Instructor Corey Whitford held an Introduction to Indigenous Languages and Bannock Making session for staff and students on Wednesday, Nov. 2. Participants had the opportunity to learn greetings, ingredients, and actions related to baking Bannock in Anishinaabemowin. Corey guided participants through the pronunciation of the various Anishinaabemowin phrases and demonstrated how different gestures related to each phrase.

“I wanted to learn how to make Bannock the proper way,” said Matthew Fontaine. “All the extra love and care, his passion for it, that’s just a bonus.”

Chef Patrick of Culinary Skills helped demonstrate the proper technique for mixing, forming, and baking Bannock while Corey shared stories from his childhood on Sandy Bay First Nation. While waiting for the Bannock to rise and bake, participants received papers with Anishinaabemowin phrases and words or their English counterparts and paired up to translate their meanings. Corey challenged participants to organize the Anishinaabemowin alphabet with only the English alphabet as a frame of reference.

Participants grasped the concepts of phrases using the same method Corey’s kokum (grandmother) used to teach him when he was a kid: gestures that indicated concepts like water, oil, temperature, and folding the dough. That engagement of the body connected the words with physical expression.

“Corey’s animation makes it come alive,” said Marie Rogge. “I’m a language instructor, I teach English, so it was very interesting for me to see not just what he taught, but how he taught it.”

Prepped Bannock, jam, and refreshments were available to prime participants for what they could expect from the session. Everyone received a take-home package for a small Bannock loaf they could use to bake fresh Bannock in their own kitchens.

Future sessions could bring even more students and staff in to learn about Indigenous cultures and languages, using Bannock as the catalyst for curiosity.

“I’m hoping in the future that maybe somewhere we could bring our classes together, I think it would be really interesting for students from South America or China or somewhere in the world to come together with Indigenous students to share their stories and languages as an act of reconciliation,” said Marie.

Corey was excited to see so many people at the session.

“I am inspired that so many people are interested in our activities, and it’s important too because it builds a feeling of solidarity with our work culture and encourages embracing our traditions, our protocols… Thank you to everyone who attended that day,” said Corey.

Corey hopes to organize more Bannock-making sessions in the future to help get people interested in Indigenous languages, motivate people to learn more, and help spread a love for the languages.