For eight years, StFX German language instructor Marlis Lade and students of German 200 have collaborated with Mi’kmaw artist, writer and musician Alan Syliboy, translating his children’s books into German, all the while learning more about reconciliation. Recently, they took their story to Ottawa.
Professor Joerg Esleben from the University of Ottawa and Myka Burke from the German Embassy in Ottawa invited Alan Syliboy, Prof. Lade, and German students Laurianne Riffault and Gianluca Abrignani to Ottawa where they presented at an event on Oct. 1st entitled, “Building Cultural Bridges: A Collaborative Approach to Indigenous Representation in Foreign Language Education.”
The event explored the unique and innovative collaboration between Prof. Lade and Mr. Syliboy, focusing on integrating Indigenous culture into foreign language education. The discussion highlighted how Indigenous voices, particularly Mi'kmaw perspectives, are being translated and presented to university language students, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity in language teaching.
“Over the years, we have gained invaluable knowledge of Mi’kmaq culture and traditions. Alan Syliboy encourages us to learn more about Mi’kmaq culture. He willingly shares the stories and traditions of his Mi'kmaq heritage through his art. Each of his paintings tells a story to discover, while his books bring Mi’kmaq legends to life,” Prof. Lade says.
“By translating these stories, we are building a bridge to fostering understanding. Learning about Mi’kmaq traditions helps us connect with and respect Indigenous perspectives. Alan Syliboy promotes awareness, dialogue, and reflection, which are essential to reconciliation.”
Prof. Lade says it was a successful event in Ottawa and the German Ambassador Tjorven Bellmann greeted the audience and applauded them for the project.
StFX student Gianluca Abrignani, past president of the StFX German Society, says the event exceeded expectations. “People from various cultural backgrounds participated in the meaningful presentation and the after-dialogue. It is wonderful to see that the work we are doing resonates not only on a local level but also internationally.
“One of the most compelling moments came when the audience asked about the translation of
children's books to promote Indigenous culture. It reinforced the idea that teaching the next
generation about Indigenous traditions and stories is a powerful way to ensure cultural
preservation. For me, this event was more than just a presentation; it was a celebration of cultural exchange, mutual respect, and curiosity. It served as a powerful reminder of the importance of our efforts in promoting reconciliation and understanding. I am optimistic about the future and the potential it holds for furthering these goals.”
Current German Society president and StFX student Laurianne Riffault says the presentation “gave us the chance to showcase a successful program and an idea that works. It was an amazing opportunity and an honour for me, as a student, to share my positive experience and learning journey with this collaboration between StFX's German Program and Alan Syliboy. I hope that the work we do at StFX can and will be used as a template for building more collaborative projects between academic institutions and members of Indigenous populations.”
Prof. Lade says her collaboration with Mr. Syliboy began when he held the Coady Chair of Social Justice in 2016, and she visited him with her German 200 class. He was the artist in residence at that time.
“I had an inspiring conversation with him, and from there, the idea of translating his children's books into German emerged. The aim was to expose our students to the rich Mi’kmaq culture that Alan depicts in his paintings and books.”
So far, the German 200 classes have translated three of his books.
Along with the German Ambassador, participants in the conference included Senator Mary Coyle, Professor Esleben from the University of Ottawa, Myka Burke, communication officer at the German Embassy, members of the German Embassy, and faculty of the University of Ottawa.
