Haida Langauge for Friday October 18

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Duration: 54 minutes

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Haida Language for Friday October 18, 2019
at Strathcona Community Center
with Woody Morrison, BA, JD Haida Historian and Storyteller
video by Laurel Stranaghan
and xaad kil captions by Todd G̱íihgiigaa

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Haida Language for October 4

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Duration: 20 minutes

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Haida Language for Friday October 4, 2019
at Strathcona Community Center
with Woody Morrison, BA, JD Haida Historian and Storyteller
video by Laurel Stranaghan
and xaad kil captions by Todd G̱íihgiigaa

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We have "interesting" Haida Classes. The room at the Strathcona Comm. Ctr. we were originally assigned... on the other side of the wall was a group playing piano and singing Classical Music. Tonight we were moved to another room on another floor. This time we shared a wall with a group practicing their Pow-Wow Songs. We just kept going. From now on we are going to be learning phrases. Tonight was some Simple terms and phrases for everyday usage.

Íihlxaadas húus x̱íinaangslaang.
(We Haidas are coming alive again.)

Everyday Phrases

NOTE: Practice only one and use it until you become comfortable with it then add another.

Dagwáang (a as “u” in Sun say 'Du-gwaang'.) - Dear one (younger male or female)
Gunáa ("aa" as “a” in father) - Dear boy/young man
Áang Dagẃaang – Yes dear one.
Gei Dagwáang – No dear one.
Diinaa --
Hawíit ("ii" as “ea” in bean) - Come here
Hawíit Dagwáang – Come here dear one.
Hawidáan - in a hurry/quickly
Háws.dluwáan (a as “u” in Sun)- That’s enough/stop it.
Híndaa - Scram
Díi guudangáay sdáng. - This person is two-minded/undecided
Díi guudangáay st’ígang. - This person is being sad
Guudangáay kláatsgaa. - strong-mind
Díi guudangáay kláatsgaa. - statement of unconditional support.
Guudángáay hltanáa. - soft-mind/heart (care about other's feelings.
Hal guudangáay hltanáa. - That person thinks kind things.
Gúlgaa - to be enjoyable/full of fun
Hal Gúlgaagáng. (That person is full of fun.)

We will continue with Greeting Phrases, Content phrases, etc.

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Haida Language for September 13

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Duration: 36 minutes

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Haida Language for Friday September 13, 2019
at Strathcona Community Center
with Woody Morrison, BA, JD Haida Historian and Storyteller
video and xaad kil captions
by Todd G̱íihgiigaa

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Haida Words used in this recording:

Quiz yourself! Write out the English translations to these Xaad kil words and phrases, then watch the video and see if you are correct!

Gagiit = wild man
G̱ánaa =
Sángs X̱aanuwaay =
Ts'uswíi =
Gáwjaaw =
Oolala =
gíilaay =
X̱aatáay =
Háws dáng hl kíng saang =

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Funded by First People's Cultural Council: BC Language Initiative in collaboration with Strathcona Community Center and the Vancouver Haida Elder Collective

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Next class scheduled for Friday October 4, 2019 at 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Find more at https://xaadkilvideo.blogspot.ca

Jaat'áay Ts'uswíi

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Duration: 36 minutes

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Haida Language for Friday September 6, 2019
at Strathcona Community Center
with Woody Morrison, BA, JD
video and xaad kil captions
by Todd G̱íihgiigaa

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Haida Words used in this recording:

Sángs Ḵ'áangal SG̱áanuway

Sángs X̱aanuwaay

Ts'uswíi

Jaat'áay Ts'uswíi

SG̱aawaay Ḵ'uuna

Nang Ḵ'al hlG̱ahl

Ts'áak' X̱aat'áay

G̱úut

Ḵ'wáalaagang

Quiz yourself after watching the video and write out in English what they mean. Watch again and see if you got them correct.

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Next Haida Song Friday September 13th, 2019
6:30pm-8:30pm with Kelly Love Spence
Rehearsing the Entrance / Peace song.

Please sign-in at the front desk. Haw'aa

Next Haida Language Class with Woody Morrison
is Sunday Sept 15, 2019 from 10:00am-noon
at the Strathcona Community Center, Main Activity Room
601 Keefer Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Email me if you want special snacks! Donations welcome!


Funded by First People's Cultural Council: BC Language Initiative in collaboration with the Strathcona Community Center Association and the Vancouver Haida Elder Collective

G̱aayhldáa 'la'áaygaa

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Duration: 1 hour 34 minutes

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Haida Language for Friday August 23, 2019 at Strathcona Community Center
with Woody Morrison, BA, JD
video by Vanessa Walterson
xaad kil captions by Todd G̱íihgiigaa

See also page links:

Statements/Commands
http://haidalanguage.blogspot.com/2011/04/statements-commands.html

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Funded by a grant from First People's Cultural Council: BC Language Initiative in collaboration with the Strathcona Community Center Association and the Vancouver Haida Elder Collective

Haida Colors and Phrases

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Duration: 38 minutes

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See also page links:

Statements/Commands
http://haidalanguage.blogspot.com/2011/04/statements-commands.html

Colors
http://haidalanguage.blogspot.com/2011/04/colors-of-rainbow.html

Greetings and Responses
https://haidalanguage.blogspot.com/2011/04/simple-phrases.html

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Funded by a grant from First People's Cultural Council: BC Language Initiative in collaboration with the Strathcona Community Center Association and the Vancouver Haida Elder Collective.

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There are so man things the Old Ones talked about.... imparted to me and I want to pass it on but, the difficulty lies in knowing where to begin. Here is a little bit that was given to me as a small boy.

THE CEREMONY
by Ḵáawan Sangáa

It was then that the Eldest spoke,

Ḵ’áwda G̱ángáas, Díi gyúudiyaa uu daláng weiyit aa hl kil guláasii. Daláng gudangáay an uuhl súugang.

"Listen to me dear boy, I want to tell you good words. I am saying it so you can remember it always...

At the time we were brought into the light, Nang Kilstláas gave each thing its own Ceremony. That is how we see them. So long as they hold to their own Ceremony they remain the Thing Sangs SG̱áanuwaay made them. There are many humans who no longer keep the Ceremony given.

They have discarded their Ceremony and now wander and smash things; like the wind gone crazy. They think they made themselves and try to make a new Ceremony, but only make destruction for themselves and their relatives...

Watch them carefully and learn... the things they do as with all other events, will come this way again."

The Old One paused to let the Atmosphere quieten down then, is the same quiet measured tones he continued.

“…Each of us here are called “Awáahl gin g̱iidiinii iik hal k’iyiit giigiinii.” (He always remembers what happened way over there. Or Tide Watchers). To us was entrusted the knowledge given by Nang Kilstlaas at the time we Came-Into-Being; that is what makes us X̱aat'áay, we have our own Ceremony...

Once we were all Tide Watchers... then just a few... now...? We can only pass to you that which was passed to us by our Grandfathers. As your Chanáa said, others will reveal themselves to you, but, beware of the hollow-Ones...

...Strange ones came among us at a time when it seemed as though this place would no longer have Watchmen to look out for those things which were here before we came-into-Being. We listened to their words. They sounded good. But, like the Cedar that grows tall and straight-grained, they are the ones who, when sounded, are hollow in the center.

Some of our own people are like that; we call them the ‘Hollow-Ones’.

From those, like the Cedar that is hollow in the center, we take what we can use and leave the rest to go back into the ground. This is what Nang Kilstlaas (Raven) taught us. Never take what you cannot use. If you take something you think you can use, do not throw it away in an incorrect manner. This we will teach you.

Those persons with the good words, who are hollow in the middle, take from them that which you can use and leave the rest to decompose as it should. They are hard to see, but if each day you look to see what is supposed to be there, you will soon learn to see what is not supposed to be there. ...everything begins with the knowledge that we are not in control. So, always, especially when things are goin' good, ask for help."

The old man, face impassive, stopped speaking and we listened to the quiet. Ḵ’áwda G̱ángáas glanced at the window and saw the snowflakes continued to fall... he realized that he could hear them falling. The Elder looked at the wood burning stove and, "Díi uúudangíi sgwáansang, Hakw" -- my mind is one let’s go. (we go to meet your relatives.)

Ts'áanuwaay (the Fire) spoke again then, like the drawing of curtains, the world outside the circle faded and disappeared. There was light without light; warmth without heat. Ḵ’áwda G̱ángáas, although but yet a child, sensed that somehow his thoughts had become linked with those of the Elders. He felt as though he was wrapped in a warm blanket without folds to restrict.

To Be continued.

Haida Song for August 16, 2019

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Duration: 1 hour 20 minutes

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I just got home from our Haida Class: preparations for the Áalaay X̱it Xyaahl (Dancing Under the Paddle) Ceremony. When discussing the upcoming Ceremony a part of the discussion was about the role of the male. Simply put, "A man faces everything himself, with no thought of being 'rescued'.

The moment he thinks... hopes to be rescued, he loses. He gave up.

On the other hand, a man also knows when to ask for assistance; he doesn't ask for someone to take the responsibility off his hands. He asks for ASSISTANCE. 

In another of of David Gemmell's books - "Dark Moon", humans are threatened by a race of Beings that seem to be totally unbeatable. A man, fearing for his life describes himself as, "I am not blessed with physical bravery" he said, "I have always been frightened of pain - suffering of any kind..." He then asks a woman Warrior, "Are you frightened, Karis?"

"Of course. We are riding into the unknown..."

"I have always wondered what constitutes heroism." He then asks Karis if ".. heroism comes naturally to some people."

She shook her head, "Heroes are people who face down their fears. It is that simple. A child afraid of the dark who one day blows out the candle; a woman terrified of the pain of child birth who says, "It is time to become a mother."

Heroism doesn't always live on the Battlefield, Pooris."

In X̱aad Kil (Haida language) it is called "Guudangáay Tlats'gaa" = Keep your mind strong (never let fear get in front of yo, it will overwhelm you.

 The men who will be participating in Áalaay X̱it Xhaahl are that kind of men.