A server in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, goes above and beyond his duties by learning the Cree language to speak with Indigenous customers.

It all started when Adam Rieger was having trouble breaking the ice with the Indigenous customers at Smitty’s restaurant where he works.

Rieger noticed that many of the customers coming from surrounding northern communities spoke Cree. He wanted to find a way to bridge this cultural gap.

WATCH | Saskatchewan. server using the Cree language to communicate with customers:

Saskatchewan. a waiter learns Cree to overcome obstacles with indigenous customers

Adam Rieger noticed that many of the customers from surrounding northern communities who came to Smitty’s where he works in Prince Albert, Sask., spoke Cree. He wanted to find a way to bridge this cultural gap.

He remembers that when he lived in Edmonton, his French-speaking customers appreciated the fact that he was learning French.

“The French community just respected and loved the fact that I spent all this time and energy learning their language,” he said. “I saw that languages ​​are like a bridge and open doors that really communicate respect to people.”

He decided to learn a few words in Cree and ask customers who speak the language for help.

“Immediately, people would light up and start talking and getting excited,” Rieger said. “So once I saw that initial reaction, I was like, ‘Let’s push through and keep learning and see how far I can go.'”

Rieger said some Cree speakers are surprised when he greets them in that language, but they appreciate his efforts.

“Honestly, it was really beautiful,” Rieger said.

Natasha Wolfe went out for lunch with a friend during a class break at the First Nations University of Canada in the city.

Wolfe noticed a waiter speaking Cree to a customer.

“I kind of nudged my friend Charmaine and asked her, ‘Does he speak Cree?'” Wolfe said.

Wolfe said she observed him for a few minutes as he walked around the restaurant and did his thing.

“He has positive energy, and when he came back to us, that’s when he told me he was trying to learn how to scream,” Wolfe said.

Wolfe asked her name and if she could take her photo to share on her social media page. She said she was impressed that Rieger took the initiative to learn the Cree language and wanted to share her story with others.

Wolfe said people’s response to his message has been positive and encouraging.

“I was shocked. I was probably stunned more than anything,” Wolfe said. “I immediately felt admiration for him and his commitment to doing this. His drive was quite interesting.”

Rieger is no longer content with learning a few words. He goes to YouTube to learn about the language from Simon Bird, who is fluent.

“He’s very good at phonetics and he helps people learn how to pronounce things,” Rieger said.

Rieger said his cry is still basic, but he will continue to try to learn. He said he finds some parts of Cree difficult, such as learning the written language and the alphabet.

On the positive side, he said the new interactions he’s had with customers have helped him manage the stress of service work, making it easier for him to get out of bed and go to work.

He has been with Smitty for nine months now.

“Once I started doing this and started seeing people’s reactions, it completely changed my perspective,” Rieger said. “I could see that it’s almost like the purpose of my work now is to reach people and express my love to them.”