The Heiltsuk language (pronounced: /ˈheil.ʦʊk/), also known as Bella Bella, is a dialect (or a sublanguage) of the North Wakashan (Kwakiutlan) language Heiltsuk-Oowekyala language that is spoken by the Haihai (Xai-xais and Bella Bella First Nations peoples of the Central Coast region of the Canadian province of British Columbia, around the commnities of Bella Bella and Klemtu, British Columbia. Bella Bella is the headquarters of the Heiltsuk Nation government. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... Wakashan is a family of languages spoken around Vancouver Island. ... First Nations is a term of ethnicity used in Canada. ... Central Coast Regional District is a regional district in British Columbia, Canada. ... Canada consists of ten provinces and three territories. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... Bella Bella is a village on the central coast of British Columbia, Canada. ... Klemtu is a village in the coastal fjords of British Columbia, Canada. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Official languages English Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seats  - Senate seats 36 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water  (% of total)  Ranked 5th 944,735 km² 925,186 km² 19,549 km... Heiltsuk (pronounced HAIL-tsuk) (also Bella Bella) is a dialect (or a sublanguage) of the North Wakashan (Kwakiutlan) language Heiltsuk-Oowekyala that is spoken by a few Haihai and Bella Bella First Nations peoples around Bella Bella and Klemtu, British Columbia. ...

Heiltsuk is considered to be a subdialect of Heitstuk-Oowekyala, which like neighbouring Haisla and Kwak'wala are part of the Northern Wakashan language group. The Haisla (also Xa’islak’ala, X̄a’islak̕ala, X̌àʔislak̕ala, X̄a’islak’ala, X̣aʔislak’ala, Xaislakala) are a First Nation people living at Kitamaat in British Columbia. ... Kwakwala is a Wakashan language spoken by the Kwakwakawakw and Laich-kwil-tach (Euclataws or Southern Kwakiutl) people of northern Vancouver Island. ... Wakashan is a family of languages spoken around Vancouver Island. ...

External links

• The Heiltsuk-Oweek'ala Language (YDLI)
• Bibliography of Materials on the Heiltsuk Language (YDLI)
• The Wakashan Languages
• Heiltsuk Nation Website
• Heiltsuk Tourism Website

Bibliography

• Boas, Franz. (1928). Bella Bella texts. Columbia University contributions to anthropology (No. 5).
• Boas, Franz. (1932. Bella Bella tales. Memoirs of the American Folklore Society (No. 25).
• Howe, Darin M. (2000). Oowekyala segmental phonology. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Ottawa).
• Mithun, Marianne. (1999). The languages of Native North America. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN (hbk); ISBN-X.
• Poser, William J. (2003). The status of documentation for British Columbia native languages. Yinka Dene Language Institute Technical Report (No. 2). Vanderhoof, British Columbia: Yinka Dene Language Institute.
• Rath, John C. (1981). A practical Heiltsuk-English dictionary with a grammatical introduction. Mercury Series paper, Canadian Ethnology Service, (No. 75). Ottawa: National Museums of Canada.
• Windsor, Evelyn W. (1982). Oowekeeno oral traditions as told by the late chief Simon Walkus, Sr. Hilton, S.; & Rath, J. (Eds.). Mercury series (No. 84). Ottawa: National Museum of Man.