All Programs – Hul’q’umi’num’ language courses
aa sii’em’ ts’lhhwulmuhw tst, ’i tst tl’i’ tl’eshuta’lu.
niw’ ni’ ’u tthun’ shqwaluwunulup tthu hul’q’umi’num’ sqwal.
Our respected community members, we are inviting you.
You have the Hul’q’umi’num’ language in your hearts and minds.
Through Simon Fraser University First Nations Language Program and the Department of Linguistics, we offer a variety of language courses at different levels. Our courses will help you to gain become more fluent and to learn skills in language analysis and teaching.
CURRENT PROGRAM
PAST PROGRAMS
Hul’q’umi’num’ — Simon Fraser University Certificate in Indigenous Language Proficiency (2022-23 cohort)
STARTING
May 2, 2022
COMMUNITY HOSTS
Hul’q’umi’num’ Language & Culture Society and Snuneymuxw First Nation
INFORMATION
Donna Gerdts, Associate Director, Indigenous Language Program, Simon Fraser University
email: hlacoord@sfu.ca
WHAT
Twelve courses in the Hul’q’umi’num’ language earning 36 credits at Simon Fraser University. (9 courses in the certificate, and the first 3 courses toward a diploma).
OUR MISSION
The goal is fluency and literacy in Hul’q’umi’num’ and participants will also learn technical and other skills needed for becoming a language/culture instructor, language researcher, and materials developer.
Whether your knowledge of Hul’q’umi’num’ is beginning or advanced , you are welcome to participate in this program. Our language courses make use of immersion methods to help make language learning fun.
WHEN IS THE PROGRAM?
May 2022 – April 2023
We invite you to attend the first year of the program and earn a Certificate in Indigenous Language Proficiency and then to also go forward into the Diploma program.
WHERE WILL CLASSES BE?
On-line on zoom; face-to-face
- Courses will be held remotely (on-line using Zoom) during May and June 2022.
- Our hope is to be face-to-face by July 1, 2022
- Fall 2022 and after will be a combination of Zoom time and face-to-face time.
- Snuneymuxw First Nation invites the face-to-face classes to be held at Woodbank Center of Excellence.
- Other study groups may be available at different locations depending upon where participants live.
The Woodbank (Hul’q’umi’num’ Centre of Excellence) is a former primary school located at 1984 Woobank Road Nanaimo, BC. It is minutes from Snuneymuxw and Stz’uminus reserves and also convenient to highway 1 for participants coming from further north and south. Down the street is Hemer Provincial Park.
Hul’q’umi’num’ — Simon Fraser University Certificate in Indigenous Language Proficiency (2021-22 cohort)
STARTING
May 17th, 2021.
INFORMATION:
Hosted by the Snuneymuxw First Nation and the Hul’q’umi’num’ Language & Culture Society.
Donna Gerdts, Associate Director, Indigenous Language Program, Simon Fraser University
email: gerdts@sfu.ca
WHAT:
Twelve courses in the Hul’q’umi’num’ language earning 36 credits at Simon Fraser University.
OUR MISSION:
The goal is fluency and literacy in Hul’q’umi’num’ and participants will also learn technical and other skills needed for becoming a language/culture instructor, language researcher, and materials developer.
Whether your knowledge of Hul’q’umi’num’ is beginning or advanced , you are welcome to participate in this program. Our language courses make use of immersion methods to help make language learning fun.
WHEN IS THE PROGRAM?
May 2021 – April 2022
We invite you to attend the first year of the program and earn a Certificate in Indigenous Language Proficiency and then to also go forward into the Diploma program.
WHERE WILL CLASSES BE?
On-line on zoom; face-to-face
- Courses will be held remotely (on-line using Zoom) during Summer term.
- TBA for Fall term 2021 and Spring term 2022, but our hope is to have a combination of Zoom time and face-to-face time.
- Snuneymuxw First Nation invites the face-to-face classes to be held at Woodbank Center of Excellence.
- Other study groups at different locations depending upon where participants live.
- Duncan study groups to be held at the Shhwumulqun – Language House, 1093 Nagle St.
The Woodbank Center is a former primary school located at 1984 Woobank Road Nanaimo, BC. It is minutes from Snunymuxw and Stz’uminus reserves and also convenient to highway 1 for participants coming from further north and south. Down the street is Hemer Provincial Park.
SCHEDULE
Summer 2021 (May 10-August 31):
INLG 130 – Practical Phonetics for Indigenous Languages (3)
INLG 133 – Introduction to Indigenous Language I (3)
INLG 134 – Introduction to Indigenous Language II (3)
INLG 158 – Indigenous Language Immersion I (3)
Fall 2021 (Sept 1-December 31):
INLG 200 – Introduction to Grammar in an Indigenous Language (3)
INLG 233 – Description and Analysis of an Indigenous Language I (3)
INLG 258 – Indigenous Language Immersion II (3)
INLG 160 – Language, Culture and Society (3)
Spring 2022 (January 1-April 30):
INLG 234 – Description and Analysis of an Indigenous Language II (3)
INLG 300 – Advanced Grammar of an Indigenous Language (3)
INLG 333 – Indigenous Language Intermediate Level Proficiency I (3)
INLG 335 – Topics in Indigenous Language I (3)
Course descriptions available at: http://www.sfu.ca/students/calendar/2021/spring/courses/inlg.html
CLASS DAY AND TIMES:
Class will mostly be held during daytime, for twenty hours a week. Additional sections may be available evenings and weekends depending on participants’ needs.
This program requires at least 20 hours of commitment per week for 12 months.
The program consists of 600 hours of together time— speaking and using Hul’q’umi’num’—plus guided study of web materials and group & individual projects.
There is some flexibility in the schedule, but participants must be available for the times certain day-time courses.
REGISTRATION
Deadline for receipt of all paperwork was May 1st.
Admission to SFU requires a secondary degree though mature students can be admitted based on life experience.
Funding opportunities are available. Please contact us to discuss your situation.
Program is planned to continue for a second year, May 2022–April 2023, when you can earn a Diploma in Indigenous Language Proficiency.
CONTACT:
Donna Gerdts, Associate Director, Indigenous Languages Program, SFU
email: gerdts@sfu.ca
Evangeline Guerin, Hul’q’umi’num’ Language & Culture Society
email: hlccstrategist@gmail.com
Lorraine Yam, Manager, Indigenous Language Program, Simon Fraser University
email: inlp@sfu.ca
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Administrative support:
Q: Who do I contact for administrative help from SFU?
A: Please contact: Lorraine Yam fnlp@sfu.ca for general questions and Donna Gerdts gerdts@sfu.ca for questions concerning the Hul’q’umi’num’ language academy.
You can also find a variety of forms and information at:
Cost of the program:
Q: How much with the program cost and how can I get financial assistance?
A: General information on tuition and fees are available at the SFU website.
However, you should contact the post-secondary officier of your First Nations to get instructions on how to apply for financial assistance and deadlines for applying.
APPLYING FOR SUPPORT FOR SUMMER REQUIRES IMMEDIATE ACTION.
SFU also is able to help fund students. Contact: Donna Gerdts for information. We are also going to engage in various fund-raising activities.
Please do not let funding stand in the way for your Hul’q’umi’num’ language learning journey.
Admission:
Q: How do I apply to be an SFU student?
A: You must submit an application form, and send in official copies of your transcripts.
Q: I was an SFU student in the past. Do I still need to fill in the application form?
A: Usually you can submit a reactivation form. This will update your information.
Q: I never completed high school. Can I still become an SFU student?
A: Yes, there is a route for admission based on knowledge of First Nation cultural traditions. Please fill out this form:
Q: I am currently a secondary student. Can I begin my university studies now?
A: Yes, if you are a grade 12 student and will graduate in June 2018, we can make arrangements for you to take SFU courses part-time in spring and become a full-time university student at the end of June. SFU also allows concurrent registration so that universities can be credited to your high school diploma (subject to permission of the principal). One university course equals half a high school course. You will need to fill out the following form in addition to the regular admission form.
Q: I am currently an undergraduate student at another post-secondary institution and will not complete my bachelor’s degree by April. Can I enroll in this program?
A: Yes. We can assist you in making arrangements with your current post-secondary institution. Please provide us with information about your current program and your future plans.
Q: I already have a university degree. Can I enroll in this program?
A: If you have a BA or BEd (or even an MA or MEd) and want to add expertise in Hul’q’umi’num’ and earn a certificate, we would love for you to join our cohort. You will need to consult with your First Nation’s post-secondary officer for their policies on limits to supporting multiple post-secondary programs.
Q: I have already taken university courses in Hul’q’umi’num’. Can I transfer these courses to SFU and apply them toward the certificate?
A: If you have already taken some language courses at SFU, VIU, CNC, or elsewhere, we can discuss with you what courses you still need to take to finish the certificate. However, we encourage everyone to participate in all 390 hours of this program, as the goal is to get as fluent as you can in Hul’q’umi’num’ as well as learn linguistic skills.
Q: I speak the Hul’q’umi’num’ language fluently already. Can I apply for this program?
A: Learning to speak the language is so much more difficult than learning to read and write it. We would love to have you in our program, give your talent proper respect, and help you gain literacy skills and also help you move to the next level of linguistic knowledge of the language.
Q: I am not interested in earning a certificate, can I still take classes?
A: Our priority in this program is full-time students who wish to complete one year of university and earn a certificate. The cohort program and all students will be together for all of the classes and the learning is designed to be incremental but steady. So this might not be a good fit for someone who can’t participate in all the classes. Please contact us to tell us your goals, however, as we often offer other classes, and also Vancouver Island University and several Hul’q’umi’num’ nations offer language courses.
Q: How hard will the courses be?
A: University courses are very demanding both in terms of time commitment (39 in-class hours per course and a big expectation for engaging in study and research outside of class time). But we will do our best to help break the learning down into small, manageable tasks focused on important and valuable topics. You need to be ready to commit to attend every class and do each assignment in a timely fashion. This may require some sacrifice of personal time during the eight months of the program. Psychological factors play an important part in success, and we turn to spiritual guidance from the Elders and emotional support from our families to help us stay strong and persevere.
Orthography:
Q: Several orthographies are being used to represent Hul’q’umi’num’ in the different schools. What orthography will the courses use?
A: We will be presenting materials in the orthography developed during the CURA grant between University of Victoria and HTG (though we don’t use the letter /o/, opting for the phonological form /uw/ instead). You can see how we write things in the materials on this website. When you are writing or producing materials, you can use any orthography you would like, as long as you provide us with the key to what the symbols represent and use it systematically.
Dialect:
Q: I’m eager to learn and use my own dialect of Hul’q’umi’num’. What dialect will you be using in class?
A: We encourage all participants to speak and write their own dialect, the style of speech used in your own family.