The Beatles Blackbird

Teenager sings in Mi’kmaq

This radio story is heart warming and can remind us of the importance of providing avenues for young people to value their roots and use their voices to express them. CLICK HERE for the story and see the youtube video below of 16 year old Emma Stevens singing Blackbird by the Beatles partially in her family language. Listen in the transcript for the support from Emma’s teacher. The youtube was posted by Emma’s school Allison Bernard Memorial High School in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia, to recognize the International Year of Indigenous Languages.

The International Year of Indigenous Languages is a United Nations observance in 2019 that aims to raise awareness of the consequences of the endangerment of Indigenous languages across the world, with an aim to establish a link between language, development, peace, and reconciliation.