How a sociology professor’s metaverse game is revitalizing a disappearing language and promoting reconciliation

If teenagers can become quick experts in the intricate worlds of Fortnight or Call of Duty, why not have them become experts on something in the real world – like, say, a disappearing language and the art of reconciliation?

This was the question asked by Maya Chacaby, a sociology professor at York University’s Glendon Campus – and according to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation, the question is a timely one.

The two federal agencies created an award in response to Call to Action 65, establishing a national research program to advance understanding of reconciliation. Chacaby’s immersive metaverse game, Biskaabiiyang: Creating a path towards healing and reconciliation, received one of six $1 million federal grants to further the program.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, Chacaby’s metaverse challenges players to revive the Ojibwe language, Anishinaabemowin, by exploring ruins, engaging with Elders, and learning from nature. The game is designed to return beauty and magic to a world where Indigenous ways of life are paramount. The Nokiiwin Tribal Council contributes to the design to ensure the project remains community-led and focused on Indigenous perspectives.

Chacaby believes the educational video game will be a valuable tool in teaching players the Anishinaabe language, culture, and ways of life.

Chacaby, who is Anishinaabe, Beaver Clan from Kaministiquia (Thunder Bay) is joined by Rebecca Caines, associate professor in theatre and creative technologies at York’s School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD), and Robyn O’Loughlin from the New Brunswick Ministry of Education. York University and the Nokiiwin Tribal Council are also key partners in this transformative project.

“Metaverses, as we see them in the Western world, are spaces where Indigenous people do not exist,” says Chacaby. “That is a form of colonial erasure happening in these new technologies that I really want to disrupt.”

Chacaby’s journey into gamified learning began in 2016 with an online, Anishinaabemowin-based, role-playing game inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. This innovative approach led to significant improvements in language proficiency among students. Now, through the metaverse, she hopes to extend this educational opportunity to a broader audience.

Recognizing the educational potential of massively popular multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) like World of Warcraft, Chacaby envisions a similar environment where Anishinaabe culture and language can flourish. The Biskaabiiyaang metaverse employs research-creation methodologies to build a comprehensive audio and visual archive, foundational to the virtual world.

Scott Baker, education manager for the Nokiiwin Tribal Council, expressed enthusiasm about integrating Elders’ teachings into the metaverse. Audrey Gilbeau, executive director of the Tribal Council, also highlighted the enduring legacy this project creates.

“We’re actually documenting stories and teachings, and these will live long beyond when I’m gone,” Gilbeau notes.

The metaverse, developed in partnership with UniVirtual, integrates Anishinaabe worldview, culture, family histories, and lived experiences. Players engage in quests, interact with traditional tools, and learn through culture-based game mechanics.

York University’s AMPD creative technologies program at Markham Campus will play a pivotal role, involving undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and Indigenous youth in developing the metaverse. This initiative aligns with the UNESCO International Decade of Indigenous Languages, marking the beginning of a decade-long project aimed at cultural preservation and reconciliation.

For more information and to download a free demonstration, visit the Biskaabiiyaang website.

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