APTN launches all-Indigenous languages TV channel

Earlier this month, APTN launched an Indigenous languages channel with a goal of preserving and revitalizing them.

In May of this year, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approved APTN's application to create the new channel, APTN Languages, featuring more than 12 Indigenous languages. 

"We can think of no better way to celebrate our 25th anniversary than by using our platform to ensure the next generation will have access and exposure to their native dialects so we might preserve their histories and celebrate their cultures and traditions," said APTN CEO Monika Ille in a statement.

Earl Wood, who has hosted APTN's Hockey Night in Canada in Cree, said he hopes the new channel will inspire younger generations to learn their language and put themselves out there to speak it, even to one day step into the role of broadcaster in their language for news or sports.  

"It is so amazing and powerful for each of the kids because whether they know it or not, they're taking responsibility for their own reclamation as Indigenous people and that worldview that comes with it," he said.

He said once Indigenous people put their minds to do something, they can accomplish anything as a collective. 

"We have a APTN language channel now," he said.

"How amazing is that? That is definitely another milestone in that storm of coherency and clarity that's happening amongst our people."

Lorena Cote, an assistant professor at First Nations University of Canada in Regina, said it is about time. 

"We as kids learned from Sesame Street," she said.

"We learned how to count and we learned English. I think we can do that with Indigenous languages."

She said Indigenous languages are not like English and you can't teach them like English, so there needs to be other ways to teach it — and put it out there. 

"At least kids, especially the ones that don't speak at home, will be able to hear the language and this way they'll get to hear it in their home," she said. 

She said if the content catches their attention, then they will learn.

She said she hopes this will help to revitalize some of the language loss communities have dealt with. 

"We really need that language," she said.

"We really need it for our way of life. It's a part of us."