Tongue Unbroken

Tongue Unbroken

The Tongue Unbroken (Tlél Wudakʼóodzi Ḵaa Lʼóotʼ) is a podcast about Native American language revitalization and decolonization, as seen through the eyes and mind of a multilingual Indigenous person who is Lingít, Haida, Yupʼik and Sami. This podcast explores complex concepts of identity, resilience, erasure, and genocide and features guests involved in language revitalization and decolonial efforts in Alaska, the United States, Canada, and New Zealand. This show hopes to connect to all audiences who wish to understand how over five hundred languages Indigenous to North America became endangered, and what actions individuals and groups have taken and can take to create a more equitable and brilliant future than that of American genocide.

Episodes

April 30, 2024 60 mins

We are joined by Éedaa Heather Burge and Shodzi'dzo:wa:’ Damian Webster to talk about their language journey and current work, and also about systemic changes they hope to see in the near future. They also shared their thoughts on how to balance teaching the complexities of Indigenous languages while also being true to the spirit of the language and its ancestors, and then on how to be the medicine in times of difficulty and sorrow...

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We are joined by Dr. Keiki Kawaiʻaeʻa, Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and former director of Ka Haka ‘Ula O Ke‘elikōlani College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She shares her language journey, and then we talk about the elements that may have made the Hawaiian language movement successful. We also talk about strategies and trying to determine when you decolonize existing systems and when yo...

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We are joined by multimedia artist Yéil Ya-Tseen Nicholas Galnin, who is from Sheetkʼá (Sitka, Alaska) and performs music as Ya Tseen. He is a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow, can be found on Sub-Pop Records, and has work featured around the world that is in sculpture, jewelry, video, and installation. His works speak to sovereignty, racial, social, and environmental justice, and for Landback initiatives. We talk about his path to becoming ...

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We are joined by Ḵasheechtlaa Louise Brady to talk about the path that led to sobriety and work with protecting the invaluable and threatened herring run to Southeast Alaska. Yaaw (herring) produce a vital food source to the Lingít peoples, and are an indicator species for ecosystem balance within the interconnected worlds of living things in the ocean. Ḵasheechtlaa tells a story about reconnecting to the self and to her Indigenous...

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We are joined by writer T’set kwei Vera Starbard and musician Shaaḵindustóow Ed Littlefield to discuss their path to becoming an Emmy-nominated writer, playwright, editor, professional percussionist, educator, and composer. They also talk about their experiences as the librettist, translator, and composer of an upcoming Lingít opera about Sheetkʼá (Sitka) and battles for land rights and safety that took place in the early 1800s. Th...

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March 26, 2024 59 mins

Dr. Iene Vini Olsen-Reeder joins us for a conversation about Individual language journeys and social reclamation movements with the intention of bringing our languages home by being excellent multilinguals. Iene is a co-host of the upcoming podcast  2 Couple to Kōrero, which will talk about bringing languages home from the perspective of a couple committed to language use as individuals and as a family. Some people might think that...

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We are joined by Denaʼina scholar and language teacher Łiq'a yes Joel Isaak to talk about language journeys, the ways that being a visual artist can help create visual representations of grammar, Tribal school and programs, and staying strong and focused through dramatic changes. Isaak is an artist and installs large level artwork, and also works in education, which are two traits that combine to create braided perspectives on unde...

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March 12, 2024 51 mins

We are joined by Yawdunéi Arias Hoyle, who performs as Air Jazz, to talk about his work as a Hip Hop artist that uses Lingít Yoo X̱ʼatángi (the Lingít language) in his work. We are honored to feature three of his songs: S’áxt’, Nakaaní/Shaax’wsaani, and Ch’áak Waak (ft. Radiophonic), and talk about learning and using Lingít, taking the language into new realms, and maintaining a loving and supportive environment for future generati...

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We are joined by Rochelle Adams, Language Access Director for the Alaska Public Interest Research Group and Gwichʼin language speaker, learner, and teacher, for a discussion on language journeys, making Indigenous voices count, and brilliant Indigenous futures. Indigenous languages connect with each other across vast time and space to make lasting impacts and connections, and part of our daily work involves making sure our voices a...

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Dr. Walkie Charles is a Yupʼik language professor and the Director of the Alaska Native Language Center. He joins us to talk about his approach to language teaching, surviving and overcoming horrendous boarding school experiences, and brushing off the terrible parts of life in order to be yourself in language reclamation movements. The Boarding School Era, known as the Residential School Era in Canada, is a horrible and inhumane pa...

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We are joined by Yaayuk Bernadette Alvanna-Stimpfle, a high fluency first language speaker of Iñupaq, the director of the Kawerak, Inc. Heritage Program, and a doctoral candidate at Ka Haka ʻUla o Keʻelikōlani College of Hawaiian Language at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo. She shares her wisdom as an Indigenous language teacher, developer of teacher preparation methodologies, and as a member of the Alaska Native Language Preserv...

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The Northwest Coast is well known for totem poles, bentwood boxes, Chilkat blankets, wall screens, and many more items that are significant cultural property of Indigenous peoples of the area. We are joined by master Lingít artist Yéil Yádi Nathan Jackson, who has been a practicing artist for over six decades and whose works have been installed worldwide. He shares his journey of becoming an artist, how we witnessed the artwork ret...

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February 6, 2024 51 mins

We are joined by the talented and wonderful Princess Daazhraii Johnson, who is an actor, producer, writer, and concerned citizen of the universe. She is the former Creative Producer and still is a writer for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Molly of Denali, which features a Native American female as the lead character. She shares about her journey in becoming a content creator, current projects and motivations, and what it takes to mo...

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In this episode we visit with Dr. Náakw Latseení Tina Woods, Senior Director of Community & Behavioral Services at Central Council Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Dr. Tina shares her perspective on Indigenous healing centers, living in wellness, and dealing with historical and personal traumas while on a lifelong language journey. This episode contains sensitive material that may trigger traumatic responses within ...

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In episode 2, we are joined by Shodzi'dzo:wa:’ Damian Webster and Montgomery Hill who do amazing work in the Seneca and Tuscarora languages. We talk about their languages, communities, and work, and then give perspectives on what it takes to create speakers, and then talk about what it takes to keep going and not quit while doing this type of work. Keep on going, keep on believing, keep being the dream of your ancestors.

See omnystu...

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January 16, 2024 63 mins

In the first episode of season two, we are joined by Dr Kauanoe Kamana and Dr William “Pila” Wilson, who were both instrumental to the Hawaiian Language Reclamation movement. They collaborated with a courageous and amazing group of changemakers to create the ‘Aha Pūnana Leo (language nest) and Ke Kula ʻo Nāwahīokalaniʻōpuʻu (language medium school). They talk about what helped them create change and what it take to keep a language ...

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January 11, 2024 4 mins

Season 2 of the Tongue Unbroken is coming out on January 16th. Please join us for conversations on language revitalization and decolonization in North America. We will be covering a wide range of topics this season that are relevant to everyone in North America, because if you live in North America, you live in Native America. Indigenous lands, Indigenous peoples, Indigenous stories, Indigenous thoughts, Indigenous perspectives. Th...

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La quen náay Liz Medicine Crow and Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins join X̱ʼunei to look back on the spring of 2014 when they worked together with each other and others to pass a law that made Alaska Native Languages the co-official languages of Alaska. They talk about the process and how to create change through political methods, including how to defeat those with racist ideologies.

Follow Tongue unbroken on social media at https://twitte...

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Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day with the brilliant and powerful Saankaláxtʻ Ernestine Hayes. Listen to her lecture titled, “An Alaska Native Memoir: Our Lives are Stories Telling Themselves” which was recorded by the Sealaska Heritage Institute during their fall lecture series. During her talk, she addresses the many harmful tactics of colonialism and ponders what Native America would be like now if colonialism had not happened. ...

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Executive Director Stephanie Witkowski and Board Chair Dr. Bill Rivers from 7000 Languages join X̱ʼunei to talk about technology and language learning, and how a commitment to bringing technology to language learning communities can help language movements. They talk about the history of the organization, current projects, the benefits and limitations of technology in language learning, and how to protect data sovereignty. Check ou...

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