The pentl’ach language
The pentl’ach language was traditionally spoken within and beyond our territories by many of our ancestors. Since the 1940’s it has been declared “extinct”. We acknowledge that this description is inaccurate, as pieces of knowledge of our language have always existed. By refusing the definition of extinction, we have allowed ourselves to feel more strongly connected to our ancestors by carrying on their words to influence the minds of our people both young and old.
This project began formally in 2017, based on a vision from Chief Michael Recalma, with support of the BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation and the University of Victoria. However, many individual descendants of the pentl’ach people have, in their own ways, been protecting and researching this sleeping language for decades. This small community-based team has now initiated the multi-generational task of awakening and reclaiming the pentl’ach language.”
The pentl’ach alphabet
pentl’ach Language Guiding Values
Our vision and mission is to re-establish our relationships with our traditional, ancestral language, and culture.
Our intentions are to honour and respect our ancestors who left this language and its teachings for us to pick up and carry forward.
We assert our continued presence as an effort to maintain our traditional ways of being.
Our work prioritizes relationship building with ourselves, our relatives and the lands and waters that surround us as Indigenous people.
We have the responsibility as a community to the language. Our work will be done through respect and care as we work intergenerationally with our community members and neighbouring relatives.
We are working to fully awaken a language that was once described as sleeping. Our next generations of pentl'ach descendants will understand the importance of being who we are on the lands of which we are from.
Our language and cultures require openness, kindness, respect, and understanding.
Our Team
Chief Michael Recalma
Elected Chief Michael Recalma served one term as Councilor and was subsequently elected Chief. His commitment to his community did not waver during his kidney failure, dialysis treatments and kidney transplant. Never allowing his illness to get in the way of the many projects he had envisioned for QFN. In 2017, Elected Chief Michael had a vision to reawaken the pentl’ach language, and shared with Mathew Andreatta, and Sarah Quinn. Working with both Mathew and Sarah as well as many more individuals over the past few years he is seeing this vision become a reality.
Jessie Recalma
Assistant Language Planner
Jessie Recalma is a contemporary Coast Salish artist and language worker from Qualicum First Nation. Jessie works with Salish Languages focusing on Northern and Central Coast Salish languages.
Mathew Andreatta
Cultural Researcher
Mathew Andreatta is a Qualicum First Nation member and has been a member of the pentl’ach language team since 2017. He is a multi-disciplinary Coast Salish artist and is passionate about seeing language, culture and history being brought back to the forefront of his community through our team’s shared work.
Sarah Quinn
BSc and MA; Community and Social Innovation Branch of the Ministry of Indigenous Relation
Sarah Quinn (BSc, MA) is a settler, forester and geographer, working for the BC Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, in the Community and Social Innovation Branch. She works with Qualicum First Nation as a project supporter and is honoured to be included as part of the team.
Bill Recalma
Bill Recalma - Knowledge Keeper
Bill is an Elder, of Qualicum First Nation. Sharing his knowledge of the pentl’ach language. Bill was taught the language, by Great Uncle Alfred. Bill is also known as a Knowledge Holder.
Su Urbanczyk
Associate Professor - Department of Linguistics
Su Urbanczyk is an Associate Professor of linguistics at the University of Victoria, focusing on the sound and word patterns of Central Salish languages. She has also worked with several First Nations communities on Vancouver Island, to support their language revitalization and reclamation work.
Lisa Recalma
pentl'ach Administrative Assistant
Bookkeeper/accountant Saa’men
Qualicum First Nation member, works for Saa’men Economic Development, Administrator and Financial Coordinator - bookkeeping. I joined the pentl’ach language team Feb. 2021 to do administrative tasks and keep track of the budget. I am proud to be part of the pentl’ach team as the team takes on the large task to reawaken the pentl’ach language.
Tracie Finstad
Project Manager
Tracie is from Snaw-naw-as and has family connections to Qualicum. She is an active hul’q’umi’num’ language learner with her Mentor Colleen Manson through the FPCC MAP program. She has worked in education since 2007 teaching music, Indigenous Education and Indigenous Languages and is happy to be part of the pentl’ach team.
This project has been made possible with the support of:
The pentl’ach logo
The pentl’ach logo was designed by community artist Jesse Recalma. In Jesse’s words:The Thunderbird design is based off the sets of old poles that were found around Comox Harbor and are currently at RBCM. This style of pole was used by a few families with roots amongst pentl'ach peoples with the same style having been found as far south as Departure Bay in Nanaimo and on Denman Island. This is in reference to the old people who guide us from the other side. The Ayhos, or two headed serpent, that surrounds the Thunderbird is a creature found referenced in old stories that would travel between Comox Valley and Lund. The Ayhos represents the balance of the work needed in order to progress further on this project. The sleeping face in the middle is that place we started from, and the two heads of the serpent are the supernatural forces that drive our work to wake up our language.