Innovative Robotics Project Aims to Revitalize Anishinaabemowin Language Among Indigenous Youth
In the heart of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, a new initiative is captivating the interest of Indigenous children, blending technology with cultural preservation. The project, spearheaded by Danielle Boyer, seeks to teach the endangered Anishinaabemowin language through interactive robots.
An unexpected inspiration hit Boyer in a toy store, where the popular Tickle Me Elmo sparked an idea. “Whenever you’d press his belly, he would talk, and he would teach you things,” Boyer explained. “There are toys that teach us in English, but there aren’t toys that teach us Anishinaabemowin. And I wanted that to be different.”
The language, encompassing Potawatomi, Odawa, and Ojibwe, is spoken by fewer than 10,000 people in the U.S. and around 25,000 in Canada. This dwindling number has driven Boyer, a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, to take action.
Historical factors, such as U.S. Indian boarding schools, have contributed significantly to the decline of Indigenous languages. Separated from their families, children were often punished for speaking their native languages, leading to a loss of linguistic heritage over generations.
In response, Boyer developed the SkoBot, a customizable robot designed to engage Indigenous children in language learning. These AI-powered devices resemble woodland creatures, combining cultural aesthetics with language-learning capabilities.
“I can say ‘Hey SkoBot, what is bear?’ And it will say, ‘Bear is makwa, makwa,'” Boyer demonstrated. The robots are small enough to perch on a shoulder, reminiscent of mini droids from Star Wars, yet rooted in Native American design.
Through her nonprofit The STEAM Connection, Boyer has guided hundreds of Native American children, including 12-year-old Holden Hoy, in building their own SkoBots. Hoy, fascinated by robotics, is motivated to help preserve his Ojibwe language.
At a science fair at JKL Bahweting Anishinaabe School, Hoy presented his SkoBot, named Sabe, or Bigfoot, a symbol of honesty in Ojibwe culture. His creation, equipped with a sensor, responds to movement and performs language tasks, all without relying on generative AI, which Hoy cautions against due to potential inaccuracies.
Boyer emphasizes the importance of ethical AI use, noting the dangers of non-Indigenous companies handling sacred information. She critiques large language models like ChatGPT for generating false words in Anishinaabemowin, stressing the need for accuracy in language learning.
For families like the Hoys, the SkoBots offer more than language lessons—they connect them to their heritage. Jocelyn Hoy, Holden’s mother, expressed excitement about the cultural exposure her son receives, noting, “The SkoBots are going to help me and so many kids—so many people in general—learn their heritage and who they are.”
As Holden Hoy aptly states, “The language is the culture!” He underscores the significance of preserving this linguistic heritage, as it forms the basis of cultural identity for generations.
