First-ory was created by Jesse Taylor, who is Haida from Hlg̱aagilda Llnagaay (Skidegate), and Kwakwaka’wakw from Ukwana’lis (Kingcome Inlet). Jesse grew up away from his communities and languages for extended periods during his younger years. As an adult language learner trying to teach himself his languages, Jesse struggles to hear the subtle differences between some sounds, which led to frustration one night while studying at not being able to differentiate or make some of the sounds.
“I started thinking about how important it is to have exposure to language at a young age and I was worried future generations of children may grow up facing the same challenges I did, especially for those growing up outside of our communities, which is one of many legacies of colonialism. I decided getting our languages in front of the current generation of babies was a task that I could dedicate myself to.”
First-ory is beginning with baby books, as it is during that time in a person’s development that is the most crucial for language development. However, the sentences are also simple for adult learners. Each book includes a QR code that links to audio of fluent speakers reading the story for reference or to play while flipping through the book.
The mission of First-ory is to
- Get as many sounds and media infront of children in their traditional language as possible
- Keep the media accessible to parents who might not be fluent
- Generate funds or resources for people and organizations doing language revitalization
A portion of every sale will be donated to language revitalization efforts, and more will be shared on our website when we are at that stage of development.
