Saltwater Hank, an Indigenous roots artist from Prince Rupert, British Columbia, has released a new album - "Siip'nsk."
The album furthers his mission to preserve the Sm'algya̱x language (spoken in northwestern British Columbia and southeastern Alaska), the mother tongue of the Ts'msyen people.
Born in La̱x Kxeen with heritage from Txałgiiw, Maxłaxaała, and Gitwangak, Saltwater Hank was drawn early to Ts'msyen traditions.
Inspired by his great-great-grandmother, a revered songwriter, he aims to preserve Ts'msyen musical heritage.
"I care a lot about our language, with there being around 60 fluent speakers remaining, and none of those speakers are under the age of 70," Hank said.
"It's such a tremendous part of who we are as Ts'msyen people, how we see the world, how we interact with our environment. So that has become a part of me.
"Through reclaiming the language, I reclaim identity, and by having it be a huge part of my creative process, I get to express that."
His recent work focuses on mastering Sm'algya̱x, enriching his music with the language's vocabulary and idioms.
His previous album, "G̱al'üünx Wil Lu Holtga Liimi" (2023), sung entirely in Sm'algya̱x, leaned towards country and Americana.
It received praise from The Guardian and No Depression and since then, Hank's fluency in Sm'algya̱x has grown, enhancing the authenticity of his music.
Tracks like "Xgap'isgu" combine punk energy with traditional Ts'msyen elements, making his music accessible even to those unfamiliar with the language.
"'Xgap'isgu' means 'I eat the berries right off the bush,'" Hank said.
"I get a lot of enjoyment from using words that take an entire sentence in English to describe what they mean."
G̱a̱ni wila xga̱p'isgu
(I'm continuously eating berries from off the bush)
Txa̱l ga̱bu na iimg̱u
(I'm almost eating my whiskers)
Dzida hoyag̱ida sg̱a̱n smmaay 'nüün
(If you were like a blueberry bush)
Ksa duulayu dm hoyu ada wayi hagwil dm güültu
(My tongue is all I'd use, and well, I'm going to pick slowly)
Like the rest of the album, the song was recorded live in the studio, with all instrumentation and vocals captured in real time.
This approach highlights the tight interplay between guitarist-vocalist Hank, drummer Danny Bell (a Minnesota-born resident of the Lheidli T'enneh territory who's played with him since 2012), and bassist Melissa Walker of Prince George, making her final appearance with the trio.
The Saltwater Hank trio will showcase their new material on stage this summer, providing fresh storytelling opportunities for Hank, a skilled raconteur in any language.
He will be touring throughout July-September where dates can be found online.
Speaking on keeping his lineage alive, Hank says "I feel like I have a responsibility to pass it on."
"That's what all the elders say, that's how it's been since time immemorial. I feel lucky to be able to be a vessel for song."
"I feel like it's not really me that's behind all the songs that have come out of me; there's something bigger that I am fortunate to be a part of."
