Do you want to text in Kwak'wala?

There's an app for that!
The FirstVoices Keyboard App is available for free.

CBC Radio Unreserved
Listen to Rosanna Deerchild's story about the FirstVoices app on CBC's Unreserved.

Creating Spaces for Language Immersion

Immersion is an effective way to move from ‘studying’ a language to communicating in the language. For many Indigenous languages in BC, we must actively create spaces for immersion. Time with fluent speakers is precious, and yet, even when we are with our fluent speakers, the human desire to communicate is so strong that we often default to our common language, English. Sometimes, we end up talking about our language instead of talking in the language. To create immersion experiences, we need to be deliberate about privileging the target language. I recently had the opportunity to participate in a 5 day Kwak’wala immersion camp. Camp participants included fluent Elder speakers, intermediate learners, and beginners. We worked hard to create an English free environment and posted signs reminding each other to speak only Kwak’wala. In preparation for the camp, learners mastered a set of “survival phrases” The intention for the immersion camp was not for learners to focus on memorizing vocabulary and phrases, but to create an opportunity to learn the language through real life communication. However, mastering a small set of phrases prior to an immersion experience allows learners to take responsibility for their learning and encourage fluent speakers to speak to them in Kwak’wala.

Following is a set of survival phrases that I use in my Kwak’wala learning. These can all be heard on the First Voices Kwak’wala website.

What is this? 'mat̕sałi gada?

What is that? 'mat̕sa'łux̱ da?

What are you doing? 'wigilas?

What are you going to do? 'wigilatłas?

What were you doing? 'wigilaxdas?

I understand. a̱'yu'sa̱la'ma̱n

I don’t understand. k̓i'sa̱n a̱'yusa̱la

Do you understand? a̱'yu'sa̱la'mas?

Say it again. idzaḵwala



1.For a description of survival phrases and more on how to create one-one and small group immersion experiences see How to Keep Your Language Alive: A Commonsense Approach to One-On-One Language Learning by Leanne Hinton and B.C.'s Master Apprentice Language Program Handbook

Stand by Me in Kwakwala, by Elisha Taylor-Child

Count With Me resource at School District 72

Here's an updated link for School District 72 Count With Me Kwak'wala resource. There are several other materials on the SD 72 website.

Ḵ̓a̱ng̱ex̱tola Sewn-on-top: Kwak'wala Revitalization and Being Indigenous

Lama̱n gwatł. I am finished. A link to my dissertation, Ḵ̓a̱ngex̱tola: Sewn-on-Top

Kwak'wala Gospel

The Global Recording Network has several recordings of gospel stories and songs in Kwak'wala. You can listen to the recordings on the site, download them to your computer and burn them to CD.

Global Recordings Network Kwak'wala Gospel Recordings

CBC Legends of Kwak'wala

CBC Ideas - Legends of the Kwakwaka'wakw

You can listen to this program at the CBC website.
"In these legends you will hear some of the timeless Kwakwaka'wakw values: tradition of giving away to show one's wealth, the connection to the majestic killer whales, the significance of the uligan and the cedar tree, and the influence of the islands and sea and all that they have provided for the Kwakwaka'wakw since the beginning of time."
Congratulations to everyone that worked on this.

Boas and Hunt Kwakiutl Texts

Here is a link to Kwakiutl Texts at the American Museum of Natural History Research Library.

http://digitallibrary.amnh.org/dspace/handle/2246/23

Thank you to Carrie for sending me the link. Several Kwak'wala resources have been created over the last 100 years yet it can be difficult for community members to locate and access these resources. Of course, nothing takes the place of engaging directly with Kwak'wala speakers, but print resources can be helpful in our Kwak'wala work. The 3 files at this site are large and will take a while to download. What you'll find is stories in English on the left side of the page and in Kwak'wala on the right side. Ix'aka̱n tłax̱ gada. I like this.

Digila - a little Kwak'wala learning video

Interactive Alphabet

Try out the School District 72 - Campbell River Interactive Alphabet. You'll also find other language resources in the First Nations Catalogue posted at their site.