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Who was the last Eyak speaker?
Chief Marie Smith Jones
Chief Marie Smith Jones, the last fluent speaker of the Eyak language of the Alaskan Indians, died Monday at her home in Anchorage. She was 89. Chief Jones worked diligently to preserve her native tongue and other indigenous Alaskan languages.
Why did the Eyak language go extinct?
The spread of English and suppression of aboriginal languages are not the only reasons for the decline of the Eyak language. The northward migration of the Tlingit people around Yakutat in precontact times encouraged the use of Tlingit rather than Eyak along much of the Pacific Coast of Alaska.
Who is Marie Smith?
She was born in Cordova, Alaska, was an honorary chief of the Eyak Nation and the last remaining full-blooded Eyak….
| Marie Smith Jones | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 14, 1918 Cordova, Territory of Alaska |
| Died | January 21, 2008 (aged 89) Anchorage, Alaska |
What language family is Eyak in?
-Eyak-Tlingit language
Eyak is not an Athabascan language, but a coordinate sub-branch to Athabascan as a whole in the Athabascan-Eyak branch of the Athabascan-Eyak-Tlingit language family.
When did the Tlingit exist?
The Tlingit people, whose name means “People of the Tides”, have a vast history; many speculate its origins dating as early as 11,000 years ago.
Is Eyak extinct?
With the passing of Marie Smith Jones (pictured above with linguist Michael Krauss) on January 21, 2008 Eyak became the first Alaska Native language to become extinct in recent history. …
Who speaks the Athabaskan language?
Reflecting an ancient migration of peoples, they are spoken by Native Americans in the American Southwest and the northwestern part of Mexico. This group comprises the six Southern Athabaskan languages and Navajo….Alaskan Athabaskan languages.
| Language | Ahtna |
|---|---|
| Population | 500 |
| Speakers | 80 |
| Percent Speakers | 16.0% |
Are Tlingit and Haida related?
The Haida Nation and the Tlingit Nation have existed as two separate and distinct people since time immemorial. This great land (Aani) known as Southeast Alaska is the ancestral home of the Tlingit and Haida people. All Haida and Tlingit clans are organized into two major moieties: Eagle and Raven.
Where do the Tlingit live today?
Southeastern Alaska
Around 17,000 Tlingit still reside in the state today, mostly in urban and port areas of Southeastern Alaska (with a smaller-but-still-significant population in the Northwest). They continue carrying on their own rich traditions while actively participating in Alaska’s present-day culture and commerce.
How do you say hello in Athabaskan?
The name Denaakk’e [də-nae-kuh] derives from the word denaa ‘people’ and the suffix -kk’e ‘like, similar’, thus literally meaning ‘like us’….Common Expressions.
| dzaanh nezoonh | hello |
|---|---|
| enaa neenyo | welcome |
| gganaa’ | good luck, friend |
Is Navajo an Athabascan?
With regard to language, Navajo and Apache are Athabascan languages which are related to the languages on the Northern Plains, particularly Sarsi, as well as languages spoken on the Northwest Coast (such as Haida), and California (such as Hoopa).
Is Inuit a Tlingit?
Alaska’s indigenous people, who are jointly called Alaska Natives, can be divided into five major groupings: Aleuts, Northern Eskimos (Inupiat), Southern Eskimos (Yuit), Interior Indians (Athabascans) and Southeast Coastal Indians (Tlingit and Haida). Alaska Native Language map.