Happy Friends/'Iiyus Siiye'yu. Songs and Activities with Hul'q'umi'num'

Congratulations Esther E Johnny! You have won our book contest! A big Huy ch q'u to each of you who liked and shared our page!

🎶 Where are you? — Ni’untsu! 🎶

�Our Ni’untsu song is even more than a fun “Peek-a-boo” game—it’s a beautiful way to bring Indigenous language and culture into everyday play with children.

“Ni’untsu” means “Where are you?” and helps build connection, curiosity, and early language skills.

Our Ni’untsu “Peek-a-boo” song demonstrates how the language adapts depending on whether a child is in or out of the room!

It’s perfect for diaper changes, transitions, or anytime you want to engage with little ones in a meaningful way - and great for older children too!

Want to learn the full song, plus ways to use it in your classroom or home?�🌟 Check out our Resource & Curriculum Guide at happyfriends.ca!� You'll find lyrics, language tips, cultural notes, and ideas to make each song part of your daily routine.

🎉 CONTEST ALERT! 🎉�

Win a copy of the award-winning book “Those Who Fell From The Sky” by Daniel P. Marshall!

We're passionate about strengthening the Hul’q’umi’num’ language—the first language of our area —and our website is full of helpful resources to support learners of all ages.

To help spread the word and reach more people in our community, we’re hosting a special giveaway!

Here’s how to enter:
1️⃣ Follow our page
�2️⃣ Invite 5 friends to follow our page
�3️⃣ Comment below this post with:
“Happy Friends 'iiyus siiye-yu' ”
💬 That’s it! You’ll be entered into the draw.

🗓 Winner announced on August 1st�📦 The book will be delivered on a mutually agreed date and location within the Cowichan Valley.

Already following us? Huy ch q’u / Thank you! Just invite 5 friends and comment to enter!

We hope you will spend some time exploring our website:
happyfriends.ca https://www.happyfriends.ca/

Let’s put into practice the knowledge and language elders have shared, and celebrate a strengthened community.
💬🌿

'iyus Hwulmuhw Mustimuhw Skweyul!
Happy Indigenous People's Day!

We are happy to announce we now have a Hul'q'umi'num' sounds page on our website (happyfriends.ca) that is available for not only laptop and desktop computers, but now, Cellular phones too! It is a quick reference guide. Here is the link... https://www.happyfriends.ca/video-1 The page looks like the photos below.

For more in-depth practice and detailed information about the language, go to the toolbar at the top and click on our "Additional Recordings (Sounds and Songs)" from your laptop or desktop computer.

More Hul'q'umi'num' language learning - for example, there are no sounds represented by letters b,d,g,j or z; those letters don't exist in Hul'q'umi'num'...

We have featured the sounds of letter a. Listen to the difference when the sound for letter y is added. To find this slide on our website and hear all the audio recordings go to the link below and scroll down to the diphthong section.

https://www.happyfriends.ca/additional-recordings

Please invite your FaceBook friends to like our page. Huy ch q'u!

Hul'q'umi'num' recordings by Mena Williams and Merle Seymour

Happy Friends/'Iiyus Siiye'yu feature Hul'q'umi'num' sound, aa.

To interact with and hear the full audio recording of the script in this post, go to our website by clicking on this link... https://www.happyfriends.ca/additional-recordings

Please invite your FaceBook friends to like our page. Huy ch q'u!

Hul'q'umi'num' recordings by Mena Williams and Merle Seymour

Happy Friends/'Iiyus Siiye'yu feature Hul'q'umi'num' sound.

To interact with and hear the full audio recording of the script in this post, go to our website by clicking on this link... https://www.happyfriends.ca/additional-recordings

Please invite your FaceBook friends to like our page. Huy ch q'u!

Hul'q'umi'num' recordings by Mena Williams and Merle Seymour

Happy Friends/'Iiyus Siiye'yu feature Hul'q'umi'num' sound.

To interact with and hear the full audio recording of the script in this post, go to our website https://www.happyfriends.ca/additional-recordings

Please invite your FaceBook friends to like our page. Huy ch q'u!

Hul'q'umi'num' recordings by Mena Williams and Merle Seymour

A big shout out to all who helped with our Hul'q'umi'num' Sounds project! To be found on our website happyfriends.ca under the heading "Additional Recordings (Sounds and Songs)."

We would love to hear how you are using these materials, please message us when you have given them a try!

Also, please invite your FaceBook Friends to like our page!

Much Appreciated! Huy tseep q'u/thank you all!

UPDATE: Little glitch fixed!
We are having some technical difficulties with our
happyfriends.ca website. We hope to have this rectified soon. Huy ch q'u for your patience.