'I'm 84 years old and rapping': Elder helps bring Haida language to new generation as one half of rap duo

A Haida Gwaii duo is promoting the beauty of an endangered Indigenous language in a unique way by singing rap songs.

Jiixa (Gladys Vandal), an elder of the Haida Eagle Clan, teamed up with Julia Wederlast December to form the rap groupSiijuu Jaadas, which means "cool ladies" in the Haida language.

Jiixa says she loves performing rap songs.

"I always think I'm a girl I'm 84 years old and rapping," she told CBC's Matt Allen.

Jiixa, a Haida language teacher in Skidegate, B.C., is one of nine core members of theSkidegate Haida Immersion Program, whoreceived an honourary Doctor of Law degree from Vancouver Island University in June 2019for their efforts to preservethe language.

According to the Haida Nation council, the language has only two dozenfluent speakers left.

Weder, 25, is of Greek and Croatian ancestry and grew up in Haida Gwaii. She says she learned the Haida language through volunteering with the immersion program where she and Jiixa cooked meals together and by taking classes as an employee of the Skidegate Health Centre.

After becoming closefriends, Jiixa adopted Weder into the clan in July 2021.

InHaida culture, if a member wants to adopt a non-Indigenous person, they will normally consult with the clan's chiefand their ownrelatives. Adoptions are often celebrated with potlatchesand adoptees are expected to proactively contribute to building the Haida Nation.

Jiixa says she asked Weder's parents whether she could adopt the young woman.

"She fits in nicely [inthe Haida culture]," Jiixa said."I told myself: 'I could use her as a daughter.'"

Weder, who took the nameSkaak'aadang Jaadafter joining the Haida Eagle Clan, says she considers Jiixa her surrogate grandmother.

Writing Haida rap songs

Weder says they came up with the idea of writing and singing rap songs while watching music videos.

"She turned to me [and said] we should write a rap song ... And then we did," she said.

The pair haveproduced three songs to date, two of which are rap: Hala ga taa, meaning "come and eat," and Vankuuva id gwii Xanjuudal, "travelling to Vancouver."

Both are posted on YouTube with subtitles in Xaayda Kil, the Skidegate dialect of the Haida language, and their English translation.

Weder says they use words being taught in the Skidegate Haida Immersion Program for their lyrics, based on ideas they come up with during their daily lives.

"The lyrics mostly come when we're out and about driving in the car or eating a meal," she said.

"Sometimes I pull out the recorder on my phone and I say, 'Let's chat about this next video we're going to make.'"

Weder says teaching and learning the Haida language is vital in healing the intergenerational trauma that First Nations have experienced under colonization.

"Language can unlock those connections to ancestors that people would have otherwise lost," said Weder, who also co-founded theHaida Gwaii Media Collective to help promote Haida culture through digital media.

"It's incredible the importance of bringing language back into people's lives and families."

Jiixa agrees.

"We want our children to grow up and learn their culture and their language and know where they came from," she said.

"There's so much reason why the language and culture is so important."

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