Why the Ts'msyen artist formerly known as Saltwater Hank is changing the name of his music project

The year 2025 brings big change for northern B.C. artist Jeremy Pahl, who has long shared his brand of Tsimshian folk and rock music under the stage name Saltwater Hank. 

But now, he said, it's time for a change. 

"It feels right. It feels, you know, like the shoe fits," he said. 

The new name: G̱a̱mksimoon (pronounced Gum-ksi-moan). In the Sm'algyax language, it refers to a weather phenomenon. 

The change, Pahl said, comes two years late — as his music has changed through the years, but the name Saltwater Hank stuck.

"I started in metal and then [moved] into the Saltwater Hank project, which was more focused on folk," he said.

"Moving into G̱a̱mksimoon, we're moving into a whole different era where all of the songs are in Sm'algyax language, and we're playing rock'n'roll now. So this should have happened two years ago, but it's happening now. Better late than not at all."

He spoke with CBC Daybreak North host Carolina de Ryk about the change and what it means to him. 

This interview has been edited for length and clarity. 

You've said this should have happened two years ago. What was it that delayed this process for you?

People already know the Saltwater Hank name and have seen me perform under that moniker for quite some time, and I was gaining a lot of momentum once the pandemic restrictions were lifted and people were performing in festivals and stuff. I didn't think it would be good to change the name then. I did think about it briefly, but I thought it would be a foolish move because then suddenly, people would be searching for me, and they wouldn't find me. 

Why is it important for you to do this, to put yourself out as you say, new name, new you, the sound that you have now and the person you are now?

I think the last remaining bit of English language that's in the musical project has been in the name. And it's not something that I intend to do with this project at all. I want to continue using Sm'algyax language for the duration of that and in my life and with this music.

What does it mean?