mačinuʔič (come in everyone!)
Our c̓išaaʔatḥ dialect is one of the nuučaan̓uł (Southern Wakishan) languages spoken on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Over thousands of years, our ancestors developed a strong and beautiful language to describe their environment and way of life and belief system. We are proud to share this with you as you begin your journey into understanding who we are as c̓išaaʔatḥ people. Listed below you will find language resources related to our dialect.
Tseshaht Language Strategic Plan – January 2020
Here are some helpful online resources to support your language learning journey:
FirstVoices is a suite of web-based tools and services designed to support indigenous people engaged in language archiving, language teaching and culture revitalization. At the moment (2019-2020) our cišaaʔatḥ portal offers 1500 words and phrases over the next year more will be added.
Tseshaht Language’s youtube channel offers learning videos including seasonal round and harvesting, introduction, and going to grandma’s house.
Nuu-chah-nulth Language Lessons
Nitanis Desjarlais offers Nuu-chah-nulth language learning videos Lessons 1 – 9 with Lena Ross and the late Linda Watts including phonetic alphabet, weather, introductions, family, and animals. This channel also offers several other great videos in the Central Dialect.
Quizlet
Language learning online tool Quizlet. You can sign up for free and request access to the Nuu-chah-nulth (Barkley, East) language class. You will find vocabulary and phrases along with different activities/games to help your learning. Click the link and sign-up for a free account, and request access.
The Toquaht Language Project website is a helpful collection of video, audio and links to other learning tools for the Barkley Dialect. Here you will find an explanation of the Nuu-chah-nulth phonetic alphabet; audio of conversations, narration of some of the Nootka texts, and explanation of the Real Mood Endings; a learning video on survival conversations; links to learning videos on youtube and more.
Offers various curriculum and lessons (for Tseshaht look under “E” East Barkley). Under Resources on Barkley Sound Nuu-chah-nulth, you will find some audio files and documents helpful for learning.
Scroll down to Barkley Dialect and find helpful language lessons and activities including Our Precious Children Song, Weather, TPR, Finger Song, Cooking and Dishes, Outdoor Bathing, and Trees/Plants.
The kwistauup.net also offers Nootka texts, which can be found here.
A nuučaan̓uł dictionary is the culmination of the first phase of the NTC’s commitment to the goal of maintenance of our language.