Courtesy photo / Janine Gibbons
Haida artist Janine Gibbons poses with the book she illustrated, the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s first children’s book in the Haida language Xaad Kíl, a translation of the traditional story “The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales.”

Courtesy photo / Janine Gibbons Haida artist Janine Gibbons poses with the book she illustrated, the Sealaska Heritage Institute’s first children’s book in the Haida language Xaad Kíl, a translation of the traditional story “The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales.”

Haida-language children’s book released as part of award-winning series

The book is a re-issue in X̱aad Kíl of a previously released traditional story.

Sealaska Heritage Institute has released the first children’s book in the Haida language Xaad Kíl through its Baby Raven Reads program.

“Nang Jáadaa Sgáana ‘Láanaa aa Isdáayaan,” or “The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales,” is a story carried down through generations orally and published through the work of team of artists and linguists.

“It’s the first book I ever illustrated, and now it’s the first children’s book in the Haida language,” said Haida illustrator Janine Gibbons in a phone interview. “I had to stretch my mind. How am I going to represent this? And how am I going to represent this accurately?”

The book’s art, painted by Gibbons, was originally created for the Tlingit version of the story. With interest in a Haida translation of the traditional story, Skíl Jáadei Linda Schrack and Ilskyalas Delores Churchill worked together to translate it to Xaad Kíl.

[US to review dark history of Indigenous boarding schools]

“I am forever grateful for her. ‘Láa an sáa Hl gudánggang. (I hold her in high esteem),” Schrack said in a news release.

Schrack also narrated a spoken version of the story for SHI’s Youtube to accompany readers, so they may hear the language spoken, said X̱aad Kíl and Sm’alagyax̱ language coordinator Susie Edwardson in a phone interview.

“These books will be good to see the language and listen to it,” Edwardson said. “A lot of the learners will be parents practicing the language while reading to their children.”

SHI has gone back and narrated the text for all of their Baby Raven Reads books, Edwardson said.

“It’s so powerful. I cried the first time I heard it,” Gibbons said. “When you look at the audio with the text, you’ll see how the illustrations and the audio and the text all match.”

Gibbons painted the original illustrations based on her experiences in Southeast Alaska, based off photos and the land of the Haida people and their forebears.

“You will understand that the language is fully just an extension of the land, and that’s how I illustrated the story,” Gibbons said. “The images tell the story without the words, too.”

Gibbons said the book is particularly important now, as more Indigenous cultures work to connect their people with their roots.

“I’m excited for people to be opening the door of more knowledge,” Gibbons said. “It’s a great format for other Native cultures to see this is how you can do books. SHI is on the forefront of this.”

The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Alaska Native Education Program Grant, Gibbons said. While lack of further funds from this grant precluded the program from planning for any more Haida books immediately, Edwardson said, the future is bright.

“SHI has intentions for future grants to create more language resources,” Edwardson said.

The growing resources to help Alaska Native children and adults — and anyone interested in learning more — has shown great strides in just a few years, Gibbons said.

“All these kids are getting the best books out there to learn part of their heritage. In the four years, five years, it’s been phenomenal,” Gibbons said. “You can definitely see a difference in the kids in their sense of self and their cultural heritage.”

The book is available now for purchase on the SHI website at https://sealaska-heritage-store.myshopify.com/collections/books-publications/baby-raven-reads.

• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.

The Baby Raven Reads program is a Sealaska Heritage Institute program dedicated to providing reading resources in Alaska Native languages for young readers.
Ben Hohenstatt / 
Juneau Empire

The Baby Raven Reads program is a Sealaska Heritage Institute program dedicated to providing reading resources in Alaska Native languages for young readers. Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire

The Sealaska Heritage Institute has released its first children’s book in the Haida language Xaad Kíl, a translation of the traditional story “The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales,” through its Baby Raven Reads program. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

The Sealaska Heritage Institute has released its first children’s book in the Haida language Xaad Kíl, a translation of the traditional story “The Woman Carried Away by Killer Whales,” through its Baby Raven Reads program. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

More in News

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Ships in Port for the Week of June 4

Here’s what to expect this week.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Monday, June 5, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Water and wastewater rates in the City and Borough of Juneau will increase 2% starting July 1. (Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)
Water, wastewater rates to increase starting July 1

The 2% increase is to match inflationary costs, city says.

A progress pride flag flies in the wind below an U.S. flag outside of the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building on Monday evening. Last week the flag was raised for the first time by members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and will remain up through the month of June. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
LGBTQ+ pride flag raised at federal building sparks backlash, support

Varying reactions to the flag that was raised for the first time outside the building.

Cars and people move past the City and Borough of Juneau current City Hall downtown on Monday. The Assembly Committee of the Whole unanimously OK’d an ordinance Monday night that, if passed by the full Assembly, would again ask Juneau voters during the upcoming municipal election whether to approve $27 million in bond debt to fund the construction of a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Voters could see proposal for a new City Hall back on the ballot this fall

City signals support for $27 million initiative, after $35M bond last year fails.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Sunday, June 4, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Saturday, June 3, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Courtesy Photo / Chris Blake
The <strong>Hōkūleʻa</strong>, a double-hulled and wind-powered traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, navigates throughout Southeast Alaska in May. On Saturday the canoe and crew members will be welcomed to Juneau in preparation for the canoes launch days later for its four-year-long global canoe voyage called the <strong>Moananuiākea</strong>.
Celebration of four-year Polynesian canoe voyage to kick off Saturday at Auke Bay

Voyage set to circumnavigate 43,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean beginning in Juneau.

Most Read