For Secwepemcts铆n language and culture teacher Danikka Murphy, learning her traditional language changed the trajectory of her life.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 what saved my life. It gave me purpose again,含羞草研究社� said Murphy.

Murphy began teaching Secwepemcts铆n, the Indigenous language of the region, at 脡cole Nesika Elementary in Williams Lake three years ago, and recently, started posting Secwepemcts铆n language videos on TikTok as a way to give students (and others interested in learning Secwepemcts铆n) more resources.

Her TikTok channel, , contains videos of her speaking Secwepemcts铆n. In one lesson, she provides basic greetings and in others, goes over the Secwepemcts铆n alphabet, plants and autumn-themed words.

What含羞草研究社檚 astounding is Murphy only started learning Secwepemcts铆n two years prior to her teaching.

Her uncle, Cody William, had just started teaching Secwepemcts铆n at Thompson Rivers University (TRU) in Williams Lake and encouraged Murphy to join his class.

含羞草研究社淚t just clicks,含羞草研究社� she said, noting she only spoke English and a few words of Chilcotin growing up.

Her mother, Tsilhqot含羞草研究社檌n and a residential school survivor, and her father of European descent, Murphy grew up in Williams Lake and described being a 含羞草研究社渉alf-breed含羞草研究社� as difficult, feeling lost for a long time. By the age of 10, she began drinking, which became scary really fast, she said.

When she was 14, she realized this wasn含羞草研究社檛 the life she wanted to live and committed to getting sober. She joined an Alcoholics Anonymous group 含羞草研究社� which she felt silly attending at first, claiming she was only attending for the many birthday cakes, but then realized she wasn含羞草研究社檛 alone. Today, she含羞草研究社檚 been sober for over 12 years. Of course, the journey wasn含羞草研究社檛 just that easy. She lost a lot of friends during the sobriety process, she said.

In 2013, she had her first son when she was 16 and began the juggle of parenting, completing high school and working part-time at Walmart, which turned full-time due to financial strain. Despite her 含羞草研究社渟evere lack of confidence,含羞草研究社� she graduated on time as valedictorian from Skyline Alternate School in 2014 while her son attended daycare during the day. She described her valedictorian speech as ridiculous.

含羞草研究社淚 couldn含羞草研究社檛 people back then. I couldn含羞草研究社檛 even do this, couldn含羞草研究社檛 even look up,含羞草研究社� she said to the Tribune.

Her second son was born in 2015 and she described being a young mom as 含羞草研究社渋solating enough.含羞草研究社� At this point, she was just surviving.

含羞草研究社淏ut you know, we find fun in simple moments, right? You get creative.含羞草研究社�

Her first daughter was born in 2017 at 33 weeks, sadly only surviving five hours. Only days later, her family evacuated up to Prince George to get away from the wildfires. Wrapped in grief, she stayed focused on her boys, turning 含羞草研究社渆very little thing into an adventure.含羞草研究社� Her oldest son, then four, was aware of his sister含羞草研究社檚 passing and also trying to cope.

含羞草研究社淚 wanted them to see that 含羞草研究社� your world can be totally burned to the ground, but as long as we have each other, we can do anything.含羞草研究社�

During this time, she began learning Secwepemcts铆n and recalled her dad smiling while listening to her speak it 含羞草研究社� for he knew she had found something special. Her father passed away in 2019 just days before she aced one of her final exams. 

At this point, Murphy had already left Walmart and began working at the mill doing weekend cleanup. In 2020, right before the pandemic began, she was pregnant with her fourth child. She worked up until 30 weeks and then stopped, which, with the slower pace, brought on significant stress and panic surrounding her pregnancy. She reluctantly reached out to a counsellor.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 the devil you know, or the devil you don含羞草研究社檛 know,含羞草研究社� she laughed.

Thankfully, seeing a counsellor helped.

Her second daughter was born in 2020 and three years later, is a happy little girl who has a 含羞草研究社渂estie含羞草研究社� at daycare. She affectionately calls her children her 含羞草研究社渨ild bunch,含羞草研究社� and continues to want more for them. Her kids also keep her grounded, she said.

For three days a week, Murphy works at Williams Lake First Nation as the Community Cultural Assistant and for the other two days, she含羞草研究社檚 teaching at Nesika.

For Murphy, she含羞草研究社檚 determined to instill confidence into her students, channelling the energy of the late Ella Gilbert who taught and inspired Murphy when she was a child attending Marie Sharpe.

含羞草研究社淲hen I speak the language, I try and stand up straight. I speak all the Secwepemcts铆n and then I translate, depending on where I am,含羞草研究社� Murphy said. 含羞草研究社淚 want to see Secwepemcts铆n spoken everywhere comfortably.含羞草研究社�

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