The Koyukon , Dinaa , or Denaa ( Denaakk'e : Tl’eeyegge Hut’aane ) are an Alaska Native Athabascan people of the Athabascan-speaking ethnolinguistic group. Their traditional territory is along the Koyukuk and Yukon rivers where they subsisted for thousands of years by hunting and trapping. Many Koyukon live in a similar manner today.
15-560: The Koyukon language belongs to a large family called Na-Dené or Athabascan , traditionally spoken by numerous groups of native people throughout northwestern North America . In addition, due to ancient migrations of related peoples, other Na-Dené languages, such as Navajo and Apachean varieties, are spoken in the American Southwest and in Mexico . The first Europeans to enter Koyukon territory were Russians , who came up
30-475: A century ago, when the language was far more widely spoken in daily life and the Koyukon people were living in a more traditional way. The use of the word, "Dictionary", in the title is perhaps misleading; the book is more similar to an encyclopedia, as it also is a record of the culture and traditions of the Koyukon people. The book includes traditional stories recorded by Catherine Attla and published in 1983 by
45-515: Is a census-designated place (CDP) in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , United States. The population was 78 at the 2010 census , down from 87 in 2000. The village is named for its first chief, Skidedlestalk “Old Steven” Stevens (1850-d. 1912~1920). Stevens Village is located at 66°0′19″N 149°6′11″W / 66.00528°N 149.10306°W / 66.00528; -149.10306 (66.005296, -149.103032), in
60-592: Is the geographically most widespread Athabascan language spoken in Alaska . The Athabaskan language is spoken along the Koyukuk and the middle Yukon Rivers in western interior Alaska. In 2007, the language had approximately 300 speakers, who were generally older adults and bilingual in English . The total Koyukon ethnic population was 2,300. Jules Jetté , a French Canadian Jesuit missionary , began recording
75-645: The Koyukon Athabaskan Dictionary. It was edited by James Kari and published in 2000 by the Alaska Native Language Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks . The Koyukon Athabaskan Dictionary is unusually comprehensive in terms of documentation of an American indigenous language, in part because Jetté's notes were of excellent quality and depth. In addition, he wrote about the language and culture nearly
90-685: The Koyukon population, who had no immunity to these new diseases. Relative isolation persisted along the Koyukuk until 1898, when the Yukon Gold Rush brought more than a thousand men to the river. They found little gold, and most left the following winter. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Koyukon people have inhabited their region for at least 1,000 years, with cultural roots there that stretch back thousands of years earlier. The Koyukon freeze lingonberries for winter use. Koyukon language Koyukon (also called Denaakk'e )
105-998: The University of Alaska Fairbanks. As of 1978 there were three Koyukon Language dialects (Lower, Central and Upper). Lower Koyukon was spoken in Kaltag and Nulato ; Central Koyukon was spoken on the Yukon River in the villages of Galena , Ruby , Koyukuk and part of Tanana , and on the Koyukuk River in the villages of Huslia , Hughes , and Allakaket ; Upper Koyukon was spoken at Stevens Village , Rampart , and part of Tanana . In 2012, Susan Pavskan reported: On Thursday evenings Denaakk'e (Koyukon Athabascan) classes are held at Yukon-Koyukuk School District offices in Fairbanks and Huslia . About 18 people from four generations attended Thursday over video-conference. At
120-461: The Yukon River to Nulato in 1838. When they arrived, they found that items such as iron pots, glass beads, cloth apparel, and tobacco had already reached the people through their trade with coastal Eskimos , who had long traded with Russians. An epidemic of smallpox had preceded them, causing high fatalities in the village. In subsequent years, European infectious diseases drastically reduced
135-447: The end of class, I demonstrated how MP3 sound files can be imported into iTunes then synced with iPads or iPods . The students demonstrated these to their parents and grandparents. The children's show Molly of Denali features the Koyukon language. Sounds are given in IPA with the orthographic equivalent in angled brackets: Plosives and affricates, other than the labial b and
150-589: The glottal ' , distinguish plain, aspirated and ejective forms. Other consonants include labial and alveolar nasals ; alveolar, velar and glottal fricatives ; and alveolar and palatal approximants . Again other than the labial m and the glottal h , these distinguish forms with and without voice . There are four full vowels in Koyukon: And there are three reduced vowels: Stevens Village Stevens Village ( Denyeet in Koyukon )
165-491: The language and culture of the Koyukon people in 1898. Considered a fluent Koyukon speaker after spending years in the region, Jetté died in 1927. He had made a significant quantity of notes on the Koyukon people, their culture and beliefs, and their language. Eliza Jones, a Koyukon, came across these manuscripts while studying, and later working, at the University of Alaska in the early 1970s. Working from Jetté's notes and in consultation with Koyukon tribal elders, Jones wrote
SECTION 10
#1732771776235180-817: The middle of the Yukon Flats . According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 11.0 square miles (28 km ), of which, 10.4 square miles (27 km ) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km ) of it (5.47%) is water. Stevens Village originally had been “Stevens Camp,” and was so listed in the 1900 Census. It next appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of Stevens. It returned again in 1920, and in 1930, it returned as "Stephens." From 1940–60, it returned again as "Stevens." In 1970, and in every successive census, it has returned as Stevens Village. It
195-430: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 35 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 2.9% were married couples living together, 31.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 54.3% were non-families. 45.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
210-401: Was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.63. In the CDP, the age distribution of the population shows 29.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 31.0% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 6.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 190.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 190.5 males. The median income for
225-415: Was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. As of the census of 2000, there were 87 people, 35 households, and 15 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 8.4 inhabitants per square mile (3.2/km ). There were 43 housing units at an average density of 4.1 per square mile (1.6/km ). The racial makeup of the CDP was 3.45% White , 95.40% Native American , 1.15% from other races . 6.90% of
#234765