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Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl
Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl (Alaskan dialect) is an interactive self-study program designed to help those curious about Haida and to help them be as familiarized as possible. It includes games, activities, and a picture glossary.
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Release Date:
Jun 11, 2024
Developer:
Publisher:
Da Ka Xeen

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Features
Single-player
Steam is learning about this game 
Languages:
Interface Full Audio Subtitles
English ✔

Early Access Game

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Note: This Early Access game is not complete and may or may not change further. If you are not excited to play this game in its current state, then you should wait to see if the game progresses further in development. Learn more

What the developers have to say:

Why Early Access?

“The scope of the game is to archive an endangered language and combine resources in an easy to use tool. I have about 10,000 translations in excel and have only gotten through about 5000 of them for showroom purposes. Early access will allow actual experts in the linguistic field to evaluate my representations before I call it 100% done and ready to get out of early access. For example, if a Haida linguist comes to me and says they have better conversations written down than the ones I used, I am likely to defer to their judgement as they are further on the linguistic path. The hope is that early access will allow learners to begin their linguistic journey, but also allow them to ask questions and provide feedback during the process. This feedback will mold how the game is ultimately portrayed.”

Approximately how long will this game be in Early Access?

“I don't want to be in early access for longer than six months but understand it could take up to a year. I don't want to delay release for that long either because learners could be utilizing this over the summer and learning their language.”

How is the full version planned to differ from the Early Access version?

“We plan to implement more audio features, as well as additional set of showrooms. The early access version will be the barebones foundation of the project whereas the official release aims to be a well rounded product with more added features than the early access release. The hope is that more experienced linguists would have feedback/criticisms that will influence the game design from early access to the final release.”

What is the current state of the Early Access version?

“Current state is that I have 1 and a half showrooms depicted with pictures. All other programming functions are ready to go such as my glossary and the games associated with it. The showroom is really just a "wouldn't it be nice" kind of thing. The EARLY ACCESS release is also my way of marking my 90 day mark for this project as I have put all of my time and energy into this these past few months.

It currently has a set of showrooms to view verbs as well as a showroom to view the first half of the Haida phrasebook. Additionally, there are games in the Haida language that gamers can play if the studying process is getting fatiguing.”

Will the game be priced differently during and after Early Access?

“No it will remain free to play as this was always meant to be a non-revenue generating project.”

How are you planning on involving the Community in your development process?

“I plan on involving the language community in a critical review process of how I portrayed the words and the easiest way for me to allow them to do this is to just post to early access on Steam and have them hop on and review in real time. Before March, I wouldn't have known how to onboard people but have since gotten more comfortable with the development process.”
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About This Game

Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl: The Language Saga Continues

Embark on a new chapter of language learning with "Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl," an innovative tool designed for those eager to dive into the rich heritage of the Alaskan Haida dialect, X̱aad Kíl. As I continue my journey as a learner, I am thrilled to share my discoveries and the visual connections I've made with Haida words. I am not of Haida heritage, but I still want Haida learners to have all sorts of tools and games at their disposal. This app serves as a bridge for self-study enthusiasts and supports educators by providing ready-to-use linguistic resources.

Enhanced Features of Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl:

  • Visual Learning: Each Haida word is paired with a carefully selected image to enhance recall and understanding. These are either vectorstock images or AI generated images.
  • Dictionary Search: Utilize the real-time search feature to explore words in the dictionary, with easy navigation to the glossary under the Haida alphabet tabs.
  • Verb Search: Access a comprehensive list of verbs and their forms, ideal for detailed verb studies and finding specific variants.
  • Interactive Games: Engage with various language games including a word find, 2D concept matching, 3D hidden object games, and memory matching to reinforce learning in a fun and interactive way.
  • 3D Interactive Area: Walk around in a fully immersive 3D environment, practicing simple call and response conversations to apply your learning in real-world scenarios.
  • Audio-Free Experience: Focusing on visual learning, this version is currently released without audio (aside from the alphabet widget). Until I seek help from the experts, I have no plan to insert Haida cues as I need to go back to Tlingit and start climbing that mountain.

A Personal Journey & Commitment:

My Tlingit name is Da Ka Xeen, born and raised in Juneau, Alaska, with deep roots in the Children of All Nations Dance Group under the leadership of Vicki Soboleff and the amazing Assistant group leaders who had to deal with me (Catherine, Renee, Linda). I am a Goldbelt/Sealaska shareholder and every time I received a distribution I bought more picture references for these projects. I am a tribal citizen of Central Council of Tlingit and Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. These experiences have fueled my passion for not only learning but also sharing our indigenous languages and making them accessible. It is because of these groups of individuals that I have roots to go back to and I am eternally grateful. The cambridge handbook on endangered languages indicates to me that we are on track, in terms of progressing from endangered to these languages will stand the test of time and flourish, to moving from analog to digital and I am hoping my apps can help assist in that process.

The Tlingit and Haida CBS Healing Center has been the most instrumental in my personal and cultural identity journey, inspiring me to not only contribute positively and return to our tribal community and my roots, but to also find healing and comfort in the learning process itself. "Let's Learn X̱aad Kíl" embodies this spirit of giving back, combining my learnings with a practical tool for others. Haw'aa for helping me find myself during our weekly therapy sessions and taking this from "my secret garden" to "a public park that all can enjoy."

Disclaimer:

I have diligently worked to categorize and present the Haida language in a lexical format. While every effort has been made for accuracy, this is a journey of continuous improvement. Updates and corrections will be made as needed to ensure the highest quality of learning material.

SOURCES USED:
Book - "Dictionary Of Alaskan Haida", Dr. J. Lachler
Book - "Alaska Haida Phrasebook", Dr. E. Lawrence

Until I know more about the dialects and which sources to pull from, I am sticking with Sealaska Heritage books they sell as those are tried and true for what I am trying to accomplish.

Join Us:

This app is more than just a learning tool; it's a companion in your journey to uncover the nuances of X̱aad Kíl. Together, let's keep the saga of learning and cultural exploration alive. Your journey into the Haida language starts here, and I am here to learn and explore right alongside you. Also, not a competitive person so if you are building something language related and want a good head start, please reach out and I will do my best to help you. The goal is making the languages more accessible and sharing tabular data can go a long way.

Haw'aa for considering walking this path with me. Let’s embrace the language and do everything in our power to create tools for endangered languages.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

I am using AI to generate images to be used for educational purposes along with vector stock images. Important note: I do not train AI models on Northwest coast art nor will I train it on the illustration work of tribal community.

System Requirements

    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: Windows 7 SP1, Windows 8.1, or Windows 10
    • Processor: Intel Core i3 or equivalent
    • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 or equivalent
    • DirectX: Version 11
    • Storage: 4 GB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
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