Untangling Our Minds through Language, Land and Laughter – with X’unei Lance Twitchell

How might a willingness to cross thresholds of understanding help us access wilder and more intimate ways of knowing? 

In this episode Jennifer talks with X’unei Lance Twitchell—Indigenous language teacher, poet and scholar—who shares his deeply personal journey of reclaiming the Tlingit language. From an early longing to connect with his grandfather to challenging the violence of cultural erasure, X’unei invites us into the healing and transformative role language plays in decolonization and community renewal.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How the seemingly impossible can become a movement, one word and gesture at a time
• How learning an Indigenous language changes the way you think, untangling the illusion of separateness
• Why vulnerability and mistake-making are the foundation of resilient and laughter-infused community building.

Join Jennifer and X'unei for a conversation that invites you to listen through the words—to the generous heartbeat of a community and culture remaking itself.

Links & resources—

• Learn more about X’unei Lance Twitchell
• Watch an episode of Molly in Denali
• Gagaan X'usyee/Below the Foot of the Sun: Poems
• Get Jennifer’s Substack newsletter
• Follow Jennifer on Instagram or LinkedIn

Gratitude for this show’s theme song Inside the House, composed by the talented Yukon musician, multi-instrumentalist and sound artist Jordy Walker. Artwork by the imaginative writer, filmmaker and artist Jon Marro.