The Power of Language: Indigenous Languages Day

Today we honour the power of language through the story of Aunt Annie, a Métis woman who lived in Southampton and spoke multiple languages including English, French, Anishinaabemowin, and Gaelic.

Her home at the harbour became a gathering place — a space where Métis, settlers, and others could come together and speak in their own languages. In a time when language often meant belonging, Aunt Annie created connection, understanding, and community.

On Indigenous Languages Day, we celebrate the voices that carried language forward and the people, like Aunt Annie, who helped keep those voices alive.