Need Indigenous Language Translation? We Can Help.

We can handle any Indigenous dialect spoken in Canada. Bring much needed communication to the communities!

We (The Indigenous Theatre at the National Arts Centre) required short translations in a variety of dialects: Algonquin, Michif, Plains Cree, Woods Cree and Halq'eméylem. Wintranslation helped us find the best match from their available translators and overall had all of the dialects we needed. They were competent, friendly, and helped us meet our tight deadlines efficiently.

Amy Ede

Indigenous Theatre at the National Arts Centre

We contacted wintranslation to have one of our assessment documents translated into Eastern Ojibwe. The communication was easy and the translation was delivered with attention to detail and care. The very next time, when we required translation of another document into Dënesųłiné (Chipewyan), nēhiyawēwin (Plains Cree), Néhinaw (Swampy Cree) and Nīhithawīwin (Woods Cree) we contacted wintranslation and really appreciated the one-stop convenience and their capabilities in Indigenous languages we requested.

Danielle Durepos

The Learning Bar

The museum contacted wintranslation because we needed text translated for a new panel. We wanted two dialects for the panel – Eastern Ojibwe and Mohawk. wintranslation went above and beyond to ensure the dialects were location appropriate and that they were done by knowledge holders from both communities.
Patience and commitment of wintranslation staff to ensure that we had high quality and accurate translation was amazing. Thank you wintranslation, the translators and community members for ensuring the museum was able to put forth an excellent panel that was true to both communities and that visitors to Murney Tower Museum will be able to experience both Eastern Ojibwe and Mohawk in print.

Danielle Marshall

Murney Tower Museum National Historic Site of Canada

Did you know that there are over 60 Indigenous languages spoken in Canada today?

At wintranslation we believe it is important to understand, recognize and celebrate these languages as part of Canada’s diverse and rich heritage and culture.

Did you know that Indigenous language translation is much more complex than translating into and from other common languages?

The providers for Indigenous translation are extremely varied in languages and dialects in addition to work methods and applications. There are many unique elements that should be taken into consideration for projects of this nature which can present unique challenges as summarized below.

Top 5 Indigenous Translation Considerations

Consideration #1: For many Indigenous languages, the number of working translators is limited (our translators are just like gems; rare and precious), which means they are in high demand!
Consideration #2: Indigenous translators are, for the most part, not full-time translators but first and foremost they are masters of the language, and often teachers or community leaders.
Consideration #3: Indigenous business culture can be different than what you may be used to!
Consideration #4: Indigenous translators often work out of their community (in more remote locations) so communications can sometimes present a challenge.
Consideration #5: Deadlines are harder to meet and revision is often not practiced out of respect, this is not avoidance of quality control but more a cultural norm.

How wintranslation Can Help

wintranslation offers translation into 40 of North America’s Indigenous languages. These range from relatively widely-spoken languages, such as Inuktitut and Cree dialects to rarer dialects like Michif and Inuvialuktun. In addition, we offer translation into various local dialects of the Inuit, First Nations, and Métis peoples of Canada, as well as several languages and dialects of Native American tribes found in the United States.

Our project managers have specialized expertise when it comes to working with Indigenous translators to ensure that your project meets your needs. They have real-world knowledge of the culture, history, and people you’re trying to talk to. Have a challenging project? Chances are we’ve faced and overcome that challenge before. Get in contact with us today to find out how we can help you!

One Stop Shop

We will provide nuanced and culturally aware translation of your message, whether it’s written for all Indigenous peoples or as local community in Quebec.

From Start To Finish

We know how time consuming it is for our clients to coordinate these multi-language projects on their own, so our Project Managers do it for you!

Timely Delivery

Timelines are our lifelines. We set and meet all realistic deadlines. We are equipped to handle time sensitive projects.

Key File Formats Supported

Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), InDesign, PageMaker, Framemaker, Illustrator & more.

Our Service Philosophy

Put together the best features of a small company with the proficiency and professionalism of a large company and you get Wintranslation – the best of both worlds! We are a certified woman-and-minority-owned enterprise that prides itself on its humble beginnings as a one-woman operation in 1998. We’re your personal communications concierge; dedicated to bringing your words and projects to your desired audience.

Last minute project? Indigenous languages that are hard to track down? Multilingual project? Complex ongoing project? You can leave it all to Wintranslation.

Wintranslation can tackle even the most complex, multi-layered projects thanks to our hands-on approach and strong project management capabilities. Setting us apart from the competition, we take time to truly understand our clients’ needs and we have the knowledge and experience in this very complex area to set you on the right track to ensure your project success.

Wintranslation Service Philosophy delivers the following key benefits to our clients:

Access to over 965 translators internationally who specialize in over 125 languages to handle all your specialized document service needs at one time — we have access to the largest and most qualified resource base for Indigenous languages.
Specialized knowledge of Indigenous culture and languages to address potential challenges early and promote the best quality and success!
A bridge to mitigate differing business methods and customs. wintranslation will act as single liaise to minimize any frustrations this may cause.
A clear and concise project management methodology which is followed with unique communication and management techniques and methods which we have adapted and tailored specifically for this complex field. We deliver!

Our Clients

We are trusted by public and private sector organizations across Canada.

Canadian Heritage – Patrimoine canadien
Cape Breton University
Congress of Aboriginal Peoples
CRIM – Centre de recherche informatique de Montréal
Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs
Elections Canada
Environmental Resources Management Canada (ERM)
Government of Nunavut
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Kativik Ilisarniliriniq
Legal Services Society of BC
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Motherisk Commission
National Research Canada
Natural Resources Canada
Ontario Energy Board
Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services
Ontario Trillium Foundation
Parks Canada
The New Brunswick Translation Bureau
The Translation Bureau
Versacom

Our Projects

We have completed hundreds of projects of translation into 39 unique Indigneous languages in 2019. Take a look at some of the examples.

Details:

Translation of voter guide into 8 rare language combinations including international (Armenian, Hebrew, Yiddish) and Indigenous (Nakota, Saulteaux (Western Ojibwe), Gwich’in, Atikamekw and others).

Deliverable:

Print-ready Word document

Project Details

Details:

Translation of brochures targeting local communities into 4 Indigenous languages (Plains Cree, Mohawk, Mi’kmaq, Ojibwe).

Deliverable:

Translation in Word document, revision of print-ready Adobe InDesign file

Project Details

Details:

Translation of public notice targeting several local communities into Ojibwe.

Deliverable:

Print-ready Adobe InDesign file

Project Details

Choose wintranslation

An award-winning translation service provider based in North America, wintranslation has a fifteen year track record in managing complex multimedia and large-scale projects on time and on budget. Our company specializes in the translation of Canada’s Indigenous languages including Cree, Inuinnaqtun, Mohawk and Dene. Please see our languages page for a full list of languages.

Only working with highly qualified translators with subject area expertise, wintranslation employs a multi-step quality control process which includes a peer review evaluation to ensure the highest level of service quality. Our terminology and translation memory management service helps our clients centralize their linguistic assets.

Get a Quote

Request free dialect consultation