Blaine Mirasty

Cree North Adventures

Blaine Mirasty

Learn Cree through missions, puzzles, and stories — blending tradition and technology for a stronger future.

Flying Dust First Nation, Saskatchewan, Canada

Canada

Hybrid of for-profit and nonprofit

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Looking to solve language loss in the Cree community from across Treaty 6 Canada. In many areas across western Canada, people under 50 years cannot speak the Cree language and do not practice speaking cree in daily life in the reservations.

Looking to create a fun game that helps people learn the Cree language by using secret codes, just like Cree "code talkers" did during World War II. In the game, you’ll go on missions, solve puzzles, and use Cree words to unlock stories and adventures. It’s a fun way to keep our language and culture strong while using new technology. This game will help kids, adults, and whole communities learn Cree in a fun way. It’s important because our language connects us to who we are, and this game helps protect it for the future.

The game will incorporate problem solving and using speaking phrases, listening to phrases and trying to solve the phrases to "break the code". I believe in the "gamify" aspect of creating a new product to encourage competition and points. I believe current technology is apart of every day life in reservations across Canada from smart phones, smart TV's, gaming consoles and social media and internet daily usage. I believe the gaming system of Cree windtalkers will allow for problem solving skills which will lead to transferrable skills in employment and grassroots entrepreneurship start up ideation for rural and isolated communities.