Naskapi Development Corporation Launches Second Edition of the Naskapi Lexicon
Kawawachikamach, QC — The Naskapi Development Corporation (NDC) proudly announces the release of the Naskapi Lexicon 2024 (Second Edition), an expanded and updated edition of the community’s foundational dictionary, first published in 1994. The updated lexicon was officially launched at a September 10, 2025 celebration at the Naskapi Community Centre in Kawawachikamach.
A 45-Year Journey
The Naskapi Lexicon project began in 1979, establishing a consistent system for writing the Naskapi language in syllabics and compiling the first trilingual lexicon in Naskapi, English, and French. Early contributions came from Naskapi speakers Elijah Einish and Donald Peastitute and community teacher Agnes MacKenzie, whose Spelling Dictionary of Schefferville Naskapi provided one of the earliest foundations.
Throughout the 1980s, words were painstakingly collected and transcribed onto 3″ x 5″ index cards with Lana Martens’s (SIL) assistance, proofread, and entered into a computer database at Memorial University. By 1990, NDC Naskapi translators Phil Einish and Thomas Sandy printed and reviewed a preliminary checking edition. In 1992, elder Joe Guanish reviewed the entire dictionary word by word.
With the leadership of linguist Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie and the tireless technical and editorial work of Bill Jancewicz, the first edition of the Naskapi Lexicon was published in 1994 as a three-volume set (Naskapi, English, French) with over 10,000 entries. This groundbreaking publication was the first trilingual lexicon of a Canadian Indigenous language. 500 copies were printed and distributed throughout the community.
The Results of Teamwork
For more than 35 years, Bill Jancewicz has worked alongside Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie. He has been deeply involved in compiling, editing, formatting, and typesetting the Naskapi Lexicon and developing the Naskapi syllabic computer font used in the current and original editions. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when NDC was without a full-time language department, Jancewicz coordinated weekly Zoom sessions with retired translators, Naskapi language specialists, and Dr. MacKenzie to complete the long-awaited second edition.
From Pandemic to Publication
By late 2024, this dedicated work resulted in an expanded lexicon of 13,776 entries—a 37% increase over the original edition. These new words were drawn from Naskapi legends, oral histories, and translation projects.
The Naskapi Lexicon 2024 (Second Edition) was edited by Dr. Marguerite MacKenzie and Bill Jancewicz, with Naskapi editors Silas Nabinicaboo and Alma Chemaganish, and support from Marianne Chescappio and Ruby Sandy-Robinson.
It is published in two volumes:
– Volume 1: Naskapi-English (558 pages) – $46 CAD
– Volume 2: English-Naskapi (789 pages) – $58 CAD
Cover Design and Symbolism
The cover features a photograph by Noah Swappie, Administrative Executive Director of the Naskapi Development Corporation and former chief of the Naskapi Nation, showing a present-day Naskapi campsite at the historic Fort McKenzie site.
The graphic design, typography, and traditional pattern work were created by Benjamin Jancewicz, who drew inspiration from Naskapi painted coat artwork to design the covers of both volumes. This design honors cultural continuity while presenting a contemporary, professional look that reflects the living strength of the Naskapi language.
Availability and Legacy
Thanks to funding from Société du Plan Nord and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ), every Naskapi household in Kawawachikamach received a copy of the lexicon, and additional sets were distributed to the school and other community organizations.
The new lexicon is available via print-on-demand, ensuring it will never go out of print again. The public and academic institutions worldwide may purchase copies at: www.lulu.com/spotlight/naskapi.
Alongside the lexicon, Bill Jancewicz has also prepared a companion handbook, How to Use the Naskapi Lexicon, to help learners, educators, and community members fully utilize the new edition. Future projects already underway include specialized dictionaries of Naskapi legal and medical terminology, ensuring the language continues to grow and adapt in modern contexts.
Quotes
Bill Jancewicz:
« It is a great honour and privilege for me and my family to work with the Naskapi community and their beautiful language for the past 38 years. As Naskapi families continue to use their language, together with the resources we have worked hard to provide, we are confident and optimistic about the survival of the Naskapi language for generations to come. Thank you to our friends in the Naskapi community, and to your grandmothers and grandfathers who taught us your language. With the Creator’s help, may you continue to pass this language down to your children and grandchildren. ᒐ ᒥᔪᐱᔭᒄ ᓂᐎᒐᐛᑭᓂᑐᒄ / Chaa-miyupiyaakw niwiichaawaakinitukw / May it go well with you all my friends »
Marguerite MacKenzie:
“The Naskapi language is an important link in the chain of related dialects, from Cree in the west to Innu in Labrador, that provides information about historical sound changes and language contact. For the past 50 years, I have been privileged to work with Naskapi speakers through teacher training courses, collecting place names, publishing traditional stories, and creating this dictionary. First, the Naskapi Band and then NDC have been unfailingly supportive, allowing Bill and me to work continuously with Naskapi consultants and elders in a most productive way. This 2024 edition is a big step forward in documenting words for traditional life that would otherwise disappear, and encourages young speakers to learn about that life through their language. To quote former Chief and dictionary consultant Philip Einish, ‘We are the only ones who speak this language – if we do not keep it, no one else will.’ This dictionary demonstrates that a single small community can excel at maintaining its language and provide an important resource for educating new generations, as well as contributing significant information to research about Algonquian languages across North America.”
Samuel LaFlamme (English):
« As Executive Director of the Naskapi Development Corporation, I am proud to present the updated Naskapi Lexicon. This is more than a book; it is a foundation for future legal, medical, and educational projects that will help strengthen the Naskapi people for future generations. This achievement, made possible through the dedication of community members, editors, and partners such as Société du Plan Nord and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, demonstrates that investing in language is investing in cultural survival and in the future of the Naskapi Nation. »
Samuel LaFlamme (Français):
« En tant que directeur général de la Société de développement des Naskapis, je suis fier de présenter la mise à jour du Lexique Naskapi. Ce n’est pas seulement un livre, c’est une base pour développer de futures projets légales, médicales et éducatives qui contribueront à renforcer le peuple Naskapi pour les générations à venir. Cette réalisation, rendue possible grâce à l’engagement des membres de la communauté, des éditeurs et de partenaires tels que la Société du Plan Nord et Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec, démontre qu’investir dans la langue, c’est investir dans la survie culturelle et dans l’avenir de la Nation Naskapie. »
Media Contact
Benjamin Jancewicz
Communications Consultant
Naskapi Development Corporation
1007 Naskapi Rd, Box 5153
Kawawachikamach, QC G0G 2Z0, Canada
Phone: 418-585-5612
Cell: 808-673-3121
Email: BenJancewicz@Naskapi.com
www.naskapi.ca
