Misko Giizhik Kwe and Shauna Kechego-Nichols from Deshkan Ziibiing, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation are very excited to share that our abstract presentation called "We have the Tools: recognizing and building spaces for Anishinaabemowin language learning" has been accepted to present at the World Indigenous Peoples Conference on Education in Auckland, New Zealand November 16-21, 2025. This presentation will share insights from both research and community work on the importance of different spaces of adult learning for Indigenous language

revitalization. The context of our presentation is sharing about our journeys in Anishinaabemowin revitalization in southern Ontario, Canada. We are a group of presenters connected through various places including the University of Guelph: community members (Misko Giizhik Kwe and Val King Edebwed Ogichidaa Kwe), a faculty member (Shauna), and a

PhD candidate (Angela Easby); and we are all Anishinaabemowin learners or learner-teachers. We discuss: the development of an extracurricular Anishinaabemowin learning space at the University of Guelph as part of a research project on Indigenous language learning and relationality (PI: Dr. Kim Anderson, Co-PI: Shauna), Anishinaabemowin family game nights at Deshkan Ziibiing (Chippewas of the Thames First Nation in southwestern Ontario), at-home efforts toward language use and intergenerational transmission, and adult learners’ creative efforts to build learning opportunities for their peers, based on interviews with adult learners from Angela’s PhD research. Shauna, Val and Misko will also reflect on their experiences in the Paswe’aatigook immersion program in Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, and how this experience informed their perspective on the direction of adult Anishinaabemowin learning moving forward. We discuss adult

Anishinaabemowin learners’ paths within the existing landscape of opportunities in southern Ontario and conclude with the further supports and spaces that are needed in order to help learners move beyond the classroom or the language table and work toward integrating the language into their daily lives.

The fundraising funds will help with travel costs such as flight, transportation and food while in New Zealand.