Every word, every story, and every phrase spoken in an Indigenous language strengthens the ties to our collective past and nurtures our shared future. - The Importance of Language (March 2025 Newsletter of the Natural Curiosity)

As I indicated in my last feature article here (Focus), it is high time we revisited the policies that the First President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah of blessed memory, instituted to promote patriotism in young Ghanaians during his governance of the country.

Remember the ‘Young Pioneers’ era? That was a classic way of promoting patriotism among the youth of his time.

Another way of encouraging our students to be patriotic to our nation’s values is through making the learning as well as speaking of our indigenous/local languages part of our school curriculum.

On March 31st, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) honours the National Day of Indigenous Languages, a time to reflect on the importance of preserving and revitalising Indigenous languages around the world.

These languages are not only vital to cultural identity but also carry deep knowledge of traditions, history, and the natural world.

As we celebrate the rich linguistic diversity that Indigenous communities contribute to our global heritage, let's take a moment to recognise the efforts being made to ensure these languages are passed down to future generations.

Every word, every story, and every phrase spoken in an Indigenous language strengthens the ties to our collective past and nurtures our shared future.

Patriotism is defined in Wikipedia as the feeling of love, devotion, and a sense of attachment to a country or state.

This attachment could be a combination of different feelings for things such as the language of one’s homeland and its ethnic, cultural, political, or historical aspects.

It may encompass a set of concepts closely related to nationalism, mostly civic nationalism and sometimes cultural nationalism.

As a veteran educator, I strongly advocate for the learning and speaking of our local languages in schools besides English and French to promote patriotism among our young children before they grow up to disrespect their own culture.

Empower our classroom teachers to lead in this crusade of PATRIOTISM.