Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department


Immersion - Open Enrollment 2024-2025 School Year
Published: 6/7/2024 8:09:00 AM - Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department

Immersion - Open Enrollment 2024-2025 School Year Applications accepted beginning June 10, 2024 at 8 a.m.
Read More

Language Carnival
Published: 2/13/2024 1:42:00 PM - Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department

Friday, March 1, 2024 | Time: 5 - 8 p.m. | Location: Eagles Nest Tribal Gym
Read More

Sasiwaans Open Enrollment
Published: 5/30/2023 12:51:00 PM - Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department

Sasiwaans Open Enrollment Sasiwaans is accepting applications Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 8 a.m. Sasiwaans has three Immersion Classrooms for 2, 3, and 4 year olds. Enrolling a child in Sasiwaans is a conscious choice for your child to learn Anishinaabe Language. There are requirements for parental/caregiver language learning also. Only complete applications will be accepted.
Read More

ALRD Summer Hours of Operation
Published: 5/19/2023 3:09:00 PM - Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department

Summer Hours of Operation Effective May 22, 2023—September 3, 2023 ALRD Main Office Hours Monday—Thursday 8 am—5 pm
Read More

ALRD/Sasiwaans Summer Hours
Published: 5/18/2023 3:53:00 PM - Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department

Effective May 22, 2023 - Sept 3, 2023
Read More

Mission Statement

The original spoken language of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian community is in a critical state of loss. If action is not taken immediately the language that was spoken for thousands of years will be lost forever. The mission of the Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department (ALRD) is to bring Anishinaabemowin back to the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal community and generate fluent first language speakers. Anishinaabemowin is vital to the tribal sovereignty and the survival of our people.

About the ALRD

Our Anishinaabe teachings tell us that our language is sacred because it is a gift from the creator. Therefore, we must protect it from becoming lost. He gave it exclusively to the Anishinaabek people, and he loves to hear us speaking it. That's why we use it in prayer. The Saginaw Chippewa Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Department is a new department working to revitalize Anishinaabemowin in the Saginaw Chippewa community. The Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council passed Resolution No. 08-103 on June 4th, 2008 which supports the efforts put forth by the Anishinaabe Language Revitalization Committee (now the ALRD) to create fluency and fluent speakers.

There are three immersion classrooms serving students age 2, 3 and 4 years of age. The children are taught their entire curriculum along with daily conversations in Anishinaabemowin.  This method of language acquisition is called the Natural Approach.  Studies have shown that this is the best way to acquire a new language.  This is how we learned English as well.

While the children will be hearing Anishinaabemowin all day at school, they will still primarily be hearing English at home. Therefore, the ALRD continue to support Parents language acquisition so they can speak  Anishinabemowin in the home as well.
Through this process our beautiful Anishinaabek binojiiyag will become bilingual.

New for the 2015-16 school year, ALRD will focus outreach to expecting parents and families of infant and toddlers and those Sasiwaans Alumni students now attending Tribal or local public schools.

Contact