About the Committee
In the Fall of 2016, the Wəlastəkwey/Wolastoqey Nation Chiefs appointed 4 representatives to a steering committee and ex-officio Federal and Provincial representatives. A tripartite agreement was struck to begin planning and implementing a Maliseet immersion program at the early childhood level in all M of Wəlastəkok/Wolastokuk.
A sub-committee was formed underneath this body to develop curriculum for the 2-5-year-old age category also known as Head-start, K-3, and K-4. Wəlastəkwey/Wolastoqey Language Teachers and Language Teacher-Learners that had previous or present experience in teaching this age category were asked to sit on the Wəlastəkwey/Wolastoqey Language Curriculum Committee (WLCC) to develop new curriculum and collect previously developed curriculum for updating.
The WLCC shared the dream of creating this resource website and therefore, connecting the early childhood educators and teachers across Wəlastəkok/Wolastokuk. By sharing our language with each other and supporting each endeavor, we can save our language.
Kelsey Nash-Solomon
Kelsey is very passionate about teaching and learning our beautiful Wəlastəkwey latowewakən. Even though she grew up off-reserve, she always felt the pull to learn the ancestral mother tongue and she took it upon herself to find her path in learning it.
Kelsey began teaching at Under One Sky in 2010 and her desire to learn had not faded. In September 2013, with the assistance of her employer, Kelsey found that path and began fulfilling her dream through the St. Mary’s Adult Maliseet Immersion Program co-offered with St. Thomas University. She graduated with a 4.2 GPA in April of 2015. Kelsey is also gearing up to complete her St. Thomas University Native Language Immersion Teaching Certificate in Spring Convocation 2019.
Kelsey has had the honor of working very closely with many different Elders from many of the communities up and down the river. Although sometimes it can be very challenging work, she finds the experience extremely rewarding. Kelsey continues to work at Under One Sky Head-start & Friendship Center while also offering Beginner Adult Maliseet Language Classes at the same location.
Roseanne Clark
I was born in Neqotkuk. I grew up speaking only Wolastoqey Latuwewakon and that was the dominant language heard in the community at that time. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles gave me the gift of Wolastoqey Latuwewakon. My langauge was discouraged by the Tobique Indian Day School and in the nearby Provincial Schools. In spite of these efforts to erase my language, I managed to retain much of my language ability and subsequently became very involved in it's revitalization.
I attended university in Fredericton where I obtained my Bachelor of Social Work and Bachelor of Education degrees. I also completed a "Wolastoqey Language Immersion Program." Being a licenced teacher in New Brunswick led to many years of working with my language in both Provincial and Band-operated schools. Over the years I was involved in many curriculum development projects including translation and video production. I would like to thank all the people along the way in my life-long language journey. I especially want to thank my parents, Raymond and Doris Tremblay, grandparents Louis and Madeline Sappier, Aunt Mildred and Henrietta Black, whose expertise has proved invaluable in my involvement with language revitalization.
I am now retired but continue to be busy with cultural activities and language projects. I enjoy opportunities to share my cultural practices such as at openings and closings of various gatherings. My language will always be in the forefront of my continuing involvement in these events.
Roseanne Clark
Anatasha Lyons
Anatasha Lyons was born in Woodstock and grew up with the desire to learn her ancestral mother-tongue. Her grandfather, Frederick J. Sappier, was a residential school survivor and such, held the misbelief that his mother-tongue was not useful in this world; that English was more important. He refused to teach her in an effort to protect her from the same atrocities.
Anatasha attended a language camp in Nekwətkok in the summer of 2003 taught by Roseanne Clark, Sandra Nicholas, Marina Moulton, Darryl Nicholas, and Marjorie Polchies. It was in this setting that Anatasha fell in love with her language. She immediately began the Native Language Immersion Teaching Certificate courses offered through St. Thomas University in the Fall of 2003.
From 2013-2015, Anatasha studied the language further in the St. Mary’s Adult Maliseet Immersion Program (SMAIP) where she excelled. The next two years, she spent developing curriculum part-time along with the teaching team at SMAIP as the Co-Curriculum Coordinator. She also began her full-time role as Maliseet Teacher at the Woodstock First Nation Child Development Center.
In July 2018, Anatasha graduated from St. Thomas University with the Native Language Teaching Certificate Programme and is also a part-time student in the Wabanaki Bachelor of Education program at offered through the Mi’kmaq Wolastoqey Centre and University of New Brunswick. Anatasha has recently accepted a new position at the Woodstock First Nation (WFN) Education Department as the WFN Wolastoqey Language Coordinator.
Judy Perley
Judy is a lifelong resident of Neqotkuk. The youngest female of a family of ten, she was born into the Wolastoqey Latuwewakon and has maintained her fluency in the language. That fluency was tested by her attending 5 years at the Indian Day School and the government policy of English-only education, with strict and often punishing disciplinary actions of Native language use. Her parents, grandparents and other extended family and friends encourage the use of Wolastoqey Latuwewakon, resulting in her continuing teaching and exposure to others, in its use.
Judy earned a Certificate in Early Childhood Education at the University of Maine in Presque Isle and went on to earn her Management Certificate at UNBITI in Fredericton, NB. She has been employed in the Aboriginal Head-start Program for 33 years. Since the early days of development, the Head-start program developed core mandated components of culture and language programming, in order to expose the children to the basics of being Wolastoqey.
Judy was the manager of the Tobique Head-start Program for many years but has since moved on and is now in charge of the teacher training for her community. She has been instrumental in the development, application and promotion of the language to the youngest of students.
Emilie Gray
Emilie Gray is a member of St. Mary’s First Nation and a certified teacher living in Douglas, New Brunswick. She shares a beautiful home with her fiancé Bradley, their son Avery, and two cats.
Emilie is a dedicated Maliseet woman who loves to learn and wants to share her knowledge inside the classroom with our future generations. She strongly believes that this committee and resource website will aid in the revitalization of the Maliseet language and could not be more proud to be part of the journey.
She graduated from the St. Mary’s Adult Maliseet Immersion Program in May of 2019. Emilie attended High School in Minto, New Brunswick and went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in 2016, with a major in Native Studies and Environmental Science from St. Thomas University. In the summer 2017, she completed a Bachelor of Education, also from STU, with teachables in Native Studies and Environmental Science.
Greta Moulton
Greta Moulton was born in Nekwətkok . She was raised by her grandparents, Mary Bear and Gabe Francis. Wəlastəkwey Latowewakən was the primary language spoken at home and within the entire community at that time. Greta attended the University of Maine Presque Isle and graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, Certified in Early Childhood Education and then was able to obtain a New Brunswick Teacher’s License.
Greta also received the St. Thomas University Native Language Immersion Teaching Certificate Programme in July of 2018.
Greta has dedicated 26 years to teaching various grades at Mahsos School in Nekwotkok and is now semi-retired.