Latuwewakon
History of Wolastoqey
Latuwewakon: An Oral Tradition
The Wolastoqey language was traditionally oral, passed down through storytelling, songs, and teachings that connected the Wolastoqiyik to their history, land, and culture.
With the arrival of European settlers in the early 1600s, colonization led to the systematic suppression of Indigenous languages, including Wolastoqey. This suppression was deeply reinforced through the residential school system and later Indian Day Schools, where generations of Wolastoqiyik children (many sent to Shubenacadie Residential School) were punished for speaking their language. For many, speaking Wolastoqey became a source of fear, severing their connection to their identity and culture.
Despite these challenges, the language endured. Writing systems (orthographies) were developed to preserve and document Wolastoqey in response to its suppression. Today, revitalization efforts focus on restoring oral fluency and literacy, ensuring the language thrives through intensive and immersive programs, recorded oral histories, and educational resources.
Though now written, Wolastoqey’s heart remains in its spoken form, where its spirit, rhythm, and deep cultural meaning truly live.
Orthographies
The Wolastoqey Tribal Council Inc. (WTCI) recognizes two primary writing systems for the Wolastoqey language: the Teeter Alphabet and the Newell-Hale Alphabet. Although it offers resources in both alphabets, we have chosen one to improve the clarity and flow of this webpage alone.
Teeter Alphabet (1960s, Karl Teeter)
Uses the English alphabet with the addition of the schwa symbol (ə) to represent certain vowel sounds. Example sound changes:
- q → kw
- o → ə (schwa)
- Commonly used in immersion programs but requires a special font (“Maliseet Times New Roman”) for digital use. However, restrictions apply.
Newell-Hale Alphabet (1970s, Wayne Newell & Kenneth Hale)
A modification of Teeter’s system was designed to make typing easier. Changes include:
- ə (schwa) → o
- o (from Teeter’s system) → u
- Widely used in Maine and New Brunswick today.
For more details and to download the font, visit WLCC Alphabets .
Vitality of Wolastoqey
Wolastoqey is currently classified as “severely endangered” by UNESCO, indicating that older generations primarily speak it. In contrast, while the parental generation may understand the language, they typically do not use it when communicating with children or among themselves. This status underscores the critical need for revitalization efforts to ensure the survival and transmission of the language to younger generations.
Recent estimates suggest that fewer than 100 fluent speakers remain, most of whom are over 65 years old. This demographic trend underscores the urgent need for revitalization efforts to ensure the language’s continuation. However, there are also concerns about how Statistics Canada assesses the number of speakers. They categorize language data in three ways: Indigenous language first learned, Indigenous languages spoken at home, and knowledge of Indigenous languages.
This classification implies that some fluent speakers may be grouped with the non-speaking population of Wolastoqiyik. There should be greater emphasis on fluency to accurately determine the number of fluent speakers, as some communities lack such speakers.
For a deeper insight into the revitalization efforts, you might find this documentary informative.
Community Revitalization Activities
- Latuwewakon Revitalization Support: Our team provides training, on-site mentoring, resource development, and professional learning sessions tailored to the needs of community education sites involved in WTCI’s Indigenous language programs.
- Comprehensive Support: To boost the effectiveness of our language revitalization efforts, we assist with language assessment, curriculum development, lesson plan support and land-based education.
Professional Development
WTCI Education Department provides comprehensive professional development to support educators in integrating Wolastoqey language into their classrooms. Our training includes:
- Routine Classroom Language – Practical strategies to incorporate Wolastoqey into daily interactions.
- Early Years Level One Wolastoqey – Foundational language instruction tailored for early learners.
- Language Teaching Strategies – Including Accelerated Second Language Acquisition (ASLA) for rapid learning and Total Physical Response (TPR), a movement-based method that enhances comprehension.
- Advanced Language Learning Opportunities– Inviting guest instructors, such as experienced language teachers, specialists, and language allies, to present and share their knowledge and strategies with learners, fostering a community of shared practice
Our programs equip educators with the tools needed to teach and revitalize Wolastoqey in their classrooms confidently.
Useful Links
Main Dictionary/resource pages
Other Resource Pages