6 interactive 90-minute online lessons on Tuesday evenings from September 15 – October 20, 2026, taking place at 6:00 pm Pacific Time / 7:00 pm Mountain Time/ 9:00 pm Eastern Time (recordings available if you can’t join live).
This course is open to everyone, and is offered free of charge through a partnership with Métis Nation British Columbia (MNBC). If you are a non-Indigenous learner we ask that you review these reflections prior to the first session.
Southern Michif is a traditional language of the Métis people. It is also known as Michif, Michif Cree, Heritage Michif, aan Cree, and aañ Crii. Its origins are in the Red River Valley area in Manitoba, Canada and this language is now applicable across the southern parts of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and the northern parts of North Dakota and Montana.
Participants will have the opportunity to delve into the rich Métis heritage and acquire fundamental Michif language skills. Led by a traditional Michif speaker, Marie Schoenthal, this workshop promises an immersive experience that celebrates and preserves Métis culture.
Linguistically, it is considered quite unique among the world’s contact languages and is often described – somewhat simplistically – as a blend of French nouns and Cree verbs. The French element of Heritage Michif comes from Michif French, with the Algonquian element coming from dialects of Cree and Western Ojibwe (Saulteaux). That said, Heritage Michif has solidified into its own language: it contains elements from its source languages, but also has characteristics that are unique to it alone. A good example of this is the way in which some French elements are “sandwiched” in Cree grammar, like the French noun le vieux (‘old man’) becoming a verb in phrases like ni maachi li vyeu-iwin (‘I am getting old’).
This course includes:
- 6 X 90 mins live (virtual) sessions
- Recordings of the sessions, available for 3 months following the live session
- A Certificate of Completion