First Peoples' Cultural Council facts for kids
The First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC) is a special organization in British Columbia, Canada. Its main job is to help First Nations communities protect and strengthen their languages, arts, and culture. It provides money, training, and support to make sure these important traditions are passed on to future generations.
The FPCC is a Crown Corporation, which means it is owned by the government of British Columbia but operates on its own. It was created in 1990 to support the unique heritage of First Nations people in the province. The organization is based in Brentwood Bay, on the land of the Tsartlip First Nation.
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What are the FPCC's Goals?
The FPCC was created by a law called the First Peoples' Heritage, Language and Culture Act. Its mission is to:
- Give money to First Nations communities for their language and cultural programs.
- Advise the government on how to best support First Nations arts, languages, and culture.
- Offer tools and help to bring back and strengthen the cultural traditions of First Nations people.
- Speak up for the importance of First Nations heritage and culture.
The FPCC gets its main funding from the B.C. Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation. It also works with other groups, like the BC Arts Council and the Department of Canadian Heritage, to raise more money for its projects.
Programs to Help Communities
The FPCC runs several programs to support First Nations in British Columbia.
Language Program
The Language Program helps communities bring their traditional languages back to life. Many Indigenous languages are in danger of disappearing, so this program is very important. It offers funding and training to help people learn and teach their languages.
Arts Program
The Arts Program supports First Nations artists. This includes artists who use traditional methods passed down through generations, as well as those who create modern art. The program helps artists create, share, and sell their work, from carving and weaving to painting and digital media.
Heritage Program
The Heritage Program started in 2019. It helps communities protect and share their cultural heritage. This includes sacred sites, traditional knowledge, and historical stories. The program's goals are to:
- Help communities get the training and tools they need to care for their own heritage.
- Give communities the funding and freedom to manage their cultural treasures.
- Make sure the rights of Indigenous peoples to control their own heritage are respected.
Cool Tools and Projects
The FPCC has created some amazing online resources that anyone can use.
First Peoples’ Map
The First Peoples’ Map is an interactive online map of British Columbia. It shows the territories of different First Nations and information about their languages, art, and important places. You can click on the map to:
- See where different languages are spoken.
- Hear how to pronounce greetings and place names in Indigenous languages.
- Find Indigenous artists and see their work.
FirstVoices
FirstVoices is a website where First Nations communities can record and share their languages. Each community has its own secure section of the site where they can upload words, phrases, songs, and stories. This creates a living dictionary and archive for future generations. The community always owns the content they upload.
FirstVoices Apps
You can also use FirstVoices on your phone or tablet. The free apps let you access all the words, sounds, and pictures from the website, even when you are not connected to the internet. This makes it easy to learn a language anywhere.
FirstVoices Keyboards
The FirstVoices Keyboards app lets you type in over 100 different Indigenous languages on your phone. You can download the free app to text your friends, write emails, or post on social media using your own traditional language.
Supporting Indigenous Languages
In 2019, the Canadian government passed a law called the Indigenous Languages Act. This law officially recognizes the importance of protecting and strengthening First Nations, Inuit, and Métis languages across Canada.
The FPCC played a big role in helping to create this law. They talked with First Nations communities in B.C. to share their ideas with the government. They also spoke to government leaders to explain why the law was so important for the future of Indigenous languages.
