An Ehattesaht language revitalization group has turned to modern music technology in an effort to attract new learners of the Ehattesaht language.
Victoria Wells has worked for many years with her Ehattesaht elders to reinvigorate the language of the Ehattesaht-Chinehkint, which was nearly eradicated during the residential school era.
In 2007 she made a presentation to Ehattesaht/Chinehkint and Nuchatlaht language learners as part of a First Voices training workshop. It was the start of the development of teaching tools that would help new language learners from younger generations.
One of the latest teaching tools developed is the first Ehattesaht Language Revitalization Album, which was inspired by the tenacity of elders who work with willing youth and children, said Wells.
“It is their vision and goal to share ancient knowledge with everyone in a way that speaks to them,” she explained.
The new album takes selected phrases spoken by Ehattesaht/Chinehkint elders, replaying the phrase repeatedly to the beat of soft, electronica music, created by Crystal DJ Kwe Favel.
“It is a language learning tool that blends the ancient with the experimental,” said Wells.
Putting ancient Nuu-chah-nulth phrases to contemporary music should appeal to young learners and help them memorize the language.
“Not only will this style of audio storytelling span over generations and encourage the freedom of oral traditional practices, but it also addresses the challenge of how to combine the latest tech trends with learning traditional languages, within a limited budget, and advance our inherent rights to intellectual freedom,” reads the album press release.
Favel is the award-winning digital audio story teller who has helped develop an urban music composition based on the Ehattesaht language.
After 17 years in the music industry Favel has won two awards for her digital audio storytelling, featuring electronic drum music from the First Peoples' Cultural Council in British Columbia.
Listeners will hear elders Josephine George, Fidelia Haiyupis, Millie Smith and Levi Martin saying phrases in the Nuu-chah-nulth language to Favel’s electronica beats.
“On behalf of the generations before us who maintained our Indigenous languages against the attempted genocide, and on behalf of those yet to come, we offer this Indigenous language learning tool,” said Wells.
To hear the Ehattesaht Language Revitalization Album visit https://soundcloud.com/ehattesahtmusicgroup
When you buy the entire album for $3.99 you also receive a continuous mix with your download, free. This continuous mix will allow the listener to focus on the words and not have to press repeat for each track.
All the money raised will go directly to the creation of more language revitalization albums focusing on traditional themes with electronica flare.
