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Indigenous grandmother's language classes become TikTok sensation

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An Ojibwe woman living in Sioux Lookout, a town in Northwestern Ontario, uses TikTok to teach thousands of people around the world the indigenous language of her ancestors.

Crystal Harrison Collin started her TikTok account in 2020, during the start of the pandemic, and had the idea to record her granddaughter, Amara, learning a new word each day in Anishinaabemowin.

"We were already practicing our words from home, and I thought let's try this, and it went from there with each video we created," said Harrison Collin.

With several dozen videos now uploaded to her account since its initial creation, the Tiktoks have since generated hundreds of thousands of views from audiences worldwide, such as in Australia, France and England.

"I'm receiving positive comments from people saying keep doing what you are doing and saying 'Hey, I saw you!' It encourages me to continue," said Harrison Collin.

While Harrison Collin's videos focus on language learning, she said she often highlights important topics like missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, and the intergenerational trauma caused by Canada's residential school system, a trauma that Harrison Collin's family has also experienced.

As a granddaughter of a residential school survivor, Harrison Collin said it wasn't until her later 30s when she reconnected with her father, who was able to pass down the teachings and language of her Anishinaabemowin heritage. She said that the learning gap is something she hopes to bridge with the next generation of learners.

"It is a difficult topic, but it is necessary because it builds understanding, compassion, and respect," said Harrison Collin.

Harrison Collin said although there is still work to be done on the road to reconciliation, she hopes her videos help to give people access to information needed to learn and understand.

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