Ä́’sía Keyi - Grandfather's Land
Kluane National Park and Reserve
Ä́’sía Keyi - Grandfather's Land
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Ä́’sía Keyi was written and performed for Kluane National Park and Reserve by Diyet van Lieshout, a member of the Kluane First Nation. The song, written in Southern Tutchone, shares the feelings and connection to the land of the First Nations peoples who have traditionally called the park lands their home. It reflects on their history of forced removal and final reconnection to the land that is now Kluane National Park and Reserve.
After consulting with members of both Champagne and Aishihik First Nations and Kluane First Nation, Diyet worked with Elders fluent in the Kluane dialect of Southern Tutchone to write the lyrics for the song and set it to music. The Southern Tutchone translation was done by Kluane First Nation Elder Lena Johnson. The lyrics for the song in Southern Tutchone with the English translation can be found below.
Southern Tutchone lyrics
Ä́’sía KeyiÄ́’sía keyi, nedį́shį̀ ka
dak’anuta du
Ä́’sía keyi, dach’ana
kwats’ä`n diyą ughą
yats’a säy na
Ä́’sía keyi, nakwats’än diyą
äju yats’a säy, ak’an
Ä́’sía keyi
nakwanich’i ū
A’hų tashäníthį
Kwänischis yadįnį
English Translation
Grandfather's LandGrandfather’s country
you take care of us.
Grandfather’s country you
were taken from us and
we cried for a long time
Grandfather’s country you
came back to us and
we don’t cry anymore
Grandfather’s country we
are happy to see you again
Thank you for everything
This song was originally commissioned for the soundtrack of the Kluane National Park and Reserve Visitor Centre video ‘Living Land’. It was also recently released as a track on Diyet’s 2018 album Diyet & the Love Soldiers http://www.diyetmusic.com/music/. Diyet has performed the song at various public events and live music performances.
Diyet is a contemporary singer/songwriter of Southern Tutchone, Tlingit, Scottish and Japanese ancestry. Born and raised in Lhùʼààn Mân Ku Dán keyi (Kluane First Nation country), Diyetʼs music and stories are deeply rooted in her Indigenous world view and northern life. She tours nationally and internationally with her band and is also dedicated to learning and keeping alive the traditional songs of her ancestors.
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