Robert Merasty

Podcast Host

My name is Robert Merasty and I come from a Metis community called Sakitawak or Ile a la Crosse, Saskatchewan. Sakitawak is situated on Treaty 10 territory in northwest Saskatchewan. I speak Cree, Michif and English. I learned my languages from my Cree and Michif parents, so I can talk these languages fluently. I’ve been involved with communications in many capacities for over the last fifty years. Starting out, I worked as a Cree and English radio announcer for CBC. Since then, my life has been dedicatedto the preservation of Indigenous languages. I helped estalish the Missinipi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) --the Indigenous language network that now covers all of Saskatchewan. I have been a broadcaster communities like Pelican Narrows, and I helped set up radio stations in places like Southend. Today, you can hear me ever day on CILX radio in my home community of Ile a la Crosse.

When I heard about this pîkiskwêwin project from my long-time friend Shannon Avison, I knew that I would love to be a part of the team to help protect and promote our Indigenous languages through podcasts. I’m hoping that the people who listen to the podcasts will want to learn how to speak their native tongue.

I would like to share a little story about a group of people who wanted a Cree translator to explain the election process:

Well, the only person that could speak some Cree was a Metis from Ile a la crosse. He says, “Oma le ci papier kikaotinenawaw. La cicriox kamasinahawaw le creyon asici. ana wehowinihk kanawasonayeek. Ekota. Dans labiote ka asiciwepineen lecipapier!” (You will take this little paper and pencil and mark a cross beside the name of the person you want elected. You will then fold the paper and put it in the box.”

But the Cree speakers couldn’t figure out what he said! lol!

If you’re learning how to speak a language, the best thing to do is have a lot of fun and laugh at your mistakes. Don’t worry, be happy. Your language will eventually come back to you. What youknow will eventually come back. Even though I’m a fluent speaker, there’s something to learn every day.