Wildlife – Westin Creyke

Tatl’ah Language

Programming Coordinator Updates

Dhakāle Hayle Gallup

Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator

Over the spring months, the fluent speakers and I have continued to offer Nationwide Zoom language lessons. We, for the most part, have a consistent engagement of approximately 50 members from near and far joining us. It is touching to meet new relatives from different parts of the world and to be able to support them in connecting to their language. COVID prevented many gatherings from happening, but that did not stop our Elder engagement. For the first part of spring, I started meeting with the Elders virtually from Dease Lake and beyond. Every Wednesday night I delivered delicious locally baked goods to our Tatl’ah Elders then met them online to visit in the language together with other Elders from the Nation. The Elders love these meetings! During the first one, Mary Quock stated, “COVID can’t keep us apart!” Our Wednesday evenings were placed on hold during the Dictionary Project, but we are hoping to kickstart them back up again very soon. The Dictionary Project was an incredible experience. The Tatl’ah (Dease Lake) team worked full-time for almost a month collecting words for the dictionary. I think of myself as a helper and a learner first and am honoured to have been the coordinator on the ground for the Tatl’ah location. Working with the Elders every day, visiting, and eating incredible locally catered food, we really became a language family.

“I really enjoyed working with Hayle and the Language Department! This has been a dream of mine for so long; to learn and speak my language, Didene keh, and to be a part of an amazing team. I cannot wait to see what we can gather in knowledge and teachings of our language and culture. This makes me so happy! Mēduh chō”. – Lesli Louie

The reopening of the Tatl’ah Language Nest or K’asbā’e T’oh (Ptarmigan’s Nest) has officially begun. TCG was a successful grant applicant of the Pathways to Language Vitality Grant through the First Peoples’ Cultural Council (FPCC) which will support the K’asbā’e T’oh with funding and very critical operational support. Planning, hiring, and training are next on the agenda. I look forward to sharing the progress on its reopening!

My relationship with the school district and local community school has been meaningful and successful. The administration and teachers are committed to making space for the Tāłtān language and culture to be at the epicentre of what they do. The principal, Brian Manning, continues to invite me into the building and is committed to having a positive and collaborative relationship with our team. This spring, I collaborated with Tahltan/Tlingit artist Una Ann to design an eagle feather which incorporates language as a gift for the school. The feather will be utilized in the school’s feather ceremonies and given to students who are being recognized /honoured in those ceremonies. Additionally, in collaboration with the school, the Culture and Heritage Director, Dease Lake Community Director, and I have officially launched our Youth Tahltan dance group. I am amazed at the interest from the Youth, their respect, and their dedication to showing up. Our group is currently practicing for their first performance, which will be the 2022 graduation ceremony. Brian Manning and the Administrative team at the School District level have also provided us with a space to officially call the Tatl’ah Language Centre. I will be setting up this language centre as my office, classroom, and space for Elders and the community to engage in future language initiatives.

Throughout the spring, I have been attending committee meetings for the building of Cultural Centres within our territory. Through this work, I assisted in hosting community visioning workshops and dinners in both Telegraph and Dease Lake. Our communities have incredible visions for what should be included in a Cultural Centre. I look forward to contributing to this incredible initiative spearheaded by the Tahltan Band and Obsidian Architecture Ltd.

I am honoured to be in this position as the Tatl’ah Language Programming Coordinator and am looking forward to the growth in relationships and language programs and initiatives in our community.

Mēduh, Dhakāle Hayle Gallup