Global InformationTanana Athabaskans information
  Tanana River and Lower Tanana Athabaskan fish camp in the Chena, Alaska, June 1997. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States (Alaska) (majority); Canada (Yukon) (minority) | |
| Languages | |
| Upper Tanana, Lower Tanana, Tanacross, American English (Alaskan variant), | |
| Religion | |
| Shamanism (largely ex), Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Alaskan Athabaskans Especially Upper Kuskokwim |
The Tanana Athabaskans, Tanana Athabascans or Tanana Athapaskans are an Alaskan Athabaskan peoples of the Athabaskan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. They are the original inhabitants of the Tanana River (in Tanana languages Tth'itu', literally 'straight water', in Koyukon language Tene No', literally 'trail water') drainage basin in east-central Alaska Interior, United States and a little part (White River First Nation) lived in Yukon, Canada. Tanana River Athabaskan peoples are called in Lower Tanana and Koyukon language Ten Hʉt'ænæ (literally 'trail people'), in Gwich'in language Tanan Gwich'in (literally 'people of Tanana River').[2] In Alaska, where they are the oldest, there are three[3] or four[4][5] groups identified by the languages they speak. These are the Tanana proper or Lower Tanana (Kokht'ana) and/or Middle Tanana, Tanacross or Tanana Crossing (Koxt'een), and Upper Tanana (Kohtʼiin). The Tanana Athabaskan culture is a hunter-gatherer culture and have a matrilineal system. Tanana Athabaskans were semi-nomadic and as living in semi-permanent settlements in the Tanana Valley lowlands. Traditional Athabaskan land use includes fall hunting of moose, caribou, Dall sheep, and small terrestrial animals, and also trapping. The Athabaskans did not have any formal tribal organization. Tanana Athabaskans were strictly territorial and used hunting and gathering practices in their semi-nomadic way of life and dispersed habitation patterns. Each small band of 20–40 people normally had a central winter camp with several seasonal hunting and fishing camps, and they moved cyclically, depending on the season and availability of resources.[6][7][8][9][10]
Their neighbors are other Athabaskan-speaking peoples: in Alaska Koyukon (north and northwest), Gwich'in (north and northeast), Hän (northeast), Dena'ina (a little part of southwest), and Ahtna (south); in Canada Hän (northeast) and Northern and Southern Tutchone (east).[3] The language of the Upper Kuskokwim people more closely related to Lower Tanana language, but not neighbor.
- ^ "Alaska Native Language Center : Alaska Native Languages / Population and Speaker Statistics".
- ^ James Kari (1996). Names as Signs: 'Stream' and 'Mountain' in Alaska Athabaskan Languages. In Athabaskan Papers in Honor of Robert W. Young, edited by L. Jelinek, K. Rice, and L. Saxon. Pp 443–476. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press.
- ^ a b "The Map of Indigenous Peoples and Languages of Alaska". Archived from the original on December 10, 2012. Retrieved March 15, 2014.
- ^ Holton, Gary. 2010. Behind the Map: The reification of indigenous language boundaries in Alaska. Working Papers in Athabaskan Languages, ed. by S. Tuttle & J. Spence, 75–87. (Alaska Native Language Center Working Papers 8). Fairbanks: Alaska Native Language Fairbanks.
- ^ "Arctic Studies". alaska.si.edu.
- ^ Terry L. Haynes and William E. Simeone (2007). Upper Tanana ethnographic overview and assessment, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence. Technical Paper Number 325. [This overview of Alaska Native history and culture in the upper Tanana region in eastern interior Alaska focuses on the predominantly Northern Athabascan Indian villages of Dot Lake, Healy Lake, Northway, Tanacross, and Tetlin.]
- ^ Anne Shinkwin and Martha Case (1984). Modern Foragers: Wild resource use in Nenana village, Alaska. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence. Technical Paper Number 91.
- ^ Libby Halpin (1987). Living off the land: contemporary subsistence in Tetlin, Alaska. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence. Technical Paper Number 149.
- ^ Alaska Native Knowledge Network: Athabascans of Interior Alaska: 4th Grade Social Studies Unit: Appendix A. Written by Patricia H. Partnow
- ^ "athabascan indians". www.aaanativearts.com.