Traditional Knowledge & Language

Ktunaxa name bestowed on the Canadian Commission for UNESCO’s Working Group for the Decade of Indigenous languages

The Ktunaxa Delegation to WAVES 2025.
Front: Chrystal Williams and Samantha Sutherland.
Back, Mara Nelson, Martina Escutin, Aiyana Twigg, Leanna Gravelle, Vickie Thomas, Nasuʔkin Don Sam, Vi Birdstone, Troy Sebastian, Remi Gravelle and Denise Birdstone.

Chrystal Williams, Aiyana Twigg and Vi Birdstone.

Troy Sebastian, Mara Nelson, Martina Escutin, Samantha Sutherland, with CCUNESCO working group members Aiyana Twigg and Bernie Francis.

Listen: Vickie Thomas talks to CBC Radio

Listen: How to say Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis

Ottawa, August 14, 2025

Members of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages Working Group of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (CCUNESCO) gathered in Ottawa next week to receive an invaluable and deeply significant gift—a group name in the Ktunaxa language.

Representatives from various Ktunaxa communities in British Columbia travelled to Ottawa to bestow the gift.

The name, Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis, which means “holding the spirit of our languages,” reflects the shared goal of working group members: To contribute to maintaining, revitalizing and supporting Indigenous languages in Canada.

The inclusion of our elders and language speakers in this conversation honors the significance of including Indigenous voices to achieve the shared goal of the Indigenous Languages Working Group, to preserve and perpetuate not only our Ktunaxa language, but all Indigenous languages across Canada. During this process, we sought out representation from each Ktunaxa First Nation and our sister Tribes in the United States to participate. Gifting of the name Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis is a meaningful way to share that the Ktunaxa language is a language isolate that is critically endangered. This also serves as a gesture to show how deep and meaningful the relationship is between the Ktunaxa and CCUNESCO.
– Dr. Violet Birdstone – Ktunaxa Language Speaker, Mentor, Researcher and UBC Doctor of Letters

It is a profound honour for our working group to receive the name Hakiⱡkini k̓iⱡkiⱡwiy ka·kⱡukaqwaⱡaʔis from the Ktunaxa Nation. This name beautifully captures the heart of our working group’s mission and emphasizes that Indigenous languages are not only systems of communication—they are living expressions of worldviews, cultures and ancestral knowledges. They carry spiritual meaning, connecting people to their territories, to each other and to generations past and future. We are deeply grateful to the Ktunaxa Elders and communities for their generosity and trust. This gift strengthens our collective commitment to supporting Indigenous languages across Turtle Island and beyond, and we carry it forward with great respect and responsibility.
– Barbara Filion, Programme Officer for Culture, Canadian Commission for UNESCO

Listen in to an interview with Barbara Fisher, Language Coordinator, starting at 36:50.

(36 minutes, 50 seconds.)

LISTEN HERE

Kiʔsuʔk Kyukyit, K̓ukun Makut!

Barbara Fisher, TKL Language Coordinator, spoke with both local radio stations, plus CBC radio / TV today, to share the Ktunaxa Traditional greetings.

Please click on the links to the right to listen to Barbara's radio spots which will run throughout the homelands this holiday season.

Listen HERE

Listen HERE

Ktunaxa Literacy Day is each year on October 24.

This year, Ktunaxa Language Coordinator Barbara Fisher did some radio spots that ran all day, and also recorded the Ktunaxa Nation Vision Statement in Ktunaxa for all to hear.

Listen to the radio spot by clicking on the link to the right.

Listen to the Vision Statement HERE.

By Codie Morigeau
Interim Director (Senior Manager)
Traditional Knowledge & Language

Kiʔsuk kyukʔkyit qapi niskiⱡ!

This past year has been very different. The world as we know it changed through a global pandemic, yet, Ktunaxa have been adaptable and resilient through a whole year of Covid-19 and the shift to remote working conditions.

First off I want to thank and show my gratitude and appreciation for the dynamic TKL team for all of their commitment, dedication and hard work over the past year.

I would like to thank the Sector Council for their openness to share, guide, and provide their leadership. I would like to also thank the TKL Advisory Committee and the larger group of Elders who advise us on language and culture, share what they know to support language, culture, and knowledge to live on for generations to come.

Thank you, it has been an honour to work with all of you!

This year, TKL received the financial investment that we have been dreaming of to really invest in ourselves, our language, and our culture.

With this investment not only were we able to dream, we had the finances to bring our goals and aspirations into action. While we were so excited to have the financial resources we needed, the global pandemic through us a curve ball that no one could have predicted.

As a result, we all adapted as best we could. In addition to the pandemic, our fearless leader, Shawna Janvier, challenged us in our growth and leadership through a sector director reassignment.

As the Director of Education and Employment I was reassigned to the Traditional Knowledge and Language Sector. For me, this has been an honour and made a lot of sense, given that I had just completed my Masters of Arts in Leadership and my thesis which was entitled: “Ktunaxa Traditional Knowledge: Building Ktunaxa Capacity for the Future.” Through this process, I was grateful to work with, and learn from, the Elders of the TKL Advisory Committee.

This rich learning experience prepared me to take on this Director reassignment.

Given the opportunities and challenges that this year presented, we made the most of it through strategic planning. We wanted to utilize the financial investment to achieve our dreams, assess our risks and worries, and ensure that Ktunaxa language and culture carries on for the generations to come. As such, we rolled up our sleeves and dug into the strategic planning of Traditional Knowledge and Language to help us move from dreams and ideas to action!

Initially, we were optimistic that the pandemic would not last as long as it did and hoped that many of our goals would be able to be completed in the latter half of the fiscal year. As we all know too well, the pandemic dragged on throughout the entire fiscal year. As a result, many of initiatives had to be postponed and deferred, giving us time to diligently plan and set up to achieve our goals.

In June 2020, TKL began the strategic planning process where the TKL staff, sector council, and advisory committee gathered to create the first draft of the strategic plan.

In October and November, the sector council and advisory committee further explored the strategic priorities for the sector. Through this process, strategic priorities were identified: Band and Nation Synergy, Knowledge, Language and Culture Protection and Revitalization, and Mentorship.

In this reassignment, I was gifted the opportunity to meet with all of the Bands to understand how TKL and each Band could work together. It has been crucial to listen, learn, and be open to making changes and improvements for the benefit of our collective success. Together, I have been able to listen and attempt to increase the cooperation and celebrate in the language and culture initiatives happening across Ktunaxa ʔamakʔis.

Land-based learning opportunities has been a common theme that has risen out of many language and culture conversations. Many great land-based learning, mentoring and succession ideas have come from the Bands. As we begin to be able to gather once again, a number of exciting land based culture camps and activities will be able to take place.

In revitalizing our language and culture, resources have been identified as a priority to ensure that Ktunaxa citizens and families can get these resources into their homes.

TKL has completed 10 Ktunaxa stories that will be illustrated and published. These stories are in both Ktunaxa and translated into English as well. These stories will include QR codes that will help citizens hear the story in Ktunaxa.

TKL has been developing a Language App where citizens will be able to download, use, and learn.

Additionally, in 2021/22 a new dictionary is being produced that will be available both in print and as an App that people can use on their phone or tablet.

Citizens will be able to look up words in both English and in Ktunaxa.

A sample sentence will be provided, sound clips so users can hear the words, and a picture. These learning tools are so important to help increase our language competencies.

The KNC Employee Guide was developed to ground Ktunaxa and Indigenous information to support all staff in their awareness and understanding of the truth of the past, and the resilience that has formed our present and will carry us into the future.

Through the Employee Guide, there are seven Ktunaxa basics videos that all staff are required to watch, this being a request of the TKL Advisory Committee. The Guide also speaks to some difficult terms and topics to raise awareness to staff to support the success of the KNC and the Ktunaxa Bands and citizens. We are sharing what we know and asking all employees to share what they know and learn too.

In honour of Ktunaxa Literacy Day, TKL challenged KNC staff to learn “Kiʔsuʔk Kyukyit! Hu qakⱡik... Hu qaki qaxi...”.

This challenge asked staff to reciprocate sharing with our Elders, as the Elders have shared so much with all of us!

Sectors and Departments worked together to use a video platform where they recorded each person speaking Ktunaxa to share who they are and where they come from. These videos were compiled and shared with the Elders of the TKL Advisory Committee. It was amazing to watch the Elders smile from ear to ear as they heard the staff of the KNC speaking in Ktunaxa.

Given the global pandemic and the urgency to ensure that we all remained healthy and safe from the Covid-19 virus, gatherings and ceremonies were not able to take place this year.

In preparation for this, the Elders and Christopher Horsethief supported us to share the Blacktail songs and Ktunaxa Hymns with citizens far and wide through CD, USB, or a link to download the songs. This was great to be a part of sharing with each other to help us through a difficult time of isolation, sing our songs, assume our responsibility to ourselves and each other by making our roads for the upcoming year!

Increasing collaboration within the KNC was also a goal for the past year, and this was best highlighted through the implementation of ʔa·knusti. We are still in the designing phase with the program, which is now being led by TKL. Building Ktunaxa capacity is the central focus for this initiative and the initial cohort of participants that started in the spring have brought forward ideas, enthusiasm, commitment and hope that is helping to form the final strategy for this part of our work.

It has been a year of humility and gratitude towards the staff, Elders and leadership of the TKL Sector who have modelled the way to share what they know and support us as a Sector as we strive to be the best that we can be and champions of Ktunaxa Traditional Knowledge and Language. My heart is filled with hope.

Taxa