Episode 4: Greg Spence

Lenny describes his progress from reading and repeating Cree stories from a book (“atalohkana nesta tipacimowina or Cree Legends and Narratives: from the West Coast of James Bay”) and recordings. He also shares his venture into learning linguistics and research into language learning methods. Then he speaks with Greg Spence, a Cree expert originally from Fort Albany. Greg talks about learning music as a youth and starting the Spence Band, working as a Cree translator, Omushkego vs. inninew vs. anishnaabe as self-identifying terms, and the benefits of learning Cree syllabics.Lenny also discusses the podcast being featured in several media outlets in recent weeks and that he created a Substack for the podcast. Sign up to receive updates about episode drops and news directly to your email inbox. No registration required. apisheeshpodcast.substack.comAbout the guest: Greg Spence is a community organizer, educator, and musician based in Moose Factory. Originally from Fort Albany, Greg has decades of experience working as a Cree translator and teacher and continues to be consulted about the Cree language and culture. He founded and coordinated Cree Fest, an annual cultural festival hosted in different Mushkegowuk communities every summer for more than 20 years. Greg also plays bass and guitar and over the years has performed live across the region.About the host: Lenny Carpenter is a member of Attawapiskat First Nation who grew up in the James Bay community of Moosonee. He has a background in media having worked as a report/editor with Wawatay News, an intern at CBC Thunder Bay, a program manager at Journalists for Human Rights. He was most recently a Gladue Writer and Gladue Manager with Nishnawbe Aski Legal Services. Apisheesh is supported by the Indigenous Screen Office.Links to resources described:Atalohkana nesta tipacimowina or Cree Legends and Narratives: from the West Coast of James BayBecoming Fluent: How Cognitive Science Can Help Adults Learn a Foreign Language by Richard Roberts and Roger KreuzFluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It by Gabriel WynerHow Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die by David Clear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.