Xaad Kíl

Xaad Kíl is the language spoken in the communities of Hydaburg, Craig, Kasaan and Ketchikan in Southeast Alaska. The Haida language does not have any demonstrable genetic relationship to any other language. There are only four remaining speakers in Alaska, and about 20 speakers on Haida Gwaii in British Columbia. There are two dialects: Northern and Southern. Alaskan Haida speak a subdialect of the Northern dialect called Kaigani Haida.

Northern Haida has a feature exclusive to just a few languages in the world, known as radical consonants. These consonants are articulated with the base of the tongue in the throat. Haida is taught at the University of Alaska Southeast and is supported by resources from the Sealaska Heritage Institute.