Tlingit Language Program - Greetings
It is always important to introduce oneself, which is to give your clan history, your background. Elders need to know who you are so that they can acknowledge the clan you represent and the other clans of your relatives. Always remember that when you stand before a group or when you go somewhere else you are representing not just yourself, it is your family, your grandparents, your clan, your community and your School.
A lot of non-native and American native people in the professional world are now giving their introduction of their heritage roots and they say it with dignity. They know where they come from. This is what you need to do. Say your clan history with dignity.
a. _________ yóo xat duwasáakw Lingit x’einax. (Tlingít name) Listen
b. _________ yóo xat duwasáakw Dleit Kaa x’einax. (English name.) Listen
c. _________ áyá xat. (Eagle- Ch’áak’ or Yéil -raven.) Listen
d. _________ áyá xat. (Clan; Gaanaxteidi, Kaagwaantaan, etc.) Listen
i. One can just say the sub clan and others will know where you come
from. Most Tlingits know that Gaanaxteidi is under the raven moiety or
Kaagwaantaan is under the eagle moiety. However, when you are in a
mixed group where there are non-native or other nationalities and
Tlingít elders, it will be appropriate to do the complete introduction.
e. _________ hít dáx áyá xat. (What clan house you come from. Frog, Bear, Wolf etc.) Listen
f. _________ Yadi áyá xat (or) xat sitee. (Father’s Clan) Listen
i. You always give honor to your father’s clan. In the Tlingít society in the
olden days, the fathers were of the opposite clans. However in today’s
culture we have changed and adapted, we now have double eagle
marriages, or double raven marriages. You still give honor to your
father’s people. Most likely he will be from another house.
g. _________ Dachxán áyá xat. (I am the grandchild of this clan. Or My
grandparent is ____________ clan.) Listen
i. You are talking about your mother’s side. If you want to tell others the
clan your father’s mother married into that is appropriate too, especially
if it is a different clan. Your dialog will change a bit here. You will have
to tell the audience whether it is on your mother’s side or your father’s
side. It is something that one needs to know in the Tlingít culture. These
are phrases students can expand into as they become comfortable with
the basic introduction.
h.___________ Dachxán áyá xat, ax Éesh (and/or) Tlaa yánaanax. (I am a grandchild of the _________ clan on my father’s side. If giving mother’s side this needs to be said twice on for father and one for mother’s side.) Listen
i. ___________ dáx áyá xat. (I am from _________. Town or the Tlingit name of an area.) Listen
