Words and photos by Tricia Thomas

Stz’uminus First Nation members got together for ten days in August to cook, circle talk, tell stories and play games – and nobody spoke a word of English!

Karol Louie

Karol Louie, teacher at Nutsamaat Lelum daycare, raved: “We cooked fish soup, fry bread and baked bread and it was all in Hul’qumi’num! This is one of the best language courses I have taken.”Dr. Donna Gerdts organized the immersion class. She is a Simon Fraser University linguist and researcher. Originally designed for teachers and fluent speakers, the approach was adjusted to include the many community members wanting to participate. “There was more than one teacher and we were separated into groups (fluent, intermediate and beginners) based on our level of Hul’qumi’num,” said Louie. “What I liked most was the repetition.”

Starting in 2002 with a strategic plan to revitalize the Coast Salish language, the Stz’uminus goal is to certify fluent speakers to teach a language ‘Nest’ program – a Hul’qumi’num immersion class – funded by the First Peoples’ Cultural Council. Pearl Harris, principal at Stz’uminus Senior Secondary said, “In future, we’ll have a room where parents can attend and learn Hul’qumi’num together with their children.”

According to a 2011 Vancouver Island community-based study, elders are a crucial link to restoring culture. Supporting elders to speak and share their language is the first step in the process. Many are ‘silent speakers’ who understand what is being said, but refuse to speak themselves.

“Working through our language brings out a lot of emotions because there is a reason that we lock up,” Harris said. “No one tells us we can’t speak anymore, but we just don’t. We’re working on it.”

Some Tsleil-Waututh members also took part in the Stz’uminus class for two days. They shared their own communitybased approach that incorporates gesture signing into the language program called ‘Where are your Keys?’.

‘Where are your Keys?’ is a comprehensive method used to revitalize endangered langauges.

Visit whereareyourkeys.org