Indigenous languages are foundational indicators to the state of biodiversity of our planet. According to the UN estimates, by the year 2100, more than half of the world's languages will become extinct, most of these languages being Indigenous languages. Climate change is among the many reasons for the loss of languages and biodiversity.
This conference is a joint effort of the Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria BC, Department of Sociology, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Cultural Survival. We host this conference with the goal of having a focused discussion around the impacts of climate change to the state of Indigenous languages. Through this discussion we want to address key questions of how climate change impacts and transforms the resiliency of Indigenous languages, what new terminology is developed under the pressures of climate change, and what new solutions are formed within Indigenous languages to address climate change.
This conference will gather Indigenous knowledge keepers from diverse regions who are witnessing and experiencing the impacts of climate change. We invite the stewards of Indigenous lands and waters who are on the frontlines of climate change to share their voices, stories, observations, and ideas. Each talking circle day will have three keynote speakers followed by sharing circle discussions. As a final outcome of this gathering we envision developing a published narrative that will present a collection of stories shared during the three meetings.