About NILLA
Cultivating a Community
The NEȾOLṈEW̱ Indigenous Language Learning Atlas (NILLA) is an online, interactive portal developed to share and learn about other peoples’, organizations and communities ‘promising language learning strategies’.
It’s a virtual space for Indigenous communities, advocates, researchers, and allies to engage and exchange knowledge.
Virtual spaces cannot replace face-to-face meetings and visiting. Rather, the NILLA portal expands the Language Revitalization spirit of connecting, sharing, and engaging—to the virtual realm. It is meant to provide space for connection between conferences and language gathering opportunities, which come with a time cost or travel expense.
Our Core Aims
Knowledge Sharing
Through NILLA, Indigenous communities, organizations, post-secondary institutions and individuals can share and find helpful language program and strategies information.
Community & Connection
NILLA supports Indigenous communities to connect with others doing similar or aspiring language work.
Going Virtual
We believe that NILLA can support Indigenous language speaker creation through a virtual space for practitioners to share successes virtually and at other times in person, once connections are made.
Trusted and Stable
Colonial exploitation and appropriation of Indigenous-knowledge and resources have resulted in justifiable hesitancy from Indigenous communities to share knowledge freely and openly.
The NILLA project provides leadership in developing a reliable and stable digital platform for resources and information shared, according to trusted policies and processes for community ownership over their data.
NILLA includes only information provided on a voluntary basis.
A Tool for Connection
While nothing replaces in-person connection, NILLA can support the development of relationships that benefit the Indigenous language movement by offering a digital space for connection. This is a ‘tool toward connection’ and in-person and virtual connections can and should exist side by side.
