(Photo: Doreen Sinuitinar (left) and Lizzie Shapangka, office admin)

Community members in Coral Harbour, NU, are pleased with their Northern store’s new Indigenous Language signage – but the excitement felt by Doreen Sinuitinar was beyond words.

Working with The North West Company’s community relations team, Sinuitinar provided all the translations for the store’s new Indigenous language signs and shelf strips.

“Wow, I’m blushing. This is truly awesome,” Doreen exclaimed when she first saw the new signage.

Staff and community members are happy that Northern is not only actively utilizing Indigenous languages, but encouraging others to do the same.

The North West Company’s Indigenous Language program for shoppers rolled out one year ago, and is believed to be the first offered by a major Canadian retailer. The program is aimed at communicating in the language actively used in the community to enhance customers’ shopping experience, as well as promote the use and learning of Indigenous languages.