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September 23, 2025

SHIFTHEADS – The Fight to Save Indigenous Languages with Ronald E. Ignace

Language carries memory, identity, and survival. For Indigenous peoples, each word holds history and ecological wisdom.

In this conversation, Commissioner of Indigenous Languages Ronald E. Ignace (Secwépemc name Tamalkin) shares his personal story, the role of his great-grandmother in shaping his path, and the urgency of protecting languages threatened by colonization. He and Shane Hewitt explore how language loss reshapes identity and why preservation is key to cultural and ecological continuity.

Discover the resilience behind Indigenous language survival, the power of names, and what it means to carry forward ancestral knowledge.

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Ronald E. Ignace
commissionforindigenouslanguages.ca

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Ronald E. Ignace shares his personal history, Indigenous name, and work as Commissioner of Indigenous Languages in Canada, highlighting language survival and cultural identity.

Originally aired on2025-09-22