Ḵ’uljaad G̱aanga,
Kilslaay G̱aanga,
Dii hltaax̱uulang ḵuya isis.
Dang ‘waadlux̱an G̱aaw hll kil ‘laa ga.
Ging.gang yahguudangs ‘ang.G̱a ḵaa ḵyang.G̱a G̱il ga.
Gidin Jaad hanuu dii kiiG̱a ga.
Erica Jean Reid yaads x̱aaydaga kihl gii.
Dii k’uustak ga.
Naa’Yuwans X̱aaydagaay ad uu dii ḵiiG̱awa ga.
Wiigaanaads id G̱an ḵ’uulaga.
Gidin Jaad dii awG̱a uu iijii.
Butch Ryan dii x̱aadG̱a uu iijii.
Il KilG̱adaga uu iijii.
X̱aayda kil hll sḵ’adaadG̱a dii.
Ah haay.yad dii X̱aayda G̱as ad dii guudang.ngaay ‘yuwan ga.
Haawa dalang ḵ’aay.ya ḵuuyas is.
Gina G̱an dalang unsids iid gii dalang t’aaslaas.
Dalang G̱an t’alang yahguudang gang.
Ginda da isdas ḵ’waayindaya, ga da isdayay sG̱uuna waagii kilxii gang ga.
Saa uu dang G̱iida.
Da isda hll.nga.
Gam ḵay.yinsdll G̱ang.
X̱aayda gwaaG̱alang yanjiihlii daagwii G̱asdll ga.
Dii k’uuga st’aawx̱uuga.
Assii G̱a dalang isis sG̱aawdagii dalang hll kil laa ga.
Gina hla kilsguuda gyin aa k’iiwaay G̱iisda da ḵaa G̱wa guu x̱aanuu gii ‘ahgan ḵ’aaysgiid dang.
Dii guudang.ngaay ‘yuwan ga.
Gud ad id daagwiiyah ga.
Women held in high esteem,
Chiefs,
My precious friends.
I thank you all for being here.
You show yourself respect by coming.
Eagle Woman is my name.
Erica Jean Reid is my English name.
I am an eagle.
The Big House People is my clan.
Wiiganaads is my Chief.
Eagle Woman is my Mother.
Butch Ryan is my Father.
He is Tsimshian.
I am learning the Haida Language.
Today I am Haida and I am feeling proud.
Thank you precious elders.
For leaving behind your knowledge.
We have respect for you.
What you do matters, all you need is to do it.
You are great.
You can do it.
Never give up.
The Haida Nation is getting really strong.
My heart is full.
I thank you all for coming.
If I say something wrong as soon as you walk out the door forget it.
I am proud.
Together we are strong.
This protocol speech was made possible by the work documenting the southern dialect of the Haida language by the fluent speaking elders of the Skidegate Haida Immersion Program. I am grateful to them for their time, energy and teachings.