“Land is the gift of our ancestors and the guarantee of our right to continue our subsistence lifestyle. Land is the heart of our culture. Without land, we are nothing.”
– Harvey Samuelsen 1926 – 2004
“You can’t lose your culture as long as you are learning place names in your Native language.”
– Robert Charlie, Athabascan Elder
“Alaska’s place names should reflect and respect the rich cultural history of our state…”
– Alaska Governor Bill Walker, lauding the official recognition of the name Denali
Land Acknowledgement
Thank you to the Alutiiq/Sugpiaq, Dena’ina/Tanaina, and Yup’ik/Yupiaq peoples of Bristol Bay. We recognize the thousands of years of stewardship and acknowledge the people of the region as they continue to be the caretakers of the land. Quyana, Chin’an, Quyanaa!
News and Updates:
Ron Chambers Ron Chambers, of Southern Tutchone, Tlingit and Scottish ancestry, gifted the audience with traditional songs and dances to conclude the Alaska Native Place Names Workshop, held in Anchorage, Alaska,…
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Dr. Lawrence Kaplan Dr. Lawrence Kaplan, professor of Linguistics and Director of the Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and Ann Riordan, an independent scholar who has worked with…
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Gayle Miller Gayle Miller, director of academic programs for the Lower Kuskokwim School District, studies a map of Bristol Bay place names during a break at the Alaska Native Place Names…
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Hazel Faye Katuk Pebley Hazel Faye Katuk Pebley, Deputy Director, North Slope Borough, Department of Iñupiat History Language and Culture, reviews a map of place names during a break at the…
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Dr. James Kari Dr. James Kari, right, speaks with another attendee at the Alaska Native Place Names Workshop, in Anchorage, Alaska, April 29, 2015. Dr. Kari, a linguist and Professor Emeritus…
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