Nehiyawâwin

Nehiyawâwin is the Cree language, an Algonquian language spoken by the Cree people in Canada. It is part of the Cree-Montagnais-Naskapi dialect continuum. Nehiyawâwin is primarily spoken across a vast territory in Canada, from Alberta to Quebec, and from the boreal forest to the Arctic coast. There are several distinct dialects of Nehiyawâwin, often differing in pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. These dialects generally fall into Western Cree, Plains Cree, and Eastern Cree categories.

The language plays a vital role in Cree culture, serving as a vehicle for oral traditions, ceremonies, and intergenerational knowledge transfer. Efforts are underway to preserve and revitalize Nehiyawâwin, with many communities and educational institutions offering language programs and resources. The orthography used to write Nehiyawâwin varies, with both syllabic and Roman orthographies being employed. The number of fluent speakers has been declining, a trend common to many Indigenous languages, but there is a growing movement dedicated to its continuation.