Did you know Háiɫzaqvḷa (Heiltsuk) is critically endangered?

ALSO KNOWN AS		Heiltsuk, Bella Bella, Heiltsuk-Oweek'ala, Belbellah, Heiltsuk-Oowekyala
CLASSIFICATION		Wakashan, Northern Wakashan
CODE AUTHORITY		ISO 639-3
LANGUAGE CODE		hei
VARIANTS & DIALECTS		Heiltsuk (Bella Bella) Oowekyala
DOWNLOAD		As csv
MORE RESOURCES		OLAC search
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS		Golla et al. (2008): It has two deeply differentiated dialects, or emergent languages, Heiltsuk (also known as Bella Bella) and Oowekyala. Heiltsuk is principally spoken in two communities, Bella Bella (population 1200) and Kitasoo (or Klemtu, population 370), the latter on former Southern Tsimshian territory. There are between 100 and 200 fluent speakers, none under the age of 35. First People's Cultural Council distinguishes two languages, Hailhzaqvla (Heiltsuk) [with 60 speakers] and 'Uik'ala/Oowekyala [with 6 speakers].

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Information from: “First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia” .

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
60
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
2,245
SEMI SPEAKERS
45
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
http://maps.fphlcc.ca/hailhzaqvla

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: British Columbia

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available
100-200
Native speakers worldwide
CHILDREN
0

TRANSMISSION
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT: Program at Simon Fraser University

PLACES: Canada;

PLACES: Canada;

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
66
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
2,530
SEMI SPEAKERS
50

DATE OF INFO: 2014 (FPCC)

MORE ON VITALITY

Speakers 25 and older. Also use English.

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

Local teaching program in Bella Bella. Dictionary.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: Central British Columbia coast, Bella Bella and Kitasoo villages, Rivers Inlet area.

26 fluent and 61 semi-speakers. 286 language learners
Native speakers worldwide
SEMI SPEAKERS
61

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
105
Native speakers worldwide

PLACES: Canada;

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
39
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
3330
SEMI SPEAKERS
170

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

1.2% fluent speakers, 5.1% semispeakers, 10.1% learners

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
7
Native speakers worldwide
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
Number of speakers for Oowekyala.

DATE OF INFO: 2000

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

The geographic separation between them is such that they are unable to sustain their language through regular interaction.

PLACES: Canada

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: British Columbia

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Four different localities

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
100-200
Native speakers worldwide
Ethnic population
1570
MORE ON SPEAKER NUMBERS
No speakers "under the age of 35."

MORE ON VITALITY

No speakers "under the age of 35."

PLACES: Canada;

LOCATION DESCRIPTION: On the coast of British Columbia south of Haisla and Coast Tsimshianic and north of Kwakiutl.

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available
300
Native speakers worldwide

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available
60
Native speakers worldwide
SEMI SPEAKERS
45

DATE OF INFO: 2014

SPEAKER NUMBER TRENDS

TRANSMISSION

MORE ON VITALITY

2.7% fluent speakers, 2% semispeakers, 11% learners.

OTHER LANGUAGES USED BY THE COMMUNITY

English

PLACES: Canada: British Columbia

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: British Columbia: Heiltsuk Nation (Bella Bella).

		2012	First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia							First Peoples' Cultural Council		http://www.maps.fphlcc.ca/		2012. "First Peoples' Language Map of British Columbia." edited by First Peoples' Cultural Council. Online: http://www.maps.fphlcc.ca/.		2,245	60		10-99	http://maps.fphlcc.ca/hailhzaqvla	45	247			Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Canada;	British Columbia	52.1200000, -127.8000000
		2007	North America	Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages	1-96	C. Moseley		London & New York: Routledge					Victor Golla	Golla, Victor. 2007. "North America." In Encyclopedia of the World's Endangered Languages, edited by C. Moseley. 1-96. London & New York: Routledge.	HHOLD		100-200		100-999					Program at Simon Fraser University	Endangered (60 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	13				Canada;
0199255911		2005	The World Atlas of Language Structures			Bernard Comrie and David Gil and Martin Haspelmath and Matthew S. Dryer		Oxford University Press	New York					2005. "The World Atlas of Language Structures." edited by Bernard Comrie et al. Oxford University Press.																Canada;		52.0,-127.5
		2016	Ethnologue: Languages of the World, 19th Edition (2016)			Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig	online	SIL International	Dallas, Texas			http://www.ethnologue.com		Lewis, M. Paul, Gary F. Simons, and Charles D. Fennig (eds.). 2016. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Nineteenth edition (2016). Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online version: http://www.ethnologue.com.		2,530	66	2014 (FPCC)	10-99		50		English	Local teaching program in Bella Bella. Dictionary.	Severely Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)		Speakers 25 and older. Also use English.			Canada;	Central British Columbia coast, Bella Bella and Kitasoo villages, Rivers Inlet area.
		2022	Report on the Status of B.C. First Nations Languages (Fourth Edition)									https://fpcc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/FPCC-LanguageReport-23.02.14-FINAL.pdf	Gessner, Suzanne, Tracey Herbertn and Aliana Parker				26 fluent and 61 semi-speakers. 286 language learners		10-99		61	286
	3rd	2010	Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger					UNESCO Publishing	Paris			http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas	Christopher Moseley (ed.)	Moseley, Christopher (ed.). 2010. Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, 3rd edn. http://www.unesco.org/culture/en/endangeredlanguages/atlas. (03 June, 2011.)	ll_pub		105		100-999						Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)					Canada;		52.1591,-128.1546
	3	2018	Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages					First People's Cultural Council		First Peoples' Cultural Council			Britt Dunlop, Suzanne Gessner, Tracey Herbert & Aliana Parker			3330	39		10-99		170		English		Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15	1.2% fluent speakers, 5.1% semispeakers, 10.1% learners	15
		2000	Oowekyala Segmental Phonology								University of British Columbia		Darin Howe	Darin Howe. Oowekyala Segmental Phonology. PhD thesis, University of British Columbia, 2000.			7	2000	1-9	Number of speakers for Oowekyala.		0			Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15	The geographic separation between them is such that they are unable to sustain their language through regular interaction.	15	Four different localities	Canada	British Columbia
		2008	North America	Atlas of the World's Languages	7-41	Chris Moseley and Ron Asher		Routledge	London				Victor Golla and Ives Goddard and Lyle Campbell and Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco	Victor Golla, Ives Goddard, Lyle Campbell, Marianne Mithun and Mauricio Mixco. 2008. "North America." In Atlas of the World's Languages, edited by Chris Moseley and Ron Asher. 7-41. Routledge.		1570	100-200		100-999	No speakers "under the age of 35."					Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)		No speakers "under the age of 35."			Canada;	On the coast of British Columbia south of Haisla and Coast Tsimshianic and north of Kwakiutl.
			World Oral Literature Project									http://www.oralliterature.org		"World Oral Literature Project." Online: http://www.oralliterature.org.			300		100-999						Endangered (20 percent certain, based on the evidence available)
		2014	Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages (2nd Edition) 2014				Website: http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)				http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC)	First Peoples' Cultural Council (FPCC). 2014. Report on the status of B.C. First Nations Languages (2nd Edition). http://www.fpcc.ca/files/PDF/Language/FPCC-LanguageReport-141016-WEB.pdf			60	2014	10-99		45		English		Critically Endangered (80 percent certain, based on the evidence available)	15	2.7% fluent speakers, 2% semispeakers, 11% learners.	15	British Columbia: Heiltsuk Nation (Bella Bella).	Canada: British Columbia

Háiɫzaqvḷa (Heiltsuk)

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100-200

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

66

26 fluent and 61 semi-speakers. 286 language learners

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

105

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

39

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

7

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100-200

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

300

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Discussion

Háiɫzaqvḷa (Heiltsuk)

Language metadata

Language information by source

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Endangered

60 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100-200

Severely endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

66

26 fluent and 61 semi-speakers. 286 language learners

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

105

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

39

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

7

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

100-200

Endangered

20 percent certain, based on the evidence available

300

Critically endangered

80 percent certain, based on the evidence available

60

Discussion

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