FREDERICTON (CNB) - Fifty copies of the Passamaquoddy-Maliseet dictionary are being distributed among the Maliseet First Nations communities and libraries across the province. Rick Brewer, minister responsible for the Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat, made the announcerment today.
The dictionary has 18,000 entries, and is the culmination of more than 30 years of work by: David A. Francis, an author and former tribal governor of Maine; Robert Leavitt, a former member of University of New Brunswick's faculty of education, and former director of the Mi'kmaq-Maliseet Institute; Margaret Apt, community research co-ordinator; and educators, native speakers and linguists dedicated to the preservation of the Passamaquoddy and Maliseet languages.
"Language is a link that connects people to their past," said Brewer. "As we strive toward our goal of self-sufficiency, we must all continue to make this province strong by nurturing and providing to the younger generations a sense of pride in who they are and where they come from, It is our hope that the donation of these dictionaries will inspire a new generation of young people to learn the Passamaquoddy and Maliseet languages."
Copies of the dictionary are being sent to the six Maliseet First Nations communities, and are available at the province's five resource centres, three bookmobiles, 20 public libraries, and 11 public school libraries.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A complete distribution list follows.
Distribution list
The Passamaquoddy-Maliseet dictionaries are being distributed to the following First Nations and libraries:
Six Maliseet First Nations (one copy each)
- St. Mary's First Nation
- Kingsclear First Nation
- Oromocto First Nation
- Tobique First Nation
- Woodstock First Nation
- Madawaska First Nation
Five resource centres (two copies each, one for reference only, and one for circulation)
- Edmundston
- Fredericton
- Saint John
- Moncton
- Campbellton
Three bookmobiles (one copy each)
20 public libraries (one copy each, for reference only)
- Kedgwick
- Saint Quentin
- Saint-François de Madawaska
- Saint-Léonard
- Grand Falls
- Perth-Andover
- Florenceville
- Hartland
- Woodstock
- McAdam
- Chipman
- Minto
- Oromocto
- Sussex
- Kennebecasis
- Saint John East branch
- Saint John West branch
- St. Stephen
- St. Andrews
- Campobello
11 public school libraries (one copy each, for reference only)
- Plaster Rock
- Nackawic
- Harvey
- Dr. Marguerite Michaud
- Nashwaaksis
- Stanley
- Boiestown
- Doaktown
- Père-Louis Lamontagne
- Le Cormoran
- Grand Manan