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Topic

Learning from Qʷi·Qʷi·diččaq ‘Makah’ story: Collaborative analysis and emergent linguistic lessons

Department of Linguistics

Date & location

• Wednesday, June 26, 2024
• 2:00 P.M.
• Virtual Defence

Examining Committee

Supervisory Committee

• Dr. Ewa Czaykowska-Higgins, Department of Linguistics, �������� (Co-Supervisor)
• Dr. Megan Lukaniec, Department of Linguistics, UVic (Co-Supervisor)

External Examiner

• Dr. Daisy Rosenblum, Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia

Chair of Oral Examination

• Dr. Pablo Restrepo Gautier, Department of Hispanic and Italian Studies, UVic

Abstract

Archival and legacy materials have become important resources for many language revitalization and reclamation programs to support the reawakening of sleeping languages (baird 2013; Baldwin & Costa 2018; Lukaniec 2022) or to maintain relationships with past generations of speakers (Hill 2024). This thesis centers around one such legacy recording in Qʷi·qʷi·diččaq (Makah language) which shares a well-known Makah oral story, “Raven and Crow,” as told by first language speaker, Ruth Claplanhoo.

Working alongside Maria Hita·ʔa·ʔoƛ Pascua in her role with the Makah Language Program and Makah Cultural & Research Center, this research transforms the original story recording into accessible materials that can be adapted for current and future speakers, learners, and teachers while simultaneously addressing the limited availability of analyzed stories and texts in Makah. By developing a method for Collaborative Analytical Storywork (described in Chapter 2), Maria and I were able to create transcriptions, translations, morphological analyses, and time-aligned resources which respond to the variety of interests, challenges, and language-learning goals within the Makah language community (Chapter 1). In Chapter 3, I connect the conversations that emerged through my and Maria’s engagement with the “Raven and Crow” story to existing Wakashan literature and present the lessons about Qʷi·qʷi·diččaq that this story teaches us (or questions that it poses). Chapter 4 offers potential applications of this research in Makah language revitalization and suggests new topics and possibilities for future researchers.