONG—An innovative podcast series featuring several of Manitoulin’s top artists, playwrights, musicians, knowledge keepers and language speakers was launched recently at the Wiikwemkoong arena hall.
The project, 365 Jingles, is a three-year artistic endeavour that features monologues, short plays, as well as three full-length plays, all produced as podcasts and all delivered in Anishnaabemowin.
Together with accomplished playwright Alana King, Nawewin Gamik (language house) President Tracy Cleland explained that the first seven episodes consist of monologues, short plays, each of which include a musical component.
The podcast, made possible by a grant from the Canada Council for the Arts will help make Anishinaabemowin more accessible to those wishing to learn the language—and does so in an entertaining format.
The launch, which included a light lunch, was opened by elder Viola Recollet in the language.
Following short remarks by Ms. King, who piloted the grant applications as well as creating some of the plays included in the podcasts, storytellers Jeff Eshkawkogan and Sally Recollet regaled those in attendance with entertaining stories, largely delivered in Anishinaabemowin.
“When our kids attend (mainstream school) academics here it’s English all day, every day,” said Ms. Cleland, noting her long-term goal is to build a full immersion school to help support parents like her to instill the language in their children. “So, it’s hard to carry that on at home when it’s partial and show them when we need it. They spend most of their days working after schools, so that’s still a goal of mine. It’s been 10 years. Can you imagine we’ve lost already 10 years of just speaking and having teachings with our kids?”
Ms. Cleland said that she and her husband have seen a huge decline in the spoken language in their community, a factor that largely stems from the ubiquity of English-speaking in day-to-day lives.
Even though there is still not ongoing funding for her language programming, Ms. Cleland vowed to stay the course and never give up on the language that is her, and her children’s, heritage.
“We’re so lucky to have a lot of people helping with our producing our podcasts,” she said. “Jeffrey and then all our other speakers here.”
“We’re at a critical place now,” she said. “How could we do something to make sure our voice is still out there? My dad used to say that, you know, people from Italy, they could go back to Italy and hear mother tongue perfectly intact, and it’s always going to be that way, but when Anishinaabemowin is gone, there’s nowhere else in the world to go to retrieve it.”
In creating the podcasts, fluent language speakers, elders, language keepers and students were invited to share a story, bringing those stories back to life. Then the post production crew would get to work editing out the clearing of throats and other extraneous noises before adding in sound effects and music.
“So, if you are talking about the thunder or a water, we would put in something that enhances what was being said,” explained Ms. King.
In this way the podcasts will allow audiences to listen to Anishnaabemowin through captivating stories following themes of Anishnaabe legendary characters, naming and sacred song origins, childhood memories and other worldly experiences. These are performed by contributors Cynthia Wemigwans, Ngwaagan Eshkibok-Whitehawk, Ramona Whitehawk, Armando Wemigwans, Edna Manitowabi, Evelyn Roy, Ron Animikwan, Marian Peltier, Joe Peltier, RoseLinda Peltier, Margaret Jackson, Theodore Flamand, Val Enosse, Randy Trudeau, Rita Corbiere, Jacob Wemigwans, Louie Naokwegijig, Bev Naokwegijig, Georgina Toulouse, Henry Pitawanakwat, Leona Nahwegahbow, Phyllis Williams, Marcella Shawana, Howard Trudeau, Dennis Pitawanakwat, Carol Pitawanakwat, Grace Fox, Jacinta Manitowabi, Shirley Williams, Steven George, Virginia Shawanda, Barbara Nolan, and RoseMary Shawanda.
Episode music composers and singers include Mason Animikwan, Leland Bell, Edna Manitowabi, Waukshens Wemigwans, Helen Peltier-Fuhst, Anna-Leah King, Danielle Roy, Rosemary Roy, Jason Manitowabi, Jonathan Fisher and Levi Aguonie.
One of the plays on offer in the podcasts is a recreation of an old play ‘Bebaodetjig’ which was directed by Doris Peltier and starred Leland Bell, Jeff Eshkawkogan, Doris Peltier, Stanley Peltier and Sally Recollet. The play was written as an ensemble by Ms. King as a comedy about two friends Bedniik and Philomen who hire a driver, Amplet, to take them to the Kewadin Casino to see international superstar Lele Shenwesen—hilarity ensues.
365 Jingles will soon be available wherever you get your podcasts.
