With a need to maintain the Cree culture for future generations by staying modern, the Samson Cree Nation has launched a second Cree language app.

It builds off the first Maskwacis Cree app they launched in 2014, but as Language Co-ordinator Brian Lightning explains, they hope to help support parents and caregivers in the community with this one.

“Geared towards early learners and people who don’t speak Cree, and we kind of categorize all of them into one area, where people that don’t speak Cree whatever age, but we geared it towards daycare on up to about grade 4-5”.

Lightning says they used their annual Reclaiming Our Knowledge Conference this week to introduce the app to Cree community leaders.

“Revitalizing language, culture and traditions, we had these workshops and break away sessions where people could go and listen in and be a part of it, and it was a great opportunity and it worked out we were able to launch the app”.

The story book Cree app "Maskosis Goes to School" is available in Apple’s app store; Lightning says it should soon be available for Android users too.

It was developed by Thornton Media Production in Las Vegas.