We have to hear their voices : Il nous faut entendre leurs voix : projet de recherche sur les langues et les pratiques artistiques autochtones

We looked at the honourable and respectful place that the Canada Council has come to after more than 50 years of existence, the ongoing nurturing and constructive relationship that has developed over the years with Aboriginal artists and organizations, and the vehicle that brings us together in the first place—our love of the arts. [...] As a result of the strategic directions and the need to gather information to inform Canada Council’s priorities and initiatives, the Aboriginal Arts Office and the Research and Evaluation Section at the Council collaborated on a research project to advance knowledge and understanding of the connection between Aboriginal languages and art practices. [...] The Canada Council therefore acknowledges the presence and significance of Aboriginal worldviews and the relationships between language and art, and how these may differ from Government of Canada views and approaches to such a complex topic, which is as rich and diverse as the number of Aboriginal languages in Canada. [...] This is despite the bilingualism and multiculturalism movements of the 1960s, the devolution of programs in the 1980s, and the work of the Task Force on Aboriginal Languages and Cultures between 2002 and 2005. [...] The themes that emerged depicted relationships, all of which connect to identity and worldview; to lands and territories and the elements within; and to the language, culture, and heritage of the people.