Literature to promote indigenous languages

(Montreal) April 23 is declared World Book and Copyright Day by UNESCO. This year, this celebration of literature highlights Indigenous languages ​​with the aim of “defending and promoting linguistic diversity”.

In Quebec, more and more publishing houses are publishing Indigenous authors, including Mémoire d’encrier, Prize de parole, Éditions du Remue-Méninges and Écosociété, to name a few.

Pioneers in this field, Éditions Hannenorak, located in Wendake in the Quebec region, have a trilingual collection. According to its co-founder and director, Daniel Sioui, Indigenous literature is booming, thanks in particular to the notoriety of journalist and author of Innu origin Michel Jean.

“The situation is not at all the same as it was 15 years ago. At the time, it was mostly tourists who wanted to know our culture a little more, says Mr. Sioui. Now everyone seems to be interested in native literature, like other books. »

This popularity means that the Aboriginal book community is no longer isolated, but fully part of the Quebec literary universe, according to Daniel Sioui.

“There is an interest from all publishers in having Indigenous authors publishing at home,” he notes. And that’s good, because our literature is not only aimed at Aboriginal authors or readers, our main readership is all Quebecers. »

It would be difficult and unprofitable to publish books only in the Aboriginal language, believes the Wendake publisher. “There would not be enough readership for a novel to be translated, especially since there is a lack of translators and there is no standardization in the languages, he says. Each community has its dialect. »

Mr. Sioui still believes that Indigenous literature serves to slow the “sliding” of languages ​​into oblivion.

The United Nations recalls that a majority of languages ​​spoken by indigenous peoples around the world are rapidly disappearing.

Author, poet and playwright of Innu origin Soleil Launière believes that Indigenous languages ​​are not dying; on the contrary, they are “reborn,” like nature growing back after a great fire. “We burned the territory, but everything is being reborn, she believes. The language is never dead, it has always been there. »

It is in her writing process that the artist discovers her mother tongue, which she had not learned before. “Josephine Bacon has already told me that language still lives through me, that my body speaks my language even if I don’t know it, and I found that beautiful,” says Ms. Launière.

“It’s important for me to put [my language] forward in my lyrics, even if it’s just a few words,” she continues. Just that the title of my book be in Innu-aimun, it was really important. »

Art, and literature in particular, is a way of contributing to the survival of these dialects, generally transmitted orally from generation to generation.

Adopted by a couple from Quebec just a few days after her birth, the poet and author Maya Cousineau Mollen is reclaiming the mother tongue that she did not have the opportunity to learn through her art. “I listen to music in Innu, I read it aloud and I try to incorporate words from it into my poetry,” she says. It’s a bit like that that I reclaim my language. »

Public readings and meetings with authors are, for Ms. Cousineau Mollen, opportunities to communicate her language and her culture to the public who, both in Quebec and abroad, have a growing interest in them.

“Besides the language, there is our whole history behind which is difficult for Quebec society to hear or accept, details the author. Poetry is a very diplomatic way for me to explain these difficult things. It reaches people, it arouses emotions in them and they are curious to come and discuss, to clarify a discomfort without feeling judged. »