Faqs

How do I pronounce “Ktunaxa”?

How did this language become isolated?
The Ktunaxa language is a critically endangered and isolate language. The Ktunaxa language is one of the eleven original aboriginal language families of Canada. This language did not “become” isolated; it has always been isolated and is not related with any other language in the world. This is called the “Mother Tongue”, and there are only so many Mother Tongues to which all First Nation languages have come from.

Where is the Ktunaxa Nation and how much area does it encompass?
The Traditional Territory of the Ktunaxa Nation is very large - 7 million hectares (ha) in the East and West Kootenay’s of southeastern British Columbia and roughly coincides with that of the Columbia Basin. In addition, the traditional boundaries extend into Alberta, Montana and Idaho. The Ktunaxa have occupied this territory for more than ten thousand years. Currently, the Ktunaxa Nation is comprised of four Canadian bands located in the East Kootenay region: Lower Kootenay (near Creston), Tobacco Plains (near Grasmere), St Mary's (near Cranbrook), and Akisqinuk Columbia Lake (near Windermere).

How did the language transfer to written text?
Through the efforts of linguists and historians such as: Turney High, Boaz and Dr. Chamberlain.

What are some of the customs and traditions that the Ktunaxa are best known for?
The unique design of the Sturgeon nosed canoe.

Why should we care?
How often do we hear about some lost cultural and heritage information that we now spend millions of dollars trying to rebuild after it has become extinct? Could we do that now?

The Ktunaxa believe that they were born of this land and ‘given’ their Traditional Territory to care for, in return for the land providing all that was required for eternal life. At the time of Creation, the Ktunaxa were also given their language as a method of communicating with the other creatures of the world. It is believed that this ability to communicate with nature has deteriorated as the language deviates from the ‘original’ language. This is why it is very important to recapture the language in its true form as much as possible, so that the integrity of the traditional knowledge contained therein can be protected.

Has the language revival project been successful so far?
Long range planning and the understanding of the scope of loss is beginning to make a difference. Funding to keep some level of continuing activity is the most difficult. No one funds “Language Operations”!

Where does Language Program funding come from?
The majority of the funding comes from proposal writing for the development of language projects. This is becoming even more difficult to bring in the sufficient resources to keep a person responsible to ensure that there is a strategic plan, resources created, and accountability for learning the language.

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