Jean Okimāsis

Dr.
Jean Okimāsis
Pronunciation(/ˈn ˈɡɪˌmɑːsɪs/)
Born
Jean Lillian Littlechief

1938 (age 85–86)
Alma materUniversity of Regina
SpouseArok Wolvengrey

Dr. Jean L. Okimāsis (born Jean Lillian Littlechief)[1] is a Cree linguist who has worked on teaching and documenting the Plains Cree language.

Career

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In 1982, Okimāsis started work on Cree language programs at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated college (now the First Nations University of Canada). She published a textbook, workbook, and teaching grammar of the Cree language called Cree, Language of the Plains,[1] which is publicly available under a Creative commons license.[2]

Okimāsis has been instrumental in developing and promoting the use of the standard Roman orthography for writing the Cree language.[3] In 2008, she cowrote How to Spell it in Cree (The Standard Roman Orthography) with Arok Wolvengrey.

Recognition

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Okimāsis received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award in 2000, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Regina in 2005.[4]

In 2019, a park was named after Okimāsis in Regina.[4][3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Our Honourary Founders". Cree Literacy Network. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  2. ^ "Cree: Language of the Plains / nēhiyawēwin: paskwāwi-pīkiskwēwin". University of Regina.
  3. ^ a b Ogg, Arden (31 March 2019). "Regina opens Jean Okimâsis Park". Cree Literacy Network. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Regina planning commission wants to name a park after Jean Okimasis". CBC News. August 2, 2018. Retrieved 6 March 2020.

Bibliography

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