FirstVoices facts for kids
FirstVoices is a special online platform that helps Indigenous communities share and keep their languages alive. It's like a big online library and learning space where communities can put their words, songs, and stories. This project helps people learn and celebrate their unique languages and cultures. It's a team effort by the First Peoples' Cultural Council and the First Peoples' Cultural Foundation, both led by Indigenous people in British Columbia, Canada.
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What is FirstVoices.com?
FirstVoices.com started in 2003. It lets language teams from Indigenous communities create their own secure websites. On these sites, they can upload alphabets, audio recordings, words, phrases, songs, and stories. This helps them document and promote their languages.
The websites also have fun, kid-friendly ways to learn. There are games that use the words and media uploaded by the communities. As of 2024, FirstVoices hosts many language sites. There are 65 public sites and 17 private sites for languages in British Columbia. It also helps Indigenous communities across Canada, the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
Who controls the content?
The communities themselves control all the content on FirstVoices. This is called data sovereignty. It means the community language teams manage their own information. These teams include young people, language teachers, elders who speak the language fluently, and technical staff.
Most language sites are open for everyone to see. But some are password-protected. This is decided by the individual language community. In 2023, FirstVoices updated its technology. It now uses modern web tools like Django and ReactJS.
Other helpful tools
Besides the main website, FirstVoices offers other tools to help with language revitalization.
- FirstVoices dictionary apps: These are free mobile apps. They show the words and content from the FirstVoices language sites.
- FirstVoices keyboards: These are special keyboards for computers and phones. They let you type in over 100 languages. This includes all First Nations languages in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Many Indigenous languages in the United States are also included.
- BC Sans font: This is a special typeface. It helps display Unicode text correctly for British Columbia Indigenous languages.
- Training and grants: The First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC) offers training and money. This helps communities use technology for their languages.
- Help desk: FirstVoices also provides support and a knowledge base. This helps users find answers to their questions.
Past projects
FirstVoices has also created other helpful tools in the past.
- Chat app: In 2012, FirstVoices made a chat app. It allowed people to type in every Indigenous language in North America and Australia. This was before iPhones allowed other keyboard apps. Now, the keyboard apps have replaced it.
- Language Tutor and Language Lab: These tools came out in 2010. The Language Tutor helped create language lessons. The Language Lab was a portable kit. It had a laptop, Wi-Fi, and iPads. This kit helped deliver lessons. Users could listen to a word, record themselves, and compare it to a fluent speaker. There were also quizzes and games. Teachers could see how students were doing.
Why is FirstVoices important?
FirstVoices started in 2003. The idea came from Peter Brand and J,SIṈTEN (Dr. John Elliott) in 1999. They were leaders in bringing the SENĆOŦEN language online. In the two decades since it began, FirstVoices has grown a lot. It now hosts language sites for almost 100 languages.
Keeping Indigenous languages alive is very important. Many Indigenous languages are losing their fluent speakers. Many of these speakers are over 65 years old. Also, almost three-quarters of British Columbia's Indigenous people live away from reserves. This means they might not have easy access to language programs.
However, more and more people are learning Indigenous languages in British Columbia. Many of these learners are children and young adults. FirstVoices helps these learners. It also helps non-Indigenous people who are interested in learning about these languages. Online tools make it easier for people from all backgrounds to learn.