Cree radio network joins platform to create online language learning games

In a busy household, Clarence D. Snowboy — a father of six — steps carefully over scattered toys and slips into a small home office. Amid the chatter and play of his children, he hopes to steal 10 quiet minutes everyday to record his voice — and the Cree language.

Snowboy is a host and announcer with the James Bay Cree Communications Society, a regional Cree radio station. 

He is also lending his voice to a new partnership between JBCCS and Language Foundry, an interactive Indigenous language learning platform, to create online Cree-language learning games. The project is designed to help learners connect with — and preserve — the Cree language.

“It really takes a village. We need to learn our Cree together. That’s the way I look at how I work,” said Snowboy. 

For Snowboy, the project is deeply personal and rooted in responsibility to future generations.

“I want to help out with our language, to keep our language strong for the future children that are going to be here as the next Cree people,” said Snowboy. 

He understands firsthand the challenges of growing up Cree in a predominantly anglophone and francophone world.

“Our language is slowly going down, especially in our kids and the youth, they’re more into English,” said Snowboy.

The Cree School Board reported that all Grade 1 students across Cree communities, except those in Waskaganish, are below their target level of Cree fluency, according to a presentation on Nov 28.

The issue resonates with him because much of his childhood was spent living down south in cities such as Val-d’Or, Gatineau, and Montreal — places where English dominated and was bullied for speaking Cree.

“People would not understand my Cree if I tried to speak to them,” said Snowboy.

Those experiences also motivated him to strengthen his language skills at home, where communication gaps spanned generations.

“I wanted to understand my great grandparents because they didn’t know how to speak English. I was having a hard time trying to understand them and for them to understand me,” said Snowboy.

Word by word, phrase by phrase, and after countless hours of Cree conversations and radio programming, Snowboy worked to reclaim the language he once felt disconnected from.

“I worked hard just to try to get back my language,” said Snowboy.

He said he’s not the most fluent speaker, but he now has confidence. He understands the vulnerability many learners feel and emphasizes that mistakes are a natural part of the process.

“I had my share of being laughed at by how I sound in my Cree. If people laugh at you. Don’t put yourself down. If you’re learning slowly, learn slowly. Keep that to your pace,” said Snowboy.

That philosophy is shared by Language Foundry co-founder Chad Quinn, whose journey into language revitalization began while studying software engineering at university.

Quinn came across a study showing that reconnecting people with language and culture significantly reduces suicide rates — an idea that stayed with him.

“In my mind at least. I thought ‘what can I do?’ With my AI sort of technology background to sort of build the tools to help with that,” said Quinn

That question eventually led to the creation of Language Foundry, an online platform designed to give communities accessible tools to support their own language revitalization efforts.

“Language is a sacred, immensely personal and rewarding experience. But we also recognize that, especially for young people, it’s better to have fun while you’re learning it,” said Quinn.

With technology and gaming playing an increasing role in daily life, the team wanted learning to feel interactive, immersive, and engaging.

“This is just another tool in the toolbelt, it’s not meant to replace the wonderful and more robust experience of learning from an elder,” said Quinn

Language Foundry currently supports more than nine Indigenous languages across multiple dialects, including Anishinaabemowin, Kanien’kéha, and Inuktitut, with East Cree joining that roster.

Each community retains full ownership of its language content, and the platform may also serve as a classroom resource, depending on approval from regional school boards.

For Snowboy, the project represents a meaningful step forward for Cree learners of all ages.

“I feel like they’re going to be proud of themselves. They will know words, how to pronounce them, especially if it’s voice over sounds too,” said Snowboy. 

He said that when learners struggle with pronunciation, his recorded voice will be there to guide them — just a click away.

“If you doubt yourself with sounds, then you just press ‘how does it sound?’ button. I believe this is going to help.” said Snowboy.