Denaʼina


The Denaʼina, or formerly Tanaʼina or Kenai people, are an Alaska Native Athabaskan people. They are the original inhabitants of the south central Alaska region ranging from Seldovia in the south to Chickaloon in the northeast, Talkeetna in the north, Lime Village in the northwest and Pedro Bay in the southwest. The Denaʼina homeland is more than in area. They arrived in the south-central Alaska sometime between 1,000 and 1,500 years ago. They were the only Alaskan Athabaskan group to live on the coast. The Denaʼina have a hunter-gatherer culture and a matrilineal system. The Iditarod Trail's antecedents were the native trails of the Denaʼina and Deg Hitʼan Athabaskan Native Alaskans and the Inupiaq Inuit.
Their neighbors are other Athabaskan peoples and Yupik peoples: Deg Hitʼan, Upper Kuskokwim, Koyukon, Lower Tanana, Ahtna, Pacific Yupik, and Central Yupik.

Name

The name "Dena’ina" comes from two parts: dena meaning "person" and ina, the human plural marker in Dena’ina language means "the people", and is related to the autonym for the Southern Athabaskan Navajo people "Diné." The Denaʼina name for Cook Inlet is Tikahtnu meaning "Big Water River", "Ocean River" or Nuti meaning "Saltwater."

Culture

The Denaʼina are the only Northern Athabascan group to live near saltwater which allowed them to have the most sedentary lifestyle of all Northern Athabascans. The Denaʼina were organized in regional bands or Ht’ana, which were composed of local bands. The regional bands had several villages or qayeh, each containing multi-family dwellings called Nichił. Each Nichił was led by a qeshqa who Russian and American traders and religious referred to as "Chiefs."
Men and women in villages belong to their mother's clan. The clans were grouped into two sides or "moieties." Villagers could only marry outside of their own clan and moiety, maintaining diversity in the gene pool and strength in the village lineage.
Archaeological work suggests that the Dena'ina have occupied the Upper and Outer Cook Inlet areas for the last 1,000 years, migrating from the Mulchatna and Stony River areas, where they had lived for thousands of years prior.

Language and bands

Their traditional language, Denaʼina (Dena’ina Qenaga), currently has about 70-75 fluent speakers out of a total population of about 1,400. Denaʼina is one of eleven Alaska Athabascan languages. There are four primary dialects of Denaʼina :Inland / Lake Clark Denaʼina:, Qeghnilen, K’qizaghtetnu / K'qizaghetnu Hdakaq', Htsit, Nunvendaltin, Dilah Vena, Hek'dichen Hdakaq', Tanilen/Tanalian Point, Qizhjeh, Vałts'anaq', Vandaztunhtnu, Łiq'a Qilanhtnu ) - today: Lime Village, Village of Stony River, and Nondalton Village
  • * Nondalton Dena'ina or Nundaltinht’ana/Nuvendaltin Quht’ana - today: Nondalton VillageIliamna Denaʼina:, Tsayehtnu Hdakaq', Ch'ak'dalitnu/Nuch'ak'dalitnu, Nilavena, Nughilen, Chix Kaq', Vighutiztin Hkayitaghi'u )
  • * Iliamna Denaʼina or Nilavena/Nilan Vena Ht’ana - today: Village of Iliamna, Newhalen Village, and Pedro Bay Village CouncilUpper Inlet Denaʼina:, Niteh, Qiduk'ggat, Tsat'ukegh/Susitnu Qayeh, Tubughnenq', Ch'aghałnikt, Tuqen Kaq'Qayeh, Tsuk Qayeh, Benteh/Bentalit, Dashq'e, Ch'aniltnu Hdakaq', Tatik'niłtun Bena, Tudli Bena, K'enakatnu, Łajat, Nik'udatl'ech'a, Nuk'din'itnu, Skintuk'ełaha, Tak'at/Tak'at Qenuch'en, Nuch'ishtunt, Nen Ghiłgedi, K'dalkitnu, Dgheyaytnu, Dgheyey Kaq', Chanshtnu, Qin Cheghitnu
  • * Tyonek / Cook Inlet Denaʼina or Tebughna/Tubughna - today: Native Village of Tyonek
  • * Susitna Dena'ina or Susitnu Ht’ana
  • ** Alexander Creek Village Denaʼina or Tuqen Kaq'Qayeh Ht’ana - today: Alexander Creek Native Village
  • ** Susitna Station Denaʼina or Susitnu Qayeh Ht’ana / Yusdishla Qayeh Ht’ana - today: Native Village of Tyonek
  • * Rainy Pass Dena'ina or Shandala Nununk'dnilghuyna
  • * Yentna River Dena'ina or Yentnu Ht’ana
  • ** Lower Yentna Old Village Denaʼina or Tsuk Qayeh Qayeh Ht’ana
  • * Middle Susitna River Denaʼina or Dunʼena
  • ** Kroto Creek Denaʼina or Dashq'e Ht’ana
  • ** Montana Creek Village Denaʼina or Qiduk'ggat Ht’ana
  • * Talkeetna Mountains Ahtna-Denaʼina or Dghelay Teht’ana/Dzelyi Ht’ana
  • * Knik Dena'ina or K’enah Ht’ana - today: Knik Tribal Council
  • ** Eklutna Village Dena'ina or Idlughet/Eydlughe Ht’ana/Idluytnu Qayeh Ht’ana - today: Native Village of Eklutna
  • ** Matanuska Village Dena'ina or Niteh Ht’ana - today: Knik Tribal Council
  • * Turnagain Arm Dena'ina or Tutl'uht'ana - today: Knik Tribal Council and Native Village of Eklutna
  • ** Point Possession Dena'ina or Tuzqunt Ht’ana/Tuyqunt Ht’ana
  • * Western Ahtna-Dena'ina or Htsay Ht’ana / Hwtsaay Hwt’aene
  • ** Chickaloon Dena'ina or Nuk'din'itnu Ht’ana or Nay’dini’aa Na’ Hwt’aene - today: Chickaloon Village Traditional Council
  • ** Wasilla area Dena'ina or Benteh Ht’ana - today: Knik Tribal Council
  • ** Fish Creek-Knik Village Dena'ina or K'enakatnu Ht’ana - today: Knik Tribal CouncilOuter Inlet / Kenai Denaʼina :, Kahtnu Qayah, Sqilant, Qezdeghnen, Ts'eslahtnu, Angidahtnu, Unhghenesditnu, Tałin Ch'iłtant, Nihnalchint, Tsayehq'at, K'kaq', K'echan Dałkizt, Ggasilat, Quqegh Nik'eteleht, Tiduqilts'ett, Ken Dech'etl't, Ch'anilnat, Chunuk'tnu, Tikahtnu, Yaghenen )
  • * Kenai Dena'ina or Kahtnuht’ana/Nkahtnuht’ana - today: Kenaitze Indian Tribe
  • * Skilak Lake Dena'ina or Q’es Dudilent Ht’ana - today: Kenaitze Indian Tribe
  • * Kenai Lake Dena'ina or Sqilan Bena Ht’ana / Sqilant Ht’ana
  • * Kenai Mountains Dena'ina or Tsaht’ana - today: Seldovia Village Tribe
  • * Kenai Peninsula / Swanson River Dena'ina or Yaghanen Ht’ana/Yaht’ana/Yaghedna - today: Seldovia Village Tribe and Ninilchik Traditional Council
  • ** Nikiski area Dena'ina or Qeghnen Ht’ana - today: Village of Salamatof
  • * Kustatan and West-Lower Cook Denaʼina or Qezdeghtna/Qeydaghetna - today: Ninilchik Traditional Council
  • * Kasilof River Denaʼina or Ggasilahtnu Denaʼina - today: ''Ninilchik Traditional Council''

Dena’ina Alaska Native Regional Corporations/Alaska Native village corporations

Cook Inlet Tribal Council Chickaloon Village Traditional Council Native Village of Eklutna Kenaitze Indian Tribe Knik Tribal Council Ninilchik Traditional Council Salamatof Tribal Council Seldovia Village Tribe, Yupik, Chugach Sugpiaq Native Village of Tyonek
Alexander Creek, Incorporated Alexander Creek Native Village
Calista Corporation Lime Village
Bristol Bay Native Association Iliamna Village Council Newhalen Tribal Council, as Newhalen Village also part of the Alaska Peninsula CorporationNondalton Tribal Council or Nondalton Village
Pedro Bay Corporation Pedro Bay Village Council - also part of the Bristol Bay Native Association
Kuskokwim Corporation Village of Stony River Village of Aniak Native Village of Chuathbaluk Native Village of Georgetown

Namesakes

The city of Anchorage chose to honor the Denaʼina by naming the city's new convention center the Denaʼina Civic and Convention Center.

Notable Denaʼina people