Ahtna

The name Ahtena, also written as Ahtna and Atnatana, translates as "ice people." In some documentation the Ahtna have been called Copper Indians because of their ancestral homeland located in the basin of the Copper River and its tributaries in southeastern Alaska. The word for the Copper River in Ahtna is 'Atna' tuu" (tuu meaning water). Thus, "Ahtna" refers to the People of the 'Atna' River (i.e. The Copper River). The named Yellowknife has also been used in reference to the Ahtna's copper-colored knives; however, another tribe, the Yellowknives, are also referred to as Copper Indians.{{cite book|author=Carl Waldman|title=Encyclopedia of Native American tribes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WxomdGVLjZ0C|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-6274-4|page=3}}

The Ahtna are an Athabaskan languages speaking tribe of the Subarctic cultural area, which classifies them as both Athabaskan and Subarctic Indians. Depending on the community's location along the Copper River, dialectal differences may occur. The Lower Ahtna (Ahtna'ht'aene) are near the river's mouth which opens into the Gulf of Alaska, the Middle Ahtna (Dan'ehwt'aene) are upriver a distance, and the Upper Ahtna (Tate'ahwt'aene) live on the upper parts of the river. The Tanaina people of the west are their closest linguistic relatives. About 80 Ahtnas are believed to still speak the Ahtna language.{{cite web|url=http://www.uaf.edu/anlc/languages/aa/|title=Ahtna|accessdate=22 November 2011|work=Languages|publisher=University of Alaska Fairbanks|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120113050205/http://www.uaf.edu/anlc/languages/aa/|archive-date=13 January 2012|url-status=dead}} In 1990 a dictionary was published by university linguist James Kari, in order to preserve the language.{{cite book|author=Carl Waldman|title=Encyclopedia of Native American tribes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WxomdGVLjZ0C|year=2006|publisher=Infobase Publishing|isbn=978-0-8160-6274-4|page=4}} Several years later, the Ahtna People themselves published a noun dictionary of their language (The Ahtna Noun Dictionary of Pronunciation Guide: Ahtna Heritage Foundation/Ahtna, Inc., 1998, 2011 Revised).

File:Ahtna lang.png

About 2,000 years ago the Ahtna people moved into the area of the Wrangell Mountains and the Chitina Valley.{{cite book|author=Karen Jettmar|title=The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fqpw0kZuIRgC&pg=PT376|year=2008|publisher=Menasha Ridge Press|isbn=978-0-89732-957-6|page=376}} Prior to that, their ancestors moved into the area of the Upper and Middle Susitna area about 7,000 years ago.{{cite book |last1=Smith |first1=Gerad |title=Ethnoarchaeology of the Middle Tanana Valley, Alaska |date=2020 |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/347483694}}

In 1781 the Russians made it to the mouth of the Copper River. Over the course of years, Russians would try to go up the river only to be pushed back by the Ahtna. In 1819 the Russians built a post at the confluence of the Copper and Chitina Rivers, which was destroyed.

The United States purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867. A US military expedition led by Henry Tureman Allen in 1885 explored the Copper River and surrounding area.

There are four main dialect divisions and eight historic regional bands (tribal unions):{{Cite web |url=http://www.unm.edu/~bbmsl/naacm/subarcticarts.htm |title=Native American Tribal Arts & Architecture, SUBARCTIC ARTS |access-date=2011-03-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929073821/http://www.unm.edu/~bbmsl/naacm/subarcticarts.htm |archive-date=2012-09-29 |url-status=dead }} To take advantage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971, the Ahtna formed Ahtna, Incorporated. The organization is a for-profit entity that oversees the land obtained under ANCSA (The Native Village of Chitina (Tsedi Ná) is organized by the Chitina Native Corporation). 714,240 acres were allocated, consisting of eight villages:[https://www.ahtna.com/about/region-map/ Ahtna, Inc. - Ahtna Villages]

• Lower (Copper River) Ahtna or Atna Hwt'aene / Atnahwt'aene[https://uafanlc.alaska.edu/GIS/Ahtna/Ahtna%20Section%20Maps/pdfs/03%20ahtnapn2008pp37-156.pdf Ahtna Place Names Lists]{{Dead link|date=August 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (″People of the Copper River, i.e. 'Atna' River″)
• Chitina (Tsedi Ná) / Taral (Taghaelden) Band - today: Native Village of Chitina (Tsedi Ná)[http://chitinanative.com/ Chitina Native Corporation] (Athna: ″Copper River″. Population (2010 Census): 126; Current Population: 93 (Population Year: 2018))[https://dps.alaska.gov/AST/VPSO/OrgPages/CRNA Copper River Native Association]
• Tonsina (Kentsii Cae'e or Kentsii Na‟) / Klutina (Tl‟atii Na‟) Band - today: Native Village of Kluti Kaah (Tl’aticae’e or Tl‟atii Na‟) (Athna: ″Mouth of Klutina River″ or ″Undercurrent River″, formerly the Native Village of Copper Center, the village Tl’aticae’e (Copper Center). Population (2010 Census): 328; Current Population: 317 (Population Year: 2018))[http://www.klutikaah.com/ Native Village of Kluti-Kaah]
• Central Ahtna or Middle Ahtna or Dan'ehwt'aene
• Gulkona (C‟ulc‟e Na‟) / Gakona (Ggax Kuna‟) Band - today:
• Nativa Village of Gulkana (C'uul C'ena') (Athna: ″tearing River″, the village C'uul C'ena' (Gulkana). Population (2010 Census): 119; Current Population: 113 (Population Year: 2018))
• Native Village of Gakona (Ggax Kuna') (Athna: ″Rabbit River″; the village Ggax Kuna' (Gakona). Population (2010 Census): 218; Current Population: 203 (Population Year: 2018))[https://nvgakona.com/ Native Village of Gakona]
• Western Ahtna or Tsaay Hwt'aene / Dze Ta Hwt'aene (″People in the middle of the mountains, i.e. Nutzotin Mountains″, sometimes known as Hwtsaay Hwt'aene / Hwtsaay hwt'aene - ″Small Tree People, Small Timber People″)
• Tyone (″chief″) / Mendeltna (Bendilna) Band - today: Native Village of Tazlina (Tezdlen Na') (Athna: ″swift water″, the village Tezdlen Na' (Tazlina). Population (2010 Census): 297; Current Population: 263 (Population Year: 2018)){{Cite web |url=https://www.tazlina.org/ |title=Native Village of Tazlina (Tezlende) |access-date=1 March 2020 |archive-date=1 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301151336/https://www.tazlina.org/ |url-status=dead }}
• Cantwell (Yidateni Na‟) / Denali (Dghelaayce‟e) Band - today: Native Village of Cantwell (Yidateni Na') (Athna: ″Jaw Trail Creek″, English name: Jack River. Population (2010 Census): 222)[http://web.kpc.alaska.edu/denaina/index.html Kahtnuht'ana Qenaga: The Kenai Peoples Language - Dena'ina Territory and Place Names]
• Upper (Copper River) Ahtna or Tatl'a Hwt'aene / Taa’tl’aa Denaé (″Headwater People″)[http://www.mstc.org/ Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium (Kelt’aeni) - Tribal consortium of two federally recognized Tribes of Chistochina and Mentasta Lake]
• Sanford River (HwdinndiK‟ełt‟aeni) / Chistochina (Tsiistl‟edze‟ Na‟) Band[http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/ah.html Ahtna language, Chistochina Dialect] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121111213440/http://www.ynlc.ca/materials/lessons/ah.html |date=2012-11-11 }} - today: Cheesh-Na Tribe (formerly the Native Village of Chistochina (Tsiis Tl’edze' Caegge); Cheesh-Na means ″blue ocher River″, the village Tsiis Tl’edze' Caegge (Chistochina). Population (2010 Census): 97; Current Population: 88 (Population Year: 2018))
• Slana (Stl’aa Caegge) / Batzulnetas (Nataełde) Band - today: part of the Native Village of Mentasta (Mendaesde)
• Mentasta (Mendaesde) Band - today: Native Village of Mentasta (Mendaesde) (Athna: ″shallow lake″, the village Mendaesde (Mentasta Lake). Population (2010 Census): 112; Current Population: 128 (Population Year: 2018))

File:Native women near Copper Center, Alaska. Same source as photo ^966. - NARA - 297808.jpg, Alaska|alt=]]

In the summertime the Ahtna used temporary rectangular dwellings made of spruce and cottonwood. These structures had bark-covered sides and skin-covered entrances to provide access. In the wintertime, families lived in large semi-underground homes. As large as 10 feet wide by 36 feet long, these dwellings were constructed from wood and covered with spruce bark. Sometimes a second room was attached to be used for sweating rituals.

File:Ahtna Schrader.jpg

When traveling by water, moose-hide boats were used. In the wintertime, snowshoes and load-bearing toboggans were used. When traveling by foot and carrying goods, people, usually women, would use a tumpline. The tumpline was made of animal skin or cloth and was slung across the forehead or chest to support a heavy load on the back.

Traditionally the Ahtna hunted many different types of animals such as the moose, caribou, mountain sheep, and rabbits. Salmon was a staple, being caught with nets in rivers and streams. To support healthy prey populations, the Athna would monitor and reduce predator populations such as wolves, eagles and bears. For example, they would keep track of wolf dens in traditional hunting areas and by killing cubs. A central figure in their mythology, the Ahtna might prop up killed wolves and feed ceremonial meals to them. The Ahtna also gathered berries and roots.

The Ahtna were historically part of a trade network with other Athabaskans, the Alutiiq, and the Tlingit. They would barter furs, hides and copper, and eventually manufactured European goods after encounters with the Europeans. Trade meetings would take place three times a year at Nuchek on the Prince William Sound.

The Ahtna operate Ahtna, Inc., an Alaska Native corporation founded in 1971.{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/a-native-american-tribe-has-a-dollar800-million-contract-to-run-ice-detention-centers |website=The Daily Beast |title=A Native American Tribe Has a $800 Million Contract to Run ICE Detention Centers |first1=Justin |last1=Rohrlich |first2=Adam |last2=Rawnsley |date=6 July 2018}}{{cite news |publisher=AhtnaSTS |title=Welcome |quote=AhtnaSTS is a subsidiary of Ahtna Incorporated, one of the thirteen original Alaska Native Corporations (ANC) established by Congress in 1971 under the terms of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. We were organized as the natural business progression from the Simulations and Training Division of our sister company, Ahtna Development Corporation (ADC), who were themselves formed in 1975, and quickly began pursuit of government contracting opportunities. |archive-url=https://archive.today/20180707174530/http://ahtnasts.com/ |url=http://ahtnasts.com/ |archive-date=2018-07-07 |access-date=2018-07-07 |url-status=live }} Ahata has provided services to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Port Isabel Detention Center since at least 2008.{{cite news |publisher=U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement |title=Contract - Ahtna Technical Services - HSCEDM-08-D-00002 |quote=Services Provided: Operation of Detention Processing Facility at the Port Isabel Detention Center|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618172733/https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/contracts/hscedm-08-d-00002-ahtnatechnicalservicesinc.pdf |url=https://www.ice.gov/doclib/foia/contracts/hscedm-08-d-00002-ahtnatechnicalservicesinc.pdf |archive-date=18 June 2018}} The contract will earn Ahtna Technical Services (ATS) at least $800 million.{{cite web |page=9 |url=https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/sites/default/files/reports/DWN%20CCR%20Banking%20on%20Detention%20Report.pdf |title=Banking on Detention: local lockup quotas & the immigrant dragnet |publisher=Detention Watch Network |date=2015}}

• List of Native American peoples in the United States

{{Reflist}}

• Williams, Maria Sháa Tláa. [https://books.google.com/books?id=1qe5vzMqJW0C&dq=The%20Alaska%20Native%20Reader%3A%20History%2C%20Culture%2C%20Politics&pg=PP1 The Alaska Native Reader: History, Culture, Politics]. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press (2009). {{ISBN|0-8223-4480-7}}

• [http://www.ahtnaheritagefoundation.com Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110918060435/http://ahtnaheritagefoundation.com/ |date=18 September 2011 }} for the Ahtna Heritage Foundation
• [http://www.crnative.org Copper River Native Association]
• [http://www.asna.ca/alaska/research/slovar.pdf#page=20 Wrangell's 1839 Comparative Word-List of Alaskan languages] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119085022/http://www.asna.ca/alaska/research/slovar.pdf#page=20 |date=19 November 2012 }} (includes Copper River Ahtna)
• PARADISEC archive [http://catalog.paradisec.org.au/collections/ALB01 collection of Ahtna recordings]

{{Indigenous peoples of Alaska}}

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