Season's Greetings!

"Russdistvachxizax imis!" (Western Aleut)

"Agnik Alussistuaq!" (Yup'ik Eskimo)

"Atanipta Anniviana Quviasagitchi!" (Inupiaq Eskimo)

"Natukda Qizian Na'el Qanahdghalen!" (Tanaina Athabascan)

"Shayadiheini Taakw!" (Tlingit)

"E-Yok-Pe-Oh-Sh'Kah-Teh!" (Sioux)

Revised Michael Krauss Language Map [UPDATE]

Our interview with Jim Kerr, a co-creator of the new map

We've completed the filming stage of our ASDTube video promoting the new and improved Indigenous Peoples and Languages of Alaska Map, originally compiled by linguist Michael Krauss in 1974. Amazingly, the map's boundaries have remained unchallenged since the its completion; however changes in this most recent version include the addition of Siberian Yup'ik, change in ethnonyms (i.e., Deg Xinag), and the inclusion of Alaska Native place names. The new map was a joint project of UAA's Institute for Social and Economic Research and the Alaska Native Language Center. ISER has graciously donated copies of the map to Title VII, and we plan to distribute them to schools with a priority towards replacing old maps, and adding the new map to public spaces. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please contact us by clicking "contact" in the navigation bar.

To get a preview of the map, be sure to visit Alaskool's zoomable version here. For more information about the project, see ISER's July article, or download their flyer.

Dena'ina E/nena

Dena'ina E/nena (Dena'ina Homeland) has a website called Campbell Creek Interpretative Trails, explaining the history and cultural significance of the trails within the Municipality of Anchorage. The Dena'ina people of the Cook Inlet used the Campbell Creek for subsistence fishing long before Anchorage became a city. For more information click here.

Updates to the Michael Krauss Language Map

In 1974, linguist Michael Krauss published his authoritative Native Peoples and Languages of Alaska map, after fifteen years of research. Since that time, the map has become an instrumental teaching tool in classrooms and universities, and, has received no significant challenges or revisions.

This year, the Alaska Native Language Center (ANLC) at UAF and the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at UAA have released an updated version of the map, with new languages and the addition of Alaska Native place names. A zoomable version of the map is available on Alaskool.

At Title VII, we're promoting the release of the map with an ASDTube video. The video will include an interview with Jim Kerr, who assisted in creating the digital version of the map, and audio of native speakers pronouncing different place names. So far, we've had volunteers for Unangax, Tlingit, Yup'ik, and Gwich'in Athabascan, and Den'aina. Please contact us if you would be interested in taking part! We are looking for volunteers who speak the following:

• Inupiaq

• Koyukon

• Tanana

• Han

• Tanacross

• Upper Tanana

• Ahtna

• Alutiiq

• Haida

• Tsimshian

Please note that ASDTube is a platform only accessible to ASD employees, and requires a secure log-in. So any audio we record will only be accessible to District employees.

Title VII will be receiving approximately 200 copies of the new map from ISER. If you are interested in obtaining a copy for your school, please let us know! You can contact us by clicking "contact" in the navigation bar.

Our Mother Tongues: America's First Languages (website)

Our wonderful admin assistant Marilyn shared this amazing resource: the Our Mother Tongues languages project. Included on the project site is an interactive language map, the option to hear languages being spoken by native speakers, and the ability to send multi-lingual e-Card greetings! From Project Director Anne Makepeace:

So much of what is portrayed in the media about indigenous cultures focuses on loss and disappearance, but what is really happening in Indian country today is a vibrant cultural revival. The Wampanoag story moved me profoundly because it is a story of hope, of possibilities, of a community that was in many ways devastated by 400 years of contact taking charge of their history, their identity, and their culture by reawakening their language.

While the Wampanoag case is unique in that there had not been a fluent speaker for more than a century, thousands of Native Americans across the country are working to reclaim, revitalize, and perpetuate their heritage languages. Dedicated first language speakers and others are teaching their mother tongues to their communities with a special focus on the young, so that the deep knowledge embedded in their words and expressions will be heard and spoken by many generations to come.

 Be sure to check out the Alutiiq materials included on the site.