EXPERIENCE
Book Projects
We have been honoured to be entrusted to help these communities with their efforts to strengthen their languages.
If you have any questions about what we can do for your community, please get in touch.
Some Recent Textbooks
Textbooks fill so many needs for revitalization work; documentation of new sentences and words, tools for community classes and Mentor Apprentices, teacher aids for public school teachers, and private study. Developing them also creates A LOT of new material that we can use to build smaller teaching tools.
A common problem with many textbooks is that they tend to teach language in a bit unnatural way. We have developed a way of working with Elders and speakers that captures all kinds of natural ways of speaking. The beauty and fun of language is in its creativity. Our goal is to give students the tools to be able to create their own sentences as quickly as possible.
Textbook pages
Lək̓ʷaŋən (Lekwungen), Straits Salish. Sister dialect to SENĆOŦEN (Saanich)
Lekwungen exercise about food. Chapters also have separate audio
Advanced chapter teaching through sentences to build sentences.
Lək̓ʷaŋən (Lekwungen), Straits Salish. Sister dialect to SENĆOŦEN (Saanich)
We can work to develop two kinds of textbook: a general conversation and introduction to the language, as the Paul Creek examples here; to more specific topics such as a textbook specifically for Mentor Apprentice participants, Immersion Language Nest teachers, On the Land Camps, and so on. These are very helpful for communities that want immersion programs but don't have a lot of fluent speakers to run these programs. These more focussed books give non-fluent teachers the tools they need to provide more immersion programming.
HOW WE WORK
With any project of this size, it is very important that we make the most of it. We make sure that all sessions working with Elders are recorded so that we capture audio of the words and sentences, but also any discussion about the more subtle meanings or culturally important information. This gives us the opportunity to also create a digital version of the book with audio built in. We have also used this audio to build language apps for phones and mobiles.
Sharing with the whole community is very important. So we work with communities to launch any new teaching material with a community workshop and invite Elders, teachers, and program facilitators to get familiar with the new material and work with it.
An original story translated into two Gwich'in dialects. The explores all the vocabulary and sentences around getting children ready for school in the morning, from waking up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I also structured the story so as to show each verb in first, second, and third person forms.
This traditional flood story was rewritten to make the story more accessible to beginner and intermediate learners. We hired a Gwich'in artist to create the beautiful images. There is also an audio component.
Lekwungen dialect of Northern Straits Coast Salish. Made in collaboration with the Nation's Language Assistant.
An original story translated into two Gwich'in dialects. The explores all the vocabulary and sentences around getting children ready for school in the morning, from waking up, getting dressed, and eating breakfast. I also structured the story so as to show each verb in first, second, and third person forms.
Early readers are a great way to introduce bite-sized language lessons in a fun and playful way. They can focus on small clusters of vocabulary, numeracy, or a grammar point. More advanced level books can share traditional stories or share deeper windows into culture or history. They are also a great way for writers and artists of the community contribute to strengthening the language.
In most of our work we try to employ a scaffolded approach that minimizes the use of English as quickly as possible.
Mobile apps are a great way to get the language to a lot of people. They are a great opportunity to create opportunities for learning on your own. They can also be very helpful tools for classroom or community program teachers.
Lessons can be short and have audio to help with pronunciation, and to hear the rise and fall cadence of language.
This Gwich'in app is in both Teetł’it and Gwichyah dialects, and grew from our work on the textbooks shown above.
We worked closely with a state of the art app and software developer to create an app that introduces basic conversation: how to say hello and talking about how you feel. It introduces talking about weather and about food and drink.
The app was launched this year, 2022.
EXPERIENCE
Publishing History
Books
(Forthcoming) M’i Tst T’akw’, The Tellings of Dr. Samuel Sam. Stories of people and place
Told by Samuel Sam, Translated by Andrew Cienski
(2022) Gwichyah Gwich'in Ginjik; Ihłak Ge'tr'oonahtan. Beginner Language Lessons
By John Norbert & Andrew Cienski
(2022) Teetł’it Gwich’in Ginjikł Ihłak Ge’tr’oonahtan. Beginner Language Lessons.
By Mary Effie Snowshoe, Hannah Alexie, & Andrew Cienski
(2021) Natanuuháii
ISBN 978-1-8963373-5-7
Traditional Flood story adapted by Andrew Cienski
Translated into Teetɬ’it Gwich’in by Mabel English, Hannah Alexie and Mary Effie Snowshoe
Edited by William Firth
Illustrations by Linda Wright
(2021) Natanuuhéih
ISBN 978-1-896337-35-7
Traditional Flood story adapted by Andrew Cienski
Translated into Gwichyah Gwich’in by John Norbert
Edited by Eleanor Mitchell-Firth
Illustrations by Linda Wright
(2019) Din Gwichil’ee Goo’ai; It’s a Beautiful Day
ISBN 978-1-896337-27-2
By Andrew Cienski, Translated into Teetɬ’it Gwich’in by Mabel English, Mary Effie Snowshoe and Hannah Alexie.
Edited by Eleanor Mitchell Firth.
Illustrations by Myles Debastian
(2021) Din Gwichil’ee T’agooch’uu; It’s a Beautiful Day
ISBN 978-1-8963372-8-9
By Andrew Cienski, Translated into Gwichyah Gwich’in by John Norbert.
Edited by William Firth.
Illustrations by Myles Debastian
(2004) A Distinguishing Mark: Memoirs of Grarzyna Bacewicz
ISBN 0-9735735-0-3
Co-translated with Anna Clarke. Published by Krzys Chmiel 2004
Memoirs of Grarzyna Bacewicz, noted Polish violinist and composer.
(2005) Opowiadania o Historii Mojej Rodziny (Stories of My Family’s History)
I laid out this 19 chapter book laid out with Adobe In Design and prepared its 250 images with Photoshop. Printed by Em-Dash Self Published 2005
Book Reviews
(2019) SENĆOŦEN; A Dictionary of the Saanich Language, by Timothy Montler
The Ormsby Review at https://ormsbyreview.com/2019/05/17/547-a-great-book-for-a-big-language/
(2014) Standing Up with Ga'axsta'las: Jane Constance Cook and the Politics of Memory, Church, and Custom
by Leslie A. Robertson and Kwagu'l Gixsam Clan
Canadian Literature; A Quarterly of Criticism and Review 222 (Autumn 2014): 174:75
https://canlit.ca/article/standing-at-the-nexus/
(2013) Saanich Ethnobotany: Culturally Important Plants of the W̱SÁNEĆ People,
by Nancy Turner and Richard Hebda.
BC Studies; Ethnobotany in British Columbia. No. 179. Autumn 2013: University of British Columbia Press, Vancouver British Columbia, Canada. pp.214-215 (2012)
Academic Papers
(2010) M’i Tst T’akw’, The Tellings of Dr. Samuel Sam O.C; Text and Coast Salish Oratory
MA Thesis, Linguistics May 7, 2010
(2009) Towards a Taxonomy of Cowichan Epistemological Roots
Proceedings of the 43rd International Conference on Salish and Neighbouring Languages. UBCWPL vol.23 pp 54-83
(2009) Each Word in Solemn Order Follows Each; Frame and Discourse in the Contextualization of Oral Narrative
Presented at Literatures of the West Coast Symposium held at the University of Victoria.
(2008) Role of Sonority in the Prosody of Cowichan
Presented at the Salish/Wakashan round-table
First Nations Issues
(2008) Off to the Grocery Store; or The Family Works Together. (Circa 1863)
co-authored with Bill White
(2008) Stl’etl’iinep Families Prepare to Host Relatives from the Coast Salish Region. (Circa 1880).
Co-authored with Bill White. Published in consecutive issues of Coast Salish News. Spring, 2008
The articles wove the Cowichan language throughout, choosing phrases readers would be able to use in their daily lives.
(2007) Billy’s Teachings About the Bighouse; With References to the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Co-authored with In ‘Child Rights in Practice: Tools for Social Change’ Published by Center of Global Studies, University of Victoria
(2004) Old Bones, New Wounds
Involved extensive research of Heritage BC’s Conservation Act as relating to the issue of property development on culturally significant Aboriginal sites—especially burial grounds.
Monday Magazine. April 17, 2004 (available upon request)
(2004) Ancestors Returned to Burial Site
Monday Magazine. Aug. 5, 2004 (available upon request)
(2004) Salish Reburials Spark Calls For Respect Of Dead
McGill Daily Sept. 16, 2004
Historical
Sxwalu (Reefnet) Fishing
For Esquimalt First Nation, discusses process of traditional resource use, drawing on archival and interview research, and incorporates First Nation (Lekwungen) language.
For Esquimalt First Nation, explains context of Douglas Treaty signing and traditional territory designations around southern Vancouver Island
Notes on the Swuqwalh, or Coast Salish Nobility Blanket
Co-authored with Bill White. Explored the historical, ceremonial, and economic importance of blankets in traditional Coast Salish life. Commissioned by Pauquachin First Nation
August 2006
