Juneau, Alaska (KINY) – The Sealaska Heritage Institute (SHI) has released its first app to teach Haida (X̱aad Kíl) and Tsimshian (Shm’).Algyack) languages, both are considered endangered.
Two of the free apps teach Haida and Tsimshian vocabulary and phrases, and the other teaches native words for birds and marine animals in an interactive environment. Both are available for iOS and Android mobile devices.
This effort is part of SHI’s commitment to revitalize the indigenous languages of Southeast Alaska, said SHI President Dr. Rosita World.
“We know that when an ancient language is lost, the wisdom of the entire universe disappears with it. Indigenous languages include stories about ancient geographic events, such as the movement of glaciers and climate change. It contains so much knowledge about our planet,” she said.
“We must do everything we can to revitalize languages and preserve Indigenous knowledge, and these apps are part of that.”
language game app
(iPhone app) (Android app)
SHI: Language Games is built on a platform previously available only in Tlingit. Users can now scroll down and select Lingít, X̱aad Kíl, or Shm’.AlGak.
This app includes two programs that teach the language of birds common in Southeast Alaska and marine animals native to the region. As the birds and marine animals move, users can click on them to see and hear their native words. “Birds!” This game teaches the words eagle, crow, owl, hawk, Steller’s jay, robin, sparrow, and kingfisher. In the “Sea Animals” game, you will learn the words for beluga, blue whale, humpback whale, seal, sea lion, porpoise, killer whale, squid, jellyfish, herring, and the sea.
Both games include quizzes and the ability for players to track their highest scores.
(Learn Haida: (iPhone app) (Android app) (Learn Shmualgyak: (iPhone app) (Android app)
The “Learning Haida” and “Learning Shm’algyack” apps include sections for vocabulary, phrases, and the respective alphabets, as well as an index that displays all words and phrases in alphabetical order with their English translations. The app also includes links to YouTube videos that teach elements of the language.
Haida vocabulary includes animal body parts, animals, art, bathrooms, beaches, birds, human body parts, buildings/structures, clothing, colors, commands, cultural arts, fishing and hunting, food and eating, food Grouped into 41 categories including. , houses, insects, landscapes, places, mammals, substances/minerals/materials, Native Youth Olympics, figures, nurseries, oceans and beaches, outdoors, people/people, plants, recreation, regalia, schools, sea animals, ships, sky / Atmosphere, time, tools, means of transportation, verbs, water, textiles, health and wellness.
Haida phrases include plant and weather categories.
Tsimshian vocabulary includes: bathroom, beach, bird, body, building/structure, clothing, color, culture, fish, food, house, insect, kitchen, mammal, number, nursery, occupation, ocean, plant, pronoun, recreation , school, sea creatures, sky/objects in the sky/weather, tools, vehicles.
Tsimshian phrases include the following categories: beach, birds, body, buildings/structures, clothing, colors, culture, fish, food, house, insects, and kitchen.
Users can turn off English words and sounds and immerse themselves in their native language. Both apps include quizzes and the ability for players to track their highest scores.
SHI will continue to update the app as new words and categories are added.
Haida translations were done by Skill Jadei Linda Schlack, Doug Juice Robert Yates, Kugin de Rollin Framke, Susie Edwardson, and Kelsey Thompson. The Haida audio was recorded by Schlack and the English audio was recorded by Thompson.
The Tsimshian translation was done by Ggoadm ‘Teebn Victoria Mckoy and Shiggoap Alfie Price, and the audio was recorded by Price.
Both apps were developed for SHI by Wostmann & Associates in Juneau.
Sealaska Heritage Institute is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to perpetuate and strengthen the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian cultures of Southeast Alaska. Its goal is to promote cultural diversity and intercultural understanding through public services and events. SHI also conducts scientific and public policy research that promotes Alaska Native arts, culture, history, and education across the state. The Institute is governed by a Board of Directors and guided by the Council of Traditional Scholars, the Native Artists Commission, and the Southeastern Regional Languages Commission.
In the 1990s, SHI’s board of directors directed staff to focus on revitalizing the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian languages. Prior to that, SHI was primarily focused on documenting language, which was historically oral and not described in writing.