THUNDER BAY — A special ceremony held Thursday celebrated graduates who completed a 32-week Matawa Waka Tere Certificate in Indigenous Pathways to Speaking the Language, Year One program.
Ninety graduates, representing nine Matawa First Nation communities, crossed the stage at the Matawa Learning Centre.
Stephanie Hogan, the education coordinator, said the programs have been going well.
"The programs have been running really smoothly. We have it in three languages: Ojibway, Cree and Oji-Cree.
"The programs are running in all of our nine communities as well as here in Thunder Bay for Matawa members living in the city. So it's definitely on an upward slope, and I think there's going to be more enrolments each year."
Brittney Menowegan pulled double duty at the ceremonies as a graduating student and a current tutor.
She called the ceremony amazing.
"When I first began this journey, I didn't know the impact that it would have on my life. And I can't believe that I'm standing here with all my peers and my colleagues and, you know, with the support of Matawa and my communities. It's just amazing."
More details about the program are available here.
Katie Nicholls is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter with Newswatch
