Dr. Samantha Lenci, interim President and CEO of Lethbridge College (L) and Lowell Yellowhorn, Indigenous Services manager (R), announce the Aiitsi’poyoip Blackfoot Speaking Award. (Photo supplied by Lethbridge College)

By Justin Goulet

New Blackfoot speaking award launched at Lethbridge College

Jun 22, 2022 | 7:52 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A new award has been launched at Lethbridge College.

Each year, the $1,000 Aiitsi’poyoip Blackfoot Speaking Award will be given to five Indigenous students of Blackfoot descent who have participated in the preservation of Blackfoot language and culture. Recipients will be able to demonstrate their ability to speak Blackfoot and/or show a commitment to learning the language.

Dr. Samantha Lenci, interim President and CEO at Lethbridge College said the award is funded by the post-secondary institutions itself. She noted, “we are privileged to live and work on the traditional lands of the Blackfoot Confederacy, and we remain committed to demonstrating leadership in truth and reconciliation.”

The award was announced on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 as part of the college’s National Indigenous Peoples Day celebrations. It was made possible thanks to the college’s participation in the McConnell Foundation’s Social Innovation Lab on Reconciliation in the Postsecondary Sector.

Lethbridge College and Algoma University in Ontario were the only two post-secondaries to take part in the pilot project, which launched in the fall of 2021. Each regional team was tasked with tackling a specific opportunity facing them in their efforts for reconciliation.

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Lethbridge’s participation resulted in a focus on preserving Indigenous language – specifically Blackfoot.

Lowell Yellowhorn, Indigenous Services manager at Lethbridge College said, “language loss is of critical concern for our local Blackfoot community.”

“Language goes hand in hand with culture, so when you preserve language, you also preserve culture.”

Students who intend to apply for the new award are encouraged to spend time learning about their culture and language by working with a mentor – one of the college’s Blackfoot Grandparents (Kaahsinooniiks) or an Elder in their community. Recipients will be chosen based on video submissions, which will highlight the students and their Blackfoot speaking abilities.

In addition to this new award, another outcome of the social innovation lab was including Blackfoot language throughout the college’s Spring 2022 Convocation. For the first time in the college’s history, the ceremony featured co-emcees – Dr. Samantha Lenci and Lowell Yellowhorn. Yellowhorn spoke Blackfoot for those in attendance and those watching online.

Lenci said, “even though we have concluded our requirements for the social innovation lab, our work at Lethbridge College is not done.”

“Reconciliation is not checking a box. We’re committed to moving forward and building on the progress we’ve made.”

More on Indigenous Services for students is available at the Lethbridge College website.