Gwich'in
The Gwich'in are a prominent subgroup of the Athabaskan Indigenous peoples, primarily residing in northeastern Alaska and northwestern Yukon. With a population estimated between 7,000 and 9,000 in the early 2020s, they inhabit small villages along major rivers, although some have migrated to urban areas like Fairbanks for better opportunities. The Gwich'in people have a rich oral tradition, claiming a history in their territories that spans up to 20,000 years. They consist of several nations based on geographic location, including the Vuntut Gwitchin in Yukon and various councils in the Northwest Territories and Alaska.
The Gwich'in encountered European settlers during the Alaskan gold rush in the 1890s, but their traditional culture remains resilient, particularly in smaller villages where Indigenous practices coexist with external influences. In the 21st century, they are actively engaged in preserving their language, Dinjii Zhuh K'yàa, and advocating for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is vital for the Porcupine caribou herd that supports their traditional lifestyle. The Gwich'in's commitment to cultural preservation and environmental stewardship highlights their deep connection to their land and heritage.
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Gwich'in
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREAS: Arctic, Subarctic
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Athabaskan
- LOCATION: Northeastern Alaska, Northwestern Yukon
- POPULATION SIZE: 7,000-9,000 (2020, The Canadian Encyclopedia)
The Gwich’in (formerly spelled Kutchin) people are the largest subgroup of the Athabaskan language family of Indigenous peoples in the north. They live mostly in small villages along the major rivers of Alaska and the Yukon, although many have migrated to the cities, principally Fairbanks, in search of a more viable lifestyle.
The Gwich’in live in communities scattered throughout Alaska, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories, where oral tradition holds that they have lived for “time immemorial or, according to conventional belief, for as long as 20,000 years,” according to the Gwich’in Council International website. The largest concentration of Gwich’in is in the Alaskan village of Fort Yukon. Their numbers are impossible to determine accurately, as few fill out the census forms they are sent. However, the Canadian Encyclopedia put the number of Gwich'in at between 7,000 and 9,000 at the beginning of the 2020s.
The Gwich’in people comprise several nations, distinguished largely by location. The Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation, whose name means “people of the lakes,” are the only nation to reside in Yukon, in the settlement of Old Crow. In the Northwest Territories, there are the Tetlit Gwich’in Band Council (“people of the headwaters”), who live in Fort McPherson; the Gwichya Gwich’in Council (“people of the flats”), in Tsiigehtchic; the Edhiitat Gwich’in Council (“delta people”), in Aklavik; and the Nihtat Gwich’in Council (“mixed nations”), a community of Gwich’in from various other nations, in Inuvik. In Alaska, the Gwich’in Nation consists of the Neets’aii Gwich’in (“residents of the north side”), in Arctic Village; the Dendu Gwich’in (“foothill mountain people”), in Birch Creek; the Draan’jik Gwich’in (“Black River Indians”), in Chalkyitsik; the Danzhit Hanlaih Gwich’in (“water flowing out of the mountains”), in Circle; and the Gwichyaa Gwich’in (“people of the flats”), who live in two communities, Fort Yukon and Venetie, on opposite sides of the Chandalar River.
The Gwich’in's first major encounters with White people occurred during the Alaskan gold rush of the 1890s, but except in Fort Yukon, which has a significant White population, the effects have been minimal. In the smaller villages, the Indigenous culture still survives alongside the White, Christian culture that has been imported. The Gwich'in remained committed to preserving their Indigenous lands and culture in the twenty-first century, with specific efforts to revive Dinjii Zhuh K’yàa, their endangered Indigenous language through the Gwich'in Social and Cultural Institute and the Gwich'in Language Centre. The Gwich'in are also strong advocates for the protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which is crucial to the Porcupine caribou herd on which the Gwich'in depend for their traditional way of life.
Bibliography
"About." Gwich’in Social & Cultural Institute of Alaska, gwichinlanguage.org/about. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Clark, Annette McFadyen. "Dinjii Zhuh (Gwich'in)." The Canadian Encyclopedia, 19 June 2020, www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/gwichin. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
"Gwich'in." Alaska Native Language Center, www.uaf.edu/anlc/languages-move/gwichin.php. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
"Gwich'in." Endangered Languages Project, www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/2441. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
"The Gwich'in." Gwich'in Council International, gwichincouncil.com/gwichin. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
"The Gwich'in Region." Gwich'in Land Use Planning Board, www.gwichinplanning.nt.ca/theRegion.html. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.
Holland, Eva. “For the Gwich'in People, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Isn't a Political Issue, It's Home.” Smithsonian Magazine, Dec. 2021, www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/gwichin-people-arctic-national-wildlife-refuge-180979001. Accessed 10 Dec. 2024.