Sagamok Education welcomes Marjorie Southwind (nee Owl) to a newly created role as Anishinaabemowin Manager. The need to allocate someone to this role was identified through Chief & Council, Education Leadership, and the strong voice of the community, which expressed the urgency and desire to see Anishinaabemowin grow and maintain its place as the language of the land here in Sagamok.
Marjorie has held a long-standing role on both the Education Committee and most recently Sagamok’s Language Committee. In this new position, she will shift her attention and express her deep-seated duty to become an Anishinaabemowin resource supporting Sagamok. Marjorie brings with her an incredible career and educational history, immensely beneficial to the Education Department [and community] as we move forward in developing language resources and curriculum, identifying needs/gaps, and supporting a fulsome language immersion opportunity and revitalization priority. Education is ecstatic to have Marjorie’s knowledge, abilities, and unique skill set within the Department, and proud that she is one of our own members of Sagamok. She offers both a personal interest in the continuity and strength ‘the language’ provides our community, as well as a deep-set awareness of the necessity, desire, and urgency to protect and restore Anishinaabemowin and Anishinaabe Aadziwin to ensure longevity.
Marjorie is the daughter of Raymond and Mary-Ann Owl, and the mother of two children: her daughter, Julia, and her son, Cameron. She is married to Sadie Southwind, Sagamok’s Community Infrastructure Manager, Member of Council, and Member of Sagamok. Marjorie’s impressive education portfolio boasts:
- Honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Native Studies and Canadian Studies as a joint major;
- Bachelor of Education in the Aboriginal Teachers Education Program at the Intermediate and Senior level;
- OCT certified, and;
- Master's degree in education, specializing in Educational Leadership and Education Administration, with a focus on Indigenous Language Pedagogy.
Sagamok Education is extremely fortunate to have someone with this level of knowledge and accreditation to support the development of a sustainable language model, ultimately impacting every facet of education.
Marjorie shared that her “revitalizing approach towards Anishinaabemowin would be a ‘natural’ approach to learning the language; keeping it as authentic as possible to this community.” She added that before the pandemic period (2020-22), she pursued an online course through Wilfred Laurier University on Digital Communications. This training helps her consider the many possibilities open to today’s learners and to the educators she will be working with. Currently, some language resources can be found on the Education Department’s website at www.SagamokEducation.ca on the Education Supports page, Resources. Users can view words, spelling, and hear the language spoken with local pronunciation. These online tools offer the opportunity for practice and access for Members and the public, regardless of their geographic location.
Marjorie’s career timeline is as extensive as her education portfolio, and the accumulation of both, in her words, “has brought me to this point.” She began her teaching career at Wasse-Abin High School in Wikwemikoong, supporting the “New” Native Studies curriculum. She also taught Canadian History, Special Education, and English for Grades 9-12. During summer months prior to her moving back to Sagamok, Marjorie supported summer programming for the Grade 8 students’ transition to high school with the focus on literacy. In 2004, she began teaching Grade 7 at Biidaaban Kinoomaagegamik and was appointed the Vice Principal role shortly thereafter. By 2008 she was promoted to Principal of Biidaaban!
Moving along her extensive career timeline, Marjorie shifted to a Policy Analysis role in Sagamok and began her master's degree in 2016, with her thesis titled, “Indigenous Language Pedagogy.” She continued to evolve in her field and acquired experience in yet another new focus as the Principal of Waawaasnoode Adult Education. At this time, Marjorie pivoted in her career and began consulting with the Haisla Nation as their Principal. Following this role, she returned to Sagamok, working with Nogdawindamin as the Anishinaabemowin Project Development Lead, a proposal-based project. Marjorie did extensive work with the 7 North Shore First Nation communities, determining fluency levels, identifying original speakers (Elders), and developing a strategic plan to support Nogdawindamin services in incorporating and using Anishinaabemowin. From here, she moved into a Cultural Coordinator role and then advanced to the Anishinaabemowin-Aadziwin Supervisor role. As the Anishinaabemowin Project Development Lead she organized Anishinaabemowin Conferences and Socials (Round Dance). In her Cultural Coordinator role, she organized seasonal Culture Camps, which included Winter/Fall Harvest, summer culture camp, spring youth fasting camp Powwow, and organized Nogdawindamin’s staff gatherings. She holds a wealth of knowledge and experience from all three of these most recent positions working from a management lens and applying that knowledge towards supporting her role here in Sagamok as Anishinaabemowin Manager. “It feels like everything has come full circle,” reflected Marjorie, as she expressed enthusiasm towards her new position, and excitement about making strides in language revitalization in her home community. She is optimistic about ensuring Sagamok’s cultural continuity for many generations to come.
Doing her own personal research regarding ‘the language’, what resources are out there to support language revitalization efforts, and Anishinaabe-Aadziwin – “I’m building my bundle!” Marjorie noted. She always carried her academic bundle, and with Nogdawindamin, she continued to build her spiritual and cultural bundle, which she shared, “helps guide me and helps me make a connection with the land, the language, and Spirit – to live in a good way by helping my community. Our language is who we are and is so crucial to providing an in-depth understanding of ourselves,” Marjorie underscored. She spoke with great personal attachment and a sense of responsibility. Both of her parents are fluent speakers, but Marjorie admitted humbly that she is still a learner. She is making gentle progress and reminds Members that language learning and fluency are a slow process and not to be discouraged but try every day to speak what you know. Being immersed in it, whether in school or social settings from baby on up, and as community leaders and Members, creating space for language incorporation, use, and for traditional speakers to continue the language, should be of urgency to us all.
“I’m really excited,” reflected Marjorie, “that I have always had ‘these ideas’ [regarding language and culture] but I needed to go through all of my experiences to get these ideas shaped a little better.” One of the goals in her new role is to establish Waaseyaankaan Teg, our community’s Anishinaabe Resource Centre. It is a place for community members to engage with Elders, hear the language, use a variety of methods to teach, learn, and instill the language and cultural aspects. Marjorie is excited to work with Language Teachers at the Daycare and Biidaaban to help further develop and strengthen language roots and build a solid linguistic/cultural foundation, while overseeing the ‘full bundle’ of priority areas in education where language is and can be a focus.
As pastimes, Marjorie enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dogs, sewing and beading, doing the things she always wanted to do recreationally but were put on hold while her education and profession took over. Marjorie’s wife, Sadie has done extensive research on traditional medicines, and Marjorie has been learning from Sadie, so they both enjoy going out to harvest medicine.
In summary, Marjorie shared that “in the beginning of your career, it's about ‘moving up the ladder’, but as you grow older, it’s about moving toward what is important in life – what brings meaning, fulfillment.” During her time with ‘Nog,’ she said the “coolest part was to attend and participate in ceremony. Culture was all around you,” she reminisced. “It was a supportive, learning, teaching environment – a great ‘family’ for Anishinaabe-Aadziwin – it lifted your spirit and certainly didn’t feel like work! Knowing what our communities are going through and bringing culture or creating space where Anishinaabe-Aadziwin is part of daily life, helps us [get through] and fills our spirits, our cups.” Marjorie wants to bring these opportunities to the community, and, through her new designation as Anishinaabemowin Manager at Sagamok Education, she is on the path to making this dream a reality.
Welcome and miigwech, Marjorie! Sagamok Education is elated and grateful to have you on our team. We are excited to see how your leadership provides positive opportunities for increased knowledge and development, sparking enthusiasm, and the embrace of Anishinaabe-Aadziwin revitalization within our community.