“Innu Aiminan” – A 3 min film that shows children’s social awareness and desire to protect their Indigenous Innu language
This 2:53 min short documentary (2013) depicts elementary students from the Innu Nation in Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam (in Eastern Quebec). Together, a small group of classmates mobilize the whole school to encourage adults to speak Innu to them to protect their language opposed to only French in their daily conversation. In doing so, this film makes a statement on the protection and promotion of Indigenous languages across Canada today, to encourage the resiliency of Indigenous communities and work towards the call-to-action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission report.
It is a simple and short documentary with one singular focus but it can be a source of encouragement for young students, to show them how to understand tensions within their own identity, work together and respond to the culture and needs of their community.
This is a production of Wapikoni Mobile. Although no educational resources accompany the film, the film is a resource in itself.