The Cree language will now be available alongside English and French for guided audio tours at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre (CFDC) in Morden, Man.

CFDC Executive Director Peter Cantelon says they wanted to do their part to preserve and encourage indigenous languages. It was also a way to represent the Indigenous population better in the context of paleontology.

Used by more than 117,000 people, Cree is the most widely spoken indigenous language not only in Manitoba but throughout Canada. Cantelon says the decision to choose Cree was a simple one.

However, getting someone to translate the current script into Cree wasn't easy.

"We started doing our research and quickly realized it's not as simple as running out and finding a Cree language speaker. We needed to make sure we did our diligence, and it was accurate and done professionally. We happened across the Indigenous Languages of Manitoba (ILM), an organization based in Winnipeg, whose focus is on the development of Indigenous Languages and the localization or translation of those languages."

After the organization helped in translation the English script, Cantelon says ILM helped connect the CFDC to a native Cree speaker, and Golden West donated studio time. The recording of the Cree was done at CHVN 95.1 FM's studio in Winnipeg.

"We cannot thank Indigenous Languages of Manitoba (ILM) enough for the effort they put into this translation for us. Not only can people come to the museum and receive a tour in Cree but teachers and students throughout Canada can download the app and learn about marine reptiles, mosasaurs, dinosaurs and ancient Manitoba in the language. It's a great and fun way to learn and listen to Cree."

From start to finish, concept to execution, the project took between six and eight months. Funding for the initiative was made available by the Province of Manitoba's Signature Museum grant.

Cantelon says the CFDC audio tour is free and available for anyone to download. For Cree speakers in remote communities who don't have access to the museum, the app provides an opportunity not only to learn more about their language but learn about Manitoba's geological and paleontological heritage in their language.

Listening to the tour himself, Cantelon says Cree is a fascinating language, different to others in its tone and cadence. "It's very rhythmic and almost musical when you're listening to it."

He adds some parts of the script don't have translations, and it's interesting to hear the Cree narrator say the words Mosasaur, Bruce, and the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre amid the Indigenous language.