Belinda Daniels facts for kids

Belinda kakiyosēw Daniels is a nēhiyaw Canadian educator and language activist. She is well-known for her important work to teach and bring back the nēhiyawēwin language.

Early Life and Learning

Belinda Daniels is a member of the Sturgeon Lake First Nation, SK. Her grandparents raised her. She heard nēhiyawēwin Cree spoken often as she grew up. However, her grandparents did not encourage her to speak it. This was because they had to attend residential schools. There, they faced punishment for speaking their Indigenous language. Belinda was inspired to learn nēhiyawēwin Cree later. This happened when she worked at a high school. She saw others speaking the language there.

In 2021, Belinda finished her PhD at the University of Saskatchewan. Her special project was called "ē-kakwē nēhiyaw pimātisiyān ōta nīkihk – The Lifelong Journey Home."

Helping the Cree Language

Belinda Daniels teaches at the University of Victoria. She works in the Indigenous education department. Before this, she taught for nine years at Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon. She also taught at the University of Alberta and the University of Saskatchewan.

In 2003, Belinda started a special Cree summer camp. People came to the camp to learn and practice speaking the language. She got the idea for the camp from her Master's project. She also wanted a Cree language program for her own family. The nēhiyawak Summer Language Program happens in different parts of Saskatchewan each year. By 2017, the camp had grown to 27 people. It started with only 5 people.

In 2020, she explained why learning Indigenous languages again is so important. She told the CBC, "When we reclaim our language, we reclaim who we are." This means that language helps people remember their identity. It also shows they belong. Since 2017, the nēhiyawak language camp has grown even more. Now, between 25 and 50 people attend each year. There is even a special camp for children! The program now offers online classes too. It also has face-to-face programs. These include a Master apprentice/mentee program. They also have classes for practicing speaking and listening.

For more about language camps or bringing language into the home, you can visit: nehiyawak.org

Awards and Recognition

Belinda Daniels has received many awards for her work:

• Outstanding Canadian Aboriginal Educator Award (2015)
• U of S’s Graduate Aboriginal Research Excellence Award (2015)
• Global Teacher Prize - Top 50 Finalist (2016)
• Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations’ Strength of Our Women Award in Education (2016)
• Lieutenant Governor Heritage Saskatchewan Award for Community Development (2018)
• Nominated for Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations’ Strength of Our Women Award in Language and Culture (2021)