Status of Ahtna Dene Language
Map: Copyright © 2011, Alaska Native Language Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage
Ahtna Athabaskan is one of the 11 Athabaskan languages spoken in Alaska, primarily in the south-central region of the state. The language comprises four regional dialects, namely Lower, Upper, Central, and Western. The Ahtna dialect system region encompasses numerous villages, as delineated in Figure 1. The Lower Dialect region encompasses Chitina, Lower Tonsina, Chistochina, and certain parts of the Copper Center area. The Upper Dialect region is home to Mentasta village, while the Central Dialect encompasses Tazlina, Gulkana, Gakona, and Copper Center. The Western Dialect comprises Cantwell, Mendeltna, Sutton, Tyone Village, Chickaloon, Valdez Creek, and, to some extent, Talkeetna.
It is essential to recognize the importance of the Ahtna language in Alaska's linguistic and cultural heritage. This language exhibits a remarkable diversity and complexity, as evidenced by its four regional dialects, which illustrate the unique dialectical characteristics and variations that distinguish Ahtna from other Athabaskan languages.
The Ahtna language is a vital component of Alaska's cultural heritage, and it is crucial to preserve and promote this language. By acknowledging the distinct characteristics of the Ahtna language and its regional dialects, we can better understand the importance of this linguistic heritage and contribute to its continued vitality.
The scope of this lecture is directed at the Western and Central regions, with particular emphasis on our village of Chickaloon, situated in the Western region. Regrettably, the last fluent speaker of the area, Katherine Wade, passed away in 2009. The Chickaloon Village was obliged to confront the challenge of fluency by identifying another proficient Ahtna speaker to carry on with the work. Jeanie Maxim of Gulkana and Markle Pete of Tazlina Villages, who are both Central Dialect Speakers, agreed to offer aid in the Chickaloon language learning. These venerable figures have provided numerous hours of language learning and insightful approaches that establish connections between the language and its profound import.
According to Kari (1990), the number of Ahtna speakers who are fluent in the language is fewer than 100, and all of them are over 40 years old. Sadly, the number of fluent speakers has declined even further, and at present, there are fewer speakers than before. Furthermore, all of the fluent speakers are aged over 70, and fewer than 25 of them reside in the uppermost regions of the Ahtna area (Krauss, 2007). It is evident that the Ahtna language is facing a significant decline, and the number of fluent speakers is rapidly decreasing.
According to specific estimates, all eleven Athabaskan languages spoken in Alaska are currently in decline. Specifically, it is believed that the languages are no longer being actively acquired by children (Krauss, 1998). Without taking radical measures to reverse this trend, it appears highly unlikely that any of the Alaska Athabaskan languages will be preserved for future generations. However, this conclusion is based on a static view of language maintenance. While it may be challenging to maintain the Alaska Athabaskan languages in their current forms and with their current range of uses, it may still be possible to relearn and utilize these languages in new forms and for new purposes (Holton, 2009).
Our community has recently implemented a new approach to language learning by merging the Ahtna language with the dialects spoken fluently by individuals from the upper Ahtna regions. Although there are concerns about using a different dialect in our area, our community has wholeheartedly embraced this process. However, acquiring the Ahtna language presents specific challenges. Ideally, language acquisition should occur in the home, where authentic language learning begins. Native speakers acquire language from birth through intergenerational transmission, a process that involves learning the sounds and meanings of words inherent to a particular culture (Lightbown & Spada, 2007). It is unfortunate that many fluent Ahtna speakers are over the age of 70 and are unable to travel. As a result, language learners living in other villages must travel long distances and often cannot devote adequate time to learning the language. Once our Elders pass away, the Ahtna language will disappear with them. As Baker (2011) notes, "A language dies with the last speaker of that language" (p. 41). It is critical to leverage the Funds of Knowledge, the rich resources of our communities, and reintroduce Native language communication among our children to propagate a new language for future generations.
The endangered nature of these indigenous languages presents numerous academic challenges. ** When a language has few speakers, learners must rely on other, often highly technical resources, such as dictionaries and recordings. Accessing these resources can require learning linguistics, essentially having to learning another language to learn their target language. Literacy has been vital to learning and teaching the Dena’ina and Ahtna Dene languages. Dictionaries, language systems, and learning materials have been developed, but many language learners (who just want to speak the language) resist or are not interested in learning these language systems of reading and writing.
Lack of literacy can be overcome by understanding how a person best learns and then encouraging that learning process. Creating new ways can be developed to construct linguistic terms from language concepts that are familiar to language learners.
Crucial to this is using relevant cultural thinking processes to convey these language concepts, such as Funds of Knowledge practices, in teaching, so that language learners have a familiar knowledge base as they approach the learning.
Getting students out of the classroom and having them experience cultural activities and real-life approaches to learning provides an environment where learners can utilize skills to learn. Concepts of cultural practices observed by learners and participants, such as cutting fish, cooking soup, hunting moose, picking berries, harvesting birch bark, sewing, or beading, can be deeply ingrained in the learning of words. Cope and Kalantzis (2009) revealed that our everyday lives can be explained through the use of multimodalities (many different ways to engage in learning activities, including hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, and experiencing). They state that we use many modalities throughout our day to learn and make sense of things (p. 13). Multimodalities can also support language learning in the classroom. Teachers and Language Learners can learn words and meanings by using dictionaries and recording them before the activity, and by absorbing the language transmitted through Master Language Speakers. They also ask questions and model for students how to answer in the language.
Another aspect that needs to be considered for language development and continuation is having Elders as teachers and as participants in the classroom. Having experts in the language brings Funds of Knowledge (FoK) that enrich the process. Funds of Knowledge are defined by González, et al. (2005) as knowledge from the community that is brought into the classroom. As language learners rely on written resources, developing new material must ensure that the material is not taken out of context. First language speakers grew up in the language and know language differently, not through literacy, so a written interpretation may not be the same as Native ways of knowing. González, et al., (2005) describe FoK as bringing the outside of the classroom to the classroom, which adds a rich, authentic, and comfortable atmosphere that may be familiar to students (p. 74). Having Elders in the classroom as part of the positive teaching allows students to learn to care for the Elders and for one another. Getting tea for the Elders, which is a sign of respect, or making sure they are comfortable are all values that can be demonstrated and can be acted upon instead of only talked about through the language.
It is essential to recognize the importance of the Ahtna language in Alaska's linguistic and cultural heritage. This language exhibits a remarkable diversity and complexity, as evidenced by its four regional dialects, which illustrate the unique dialectical characteristics and variations that distinguish Ahtna from other Athabaskan languages.
The Ahtna language is a vital component of Alaska's cultural heritage, and it is crucial to preserve and promote this language. By acknowledging the distinct characteristics of the Ahtna language and its regional dialects, we can better understand the importance of this linguistic heritage and contribute to its continued vitality.
The scope of this lecture is directed at the Western and Central regions, with particular emphasis on our village of Chickaloon, situated in the Western region. Regrettably, the last fluent speaker of the area, Katherine Wade, passed away in 2009. The Chickaloon Village was obliged to confront the challenge of fluency by identifying another proficient Ahtna speaker to carry on with the work. Jeanie Maxim of Gulkana and Markle Pete of Tazlina Villages, who are both Central Dialect Speakers, agreed to offer aid in the Chickaloon language learning. These venerable figures have provided numerous hours of language learning and insightful approaches that establish connections between the language and its profound import.
According to Kari (1990), the number of Ahtna speakers who are fluent in the language is fewer than 100, and all of them are over 40 years old. Sadly, the number of fluent speakers has declined even further, and at present, there are fewer speakers than before. Furthermore, all of the fluent speakers are aged over 70, and fewer than 25 of them reside in the uppermost regions of the Ahtna area (Krauss, 2007). It is evident that the Ahtna language is facing a significant decline, and the number of fluent speakers is rapidly decreasing.
According to specific estimates, all eleven Athabaskan languages spoken in Alaska are currently in decline. Specifically, it is believed that the languages are no longer being actively acquired by children (Krauss, 1998). Without taking radical measures to reverse this trend, it appears highly unlikely that any of the Alaska Athabaskan languages will be preserved for future generations. However, this conclusion is based on a static view of language maintenance. While it may be challenging to maintain the Alaska Athabaskan languages in their current forms and with their current range of uses, it may still be possible to relearn and utilize these languages in new forms and for new purposes (Holton, 2009).
Our community has recently implemented a new approach to language learning by merging the Ahtna language with the dialects spoken fluently by individuals from the upper Ahtna regions. Although there are concerns about using a different dialect in our area, our community has wholeheartedly embraced this process. However, acquiring the Ahtna language presents specific challenges. Ideally, language acquisition should occur in the home, where authentic language learning begins. Native speakers acquire language from birth through intergenerational transmission, a process that involves learning the sounds and meanings of words inherent to a particular culture (Lightbown & Spada, 2007). It is unfortunate that many fluent Ahtna speakers are over the age of 70 and are unable to travel. As a result, language learners living in other villages must travel long distances and often cannot devote adequate time to learning the language. Once our Elders pass away, the Ahtna language will disappear with them. As Baker (2011) notes, "A language dies with the last speaker of that language" (p. 41). It is critical to leverage the Funds of Knowledge, the rich resources of our communities, and reintroduce Native language communication among our children to propagate a new language for future generations.
The endangered nature of these indigenous languages presents numerous academic challenges. ** When a language has few speakers, learners must rely on other, often highly technical resources, such as dictionaries and recordings. Accessing these resources can require learning linguistics, essentially having to learning another language to learn their target language. Literacy has been vital to learning and teaching the Dena’ina and Ahtna Dene languages. Dictionaries, language systems, and learning materials have been developed, but many language learners (who just want to speak the language) resist or are not interested in learning these language systems of reading and writing.
Lack of literacy can be overcome by understanding how a person best learns and then encouraging that learning process. Creating new ways can be developed to construct linguistic terms from language concepts that are familiar to language learners.
Crucial to this is using relevant cultural thinking processes to convey these language concepts, such as Funds of Knowledge practices, in teaching, so that language learners have a familiar knowledge base as they approach the learning.
Getting students out of the classroom and having them experience cultural activities and real-life approaches to learning provides an environment where learners can utilize skills to learn. Concepts of cultural practices observed by learners and participants, such as cutting fish, cooking soup, hunting moose, picking berries, harvesting birch bark, sewing, or beading, can be deeply ingrained in the learning of words. Cope and Kalantzis (2009) revealed that our everyday lives can be explained through the use of multimodalities (many different ways to engage in learning activities, including hearing, tasting, touching, smelling, and experiencing). They state that we use many modalities throughout our day to learn and make sense of things (p. 13). Multimodalities can also support language learning in the classroom. Teachers and Language Learners can learn words and meanings by using dictionaries and recording them before the activity, and by absorbing the language transmitted through Master Language Speakers. They also ask questions and model for students how to answer in the language.
Another aspect that needs to be considered for language development and continuation is having Elders as teachers and as participants in the classroom. Having experts in the language brings Funds of Knowledge (FoK) that enrich the process. Funds of Knowledge are defined by González, et al. (2005) as knowledge from the community that is brought into the classroom. As language learners rely on written resources, developing new material must ensure that the material is not taken out of context. First language speakers grew up in the language and know language differently, not through literacy, so a written interpretation may not be the same as Native ways of knowing. González, et al., (2005) describe FoK as bringing the outside of the classroom to the classroom, which adds a rich, authentic, and comfortable atmosphere that may be familiar to students (p. 74). Having Elders in the classroom as part of the positive teaching allows students to learn to care for the Elders and for one another. Getting tea for the Elders, which is a sign of respect, or making sure they are comfortable are all values that can be demonstrated and can be acted upon instead of only talked about through the language.
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When I was learning to tan a moose hide, I experimented with various tanning methods, all while balancing my day job, family obligations, and other life responsibilities. I went through many ups and downs, and I had many doubts about completing this process. A tremendous amount of strength and stamina was required to complete the skin, and a fair amount of study was necessary to learn from what others had done. Ultimately, the most effective approach was the one the Elders had instructed me to follow. Their process was flawless, utilizing natural tools combined with the elements of weather. I also had many friends and family helping me, encouraging me to keep going, not to give up, and supporting me with their time and strength to finish.
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I compare this experience to my learning of a Native language. There are many different methods to learn a language available, but finding one that best fits my lifestyle, in line with how my Elders want me to understand, is vital to my language learning. I need to study and prepare beforehand, and have all my tools ready. I have experienced many ups and downs, along with doubts, but with my community supporting and pushing me forward, I would not have been able to finish.
Language learning can be work, but it can be the key that unlocks self-identity and links us to our past. As language learners, we must relearn to take back our language and not wait to have it given to us.
Language learning can be work, but it can be the key that unlocks self-identity and links us to our past. As language learners, we must relearn to take back our language and not wait to have it given to us.