Carrier Language and Culture
First Voices Program
First Voices is an online space for Indigenous communities to share and promote language, oral culture and linguistic history. Language teams work with elders to curate and upload audio recordings, dictionaries, songs and stories. This content is shared with community members or the broader public.
Click on the link button below to learn our language, play a game, view a photo gallery or visit the Kids Portal (different stories or games.
The students, staff and Parents can access the First Voices Program at home or in any classroom, to listen to the stories, songs, learn the language or play games. This website was developed by the Carrier Linguistic Society, which comprises of local community members.
OUR CULTURAL PROGRAM
Hadih, ts’uhoont’i’ Nak’al Bun ts’e hodulh’eh.
Hello, we are happy for you to learn at Nak’al Bun.
Nak’al Bun Elementary School is very proud to share the knowledge, traditions and history of the Nak’azdli Dakelh First Nations. Nak’al Bun School is surrounded by the beautiful Nak’al Bun (Stuart Lake), Nak’al dzulh (Mount Pope), and chuntoh (forest). Our students can listen to legends and oral history stories passed down from our ancestors in the beautiful ‘ulbayoh (Pit house).
In the fall time, the students may have the experience of net fishing for salmon. They see how the salmon is processed for feast days by freezing, cutting and preparing the fish for drying. The students enjoy eating the half dry salmon, which is usually cooked for the feast days. The traditional smoke house is located on school property beside the ‘ulbayoh (Pit house).
Our forest land has a 2 km trail used for a forest and nature walk or for snow shoeing in the winter months, which all of the students enjoy. In the fall, the Grades 4 to 7 students participate in picking tea at nearby farmland to harvest ludi musjek (labrador tea). This tea is then placed on the classroom tables to dry, packaged, and given to the staff and students. Some of the tea is stored for the staff and students to drink throughout the school year and on special occasions or the feast days. The students learn about the natural traditional medicines around our school while on their nature walks and the older students will be able to participate in learning to make traditional medicines that they can bring home.
The students learn to do different types of crafts to bring home such as beading, drum making, and rattle making.
The best way for the students to learn the Dakelh language is through fun and play. We have many different games and toys for the students to play with while learning the Dakelh language. We sing a variety of songs with the students to help them use the Dakelh language. It is so inspiring to see the students having fun, laughing and enjoying themselves as they use the language in many fun ways. Some of the games include Lahal – a stick game of guessing, Lhadusja – a form of bingo game using different items in Dakelh, head and shoulders, games from the First Voices Program
During the month of January or February we usually have a Heritage Week where we bring in special guests, elders and knowledge holders. Our guests will share their knowledge on traditional medicines, crafts, storytelling, trapping, ice fishing, setting net under the ice, drumming and singing.
We do our best to share as much traditional knowledge and on land experience as possible. We are very proud of the students being able to participate every day by using the Dakelh language and culture.
The students and parents can have access the First Voices Program at home. Nak’al Bun staff who are interested in learning the Dakelh language can use the program in any classroom to listen to the stories, songs, or play games. These websites were developed by the Carrier Linguistic Society, which comprises of local community members.
First Voices website to learn the Dakelh language:
- Google First Voices
- click on Explore Languages
- click on Nak’azdli Dakelh
- click on; learn our language, play a game, photo gallery or Kids Portal (different stories or games.
Musi (Thank You).