Mskwaankwad Rice

Mskwaankwad Rice is from Waasaaksing First Nation and is a Linguistics PhD candidate at the University of Minnesota. As an L2 learner of his heritage language, he is interested in all things Ojibwe (endonymically known as Nishnaabemwin in his home dialect) and it is his work in language reclamation that has led him to study linguistics formally. He is interested in syntax and semantics for their import as tools for demystifying complex Ojibwe grammar as this can help learners pick up the language. Outside of academia, his language work includes running a Nishnaabemwin immersion program called Eshki-nishnaabemjig, which he co-founded with two fellow learners. He also co-hosts a podcast called The Language, where he and his colleague Miigwanaabiikwe discuss anything and everything related to reclamation and the L2 experience. He has also worked for the local radio station on his home reserve; CHRZ Rez91, and in that capacity created numerous short, daily Nishnaabemwin language lessons augmented by instructional videos.