NUXALK RADIO

BELLA COOLA, NUXALK

Nuxalk Radio Drops First Album Produced Entirely in Nuxalk Language

DEBUT ALBUM NUSXIMTA
NUSXIMTA COLLECTIVE

Nuxalk Radio is a group of Nuxalkmc (Nuxalk people) ages 8 to 67 years from the small remote coastal village of Bella Coola, Nuxalk, creating music entirely in the Nuxalk language in a variety of genres.

ABOUT

In celebration of the Nuxalk Radio Station’s 10 year anniversary, NuxalkRadio is released their debut album “Nusximta” (June 7, 2024) on all major streaming platforms. Created entirely in the Nuxalk language, this the first album produced by the Nuxalk Radio Records label.

The album is central to the Radio Station’s mission to help keep the Nuxalk language alive. Today, there are only four Nuxalk mc who speak Nuxalk as their first language. “This album was made for our people,” said Qwaxw. “It was meant to inspire ourselves and others to create songs in the Nuxalk language. That it can be done.”

Officially launched on June 21, 2014, the Nuxalk Radio Station is located in the small remote village of Q’umk’uts’ in Bella Coola, Nuxalk. The station has utilized various methods of teaching the Nuxalk language on-air and found that singing in the language is a great way to learn Nuxalk.In the album liner notes, Slts’lani (Banchi Hanuse), co-founder of the Nuxalk Radio Station and Executive Producer of the album explains, “For 10 years, the Nuxalk Radio Station has played Indigenous music in a variety of different languages from all over the world, but we have had little-to-no new Nuxalk music entirely in the Nuxalk language to broadcast on-air so we decided we needed to do something about it.”‘Nusximta’ features Nuxalk Radio hosts Tatala, Ximximana and Q’xta – also known as the local seasoned rapper Rollah Mack, Nuxalk Radio’s tech genius and radio host Qwaxw, Nuxalk land protector and musician Nuskmata (Jacinda Mack), Nuxalk chef Ximana (Nola Mack), Nuxalk language champion Staltmc Wilhpun, eight year-old girls Ts’ikwalhm and K’ipt who sang a song written by Umq’umklika, music prodigy Coastyn Hall on the piano and our token q’umskiwa (white guy) Randy Brook on wind instruments. Montréal music producer David Hodges provided guidance and assistance and artist and multi-instrumentalist Milan André Boronell produced the album. Nuxalk Radio’s co-founder Slts’lani (Banchi Hanuse) was the Executive Producer and brought the vision to life.

QWAXW

Qwaxw is a co-founder and technical manager of Nuxalk Radio Station. He is a past elected Chief Councilor for the Nuxalk Band Administration. He was raised as a commercial fisherman and is a Registered Professional Forester.

NUSKMATA (JACINDA MACK)

Nuskmata is focused on Indigenous land and water protection in her Nuxalk and Secwepemc homelands. Singer, songwriter and language-learner, she creates to follow the teachings, not the rules.

TATALA

Tatala is a Nuxalk Radio host and Nuxalk language coordinator for the Nuxalk Radio Station.

XIMXIMANA

Ximximana is co-host of the Nuxalk language-learning show It7Nuxalkmc the Nuxalk Radio Station.

XIMANA NOLA MACK

Ximana Nola Mack (Carrier, Nuxalk) is a chef and caterer with a passion for ayurvedic cooking and traditional Nuxalk foods.

TS’IKWALHM AND K’IPT

Are 8 year-old Nuxalk girls in grade 3 at Bella Coola Elementary School. These inseparable besties both take fiddle lessons, but are saving those skills for the next album.

WILHPUN – DEBORAH NELSON

Wilhpun is a Nuxalk language champion inspired by her father, Lhmtimut – Samuel Nelson, a fluent Nuxalk speaking Elder who freely shared his extensive knowledge of his language until his passing at the age of 91. Wilhpun, a former director of the Wuikinuxv Kitasoo Nuxalk Tribal Council, was the first Indigenous woman in ‘Canada’ to become a Journey person in Carpentry. Now retired, she continues to increase her own language level and provide support where possible to keep the Nuxalk language alive in Nuxalkmc (Nuxalk people).

ROLLAH MACK

Hip Hop artist Rollah Mack, also known as Nuxalk Radio host Q’xta, has a decade of experience crafting his lyricism and performing on stages. He is an established force on the Indigenous music scene.

COASTYN HALL

14 year old Nuxalk talent, Coastyn Hall is a classical and contemporary classical musician and composer. His main instruments are piano and violin. His musical influences are Franz Liszt with his Etudes and Liebestraums, Sergei Rachmaninoff with his concertos, Mozart with his sonatas and minuets, and John Williams with his film music. He is currently in the process of writing his third piano concerto and second Piano Sonata.

LISTEN HERE

QWAXW
NUSKMATA
TATALA AND XIMXIMANA
XIMANA NOLA MACK
TS’IKWALHM & K’IPT
WILHPUN
ROLLAH MACK

All photos by Banchi Hanuse


CONTACT INFORMATION

EMAIL: [email protected]
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/NuxalkRadioRecords
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nuxalkradiorecords/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@nuxalkradio
SOUNDCLOUD: https://soundcloud.com/nuxalk-radio
INTERVIEWS: [email protected]

Underwriters & Partners

  • Pacifica Network
  • Cars
  • Say Magazine
  • tdg
  • Native Voice One
  • PRX
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