Terms of Address/Kinship

Gwáay.k’áang (the Haida nation) is comprised of two K’wáalaagang (moieties) Xúuyeis or Yáalaas Gúust and Guutaas or Ts’áakaas Gúust (Raven and Eagle moieties). Each K’wáalaagang is sub-divided into Clans (Name - gaagang).

Note: Make it a point to use these in every day communications.

  1. Íitl’aakdáa.  a Clan chief, "big boss who can’t give orders."
  2. T’áangat.  The steersman of a canoe, or tluu.
  3. Tawii.  Skáan’s son or male cross-cousin.
  4. Táwlaang. All my father’s sister(s) children.
  5. Xáldangaa.  to be a slave
  6. K’áwhlaa, Gúnaa.  Sit down, Dear boy.
  7. Náanaa.  Grandmother.
  8. Gwáay.k’aan.  People and Territory of Haida Nation
    Gwáay.k’aang. Eagle and Raven’s k’wáalaagang combined, clan
    Ḵ’wáalaagang. Moiety, either Eagle or Raven.
  9. K’iis Gwaay. Lava rocks fused together, old ones
  10. Náat Yáak’uu.  Uncle’s true nephew.

Family Members
Áw
Mother/Mother’s sister(s)
  • Áwaa or
  • Áwii
Áwaa do you want tea? Áwaa where are you going? This is my Áwaa.
Hadáa
Father (of a female), her father
  • Hadáa
  • Hal Hadáa
Hadáa do you want tea? Hadáa where are you going? This is my Hadáa.
Gung
Father (of a male)
  • Gungáa
Gungáa do you want tea? Gungáa where are you going? This is my Gungáa.
Gaagíi
Uncle (Mother’s Brother), his/her uncle
  • Gaagáa
  • Kaa
  • Hal Kaa
Gaagíi do you want tea? Gaagíi where are you going? This is my Gaagíi.
Sḵaan
Aunt (Father’s Sister), his/her Aunt
  • Hal Skaa
  • Skaaníi
  • Skaanaay
Skaaníi do you want tea? Skaaníi where are you going? This is my Skaaníi.

Sḵaan (Aunt), Sḵaanaay (a specific or the aunt). Your father’s sister. Pronounce "Ḵ" like you have a hairball you are trying to dislodge (like the "c" in Sss-Cough).  "My Aunt" is Dii sḵaan, and she is the sister of my father and the sisters of all his clan brothers. My mother’s sister is not only her biological sister but all the women in her clan who are of the same generation. The generation older than my mother is my grandmother. The children of my mother and all her sisters are my brothers and sisters and, the brothers of my mother and her sisters are Dii Ḵaa (My Uncle). My mother would refer to her sister as Dii Jaas and, if she is younger she is "dii dúunaay" (Dee Do neye). The same same term is used for "younger brother". Older Sister or older brother is "Dii K’waay". When addressing a group we begin with "Dii jaaslang (all my sisters) isgyaan (and) Dii K’waaylang (my brothers). Sometimes, "Dii Jaalang" (all my wives).

Brother - There are a number of terms used to denote one's brother, depending upon whether the brother is younger or older and, whether the speaker is a brother or a sister.

Dáa
Brother (of a female), her brother
  • Hal Dáa
  • Dáa or
  • Daayáa
Dáa do you want tea? Dáa where are you going? This is my Daayáa.
K’wáay
older Brother, his/her brother
  • Hal K’wáay
K’wáay do you want tea? K’wáay where are you going? This is my K’wáay.
Du’un
younger Brother / Sister, his/her brother/sister
  • Hal Du’un or
  • Du’unaay
Du’unaay do you want tea? Du’unaay where are you going? This is my Du’unaay.
Jáas
Sister, his/her sister
  • Jáasaay
  • Hal Jáas
Jáasaay do you want tea? Jáasaay where are you going? This is my Jáasaay.

*Note: The children of your father’s sisters are described as "... so closely related we can joke with each other real hard and we can’t get mad." Could include in-laws.

Tawíi
Cousin (father’s family), his/her Cousin
  • Dii Tawíi
  • Táwlaang (pl)
This is my Tawíi. I have many Táwlaang.
Guujáangaa
Daughter, his/her Daughter
  • Hal Guujáangaa
This is my Guujáangaa. She is my Guujáangaa
Git Íihlaangaa
Son, his/her Son
  • Hal Git Íihlaangaa
This is my Git Íihlaangaa. He is my Git Íihlaangaa

Note: This one gets a little complicated so we will restrict it to "my parents’ parents."

Chan
Grandfather and his brothers, his/her Grandfather
  • Hal Chan
  • Chánii or
  • Chánaa or
  • Chánaay
This is my Chánii.