You might not know that @alaskawx.bsky.social is one of a small number of Tanacross speakers.
August 24, 2026 at 2:59 PM
You might not know that @alaskawx.bsky.social is one of a small number of Tanacross speakers.
In honor of #InternationalWomensDay, three Tanacross Dene women who influenced my life more than they ever knew: top Irene Arnold and Isabel John, bottom: Laura Sanford and Isabel John (sisters). #Indigenous #Alaska
March 8, 2026 at 8:40 PM
In honor of #InternationalWomensDay, three Tanacross Dene women who influenced my life more than they ever knew: top Irene Arnold and Isabel John, bottom: Laura Sanford and Isabel John (sisters). #Indigenous #Alaska
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig "September" literally "time when leaves turn yellow"
xdít-tsiik "leaves on trees turned yellow", refers the landscape and not necessarily any one tree
nén’ tenh k’édz’ "autumn", the time when ground starts to freeze but before the snow
#Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
xdít-tsiik "leaves on trees turned yellow", refers the landscape and not necessarily any one tree
nén’ tenh k’édz’ "autumn", the time when ground starts to freeze but before the snow
#Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
September 7, 2025 at 8:52 PM
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig "September" literally "time when leaves turn yellow"
xdít-tsiik "leaves on trees turned yellow", refers the landscape and not necessarily any one tree
nén’ tenh k’édz’ "autumn", the time when ground starts to freeze but before the snow
#Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
xdít-tsiik "leaves on trees turned yellow", refers the landscape and not necessarily any one tree
nén’ tenh k’édz’ "autumn", the time when ground starts to freeze but before the snow
#Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Commonly seen winter birds in eastern Interior Alaska with their rightful Tanacross Dene names. Bird sketches courtesy @audubon.org #Dene #Language #Alaska #Birds
March 1, 2026 at 2:15 AM
Commonly seen winter birds in eastern Interior Alaska with their rightful Tanacross Dene names. Bird sketches courtesy @audubon.org #Dene #Language #Alaska #Birds
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Snowshoes are a technological marvel that allow northern Dene peoples to move across the land during the long winter. There is an ancient and intricate vocabulary associated with snowshoes.
aayh "snowshoes".
sh’ǎay’ "my snowshoes"
wu’ǎay’ "his/her snowshoes"
Snowshoes are a technological marvel that allow northern Dene peoples to move across the land during the long winter. There is an ancient and intricate vocabulary associated with snowshoes.
aayh "snowshoes".
sh’ǎay’ "my snowshoes"
wu’ǎay’ "his/her snowshoes"
March 29, 2026 at 9:34 PM
August 9, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Took a "Beginning Tanacross" language class at TCC in 2000 and from there I was hooked. Wound up working with elders in the Dot Lake/Tanacross/Tok area for years for my UAF graduate work.
August 24, 2026 at 3:33 PM
Took a "Beginning Tanacross" language class at TCC in 2000 and from there I was hooked. Wound up working with elders in the Dot Lake/Tanacross/Tok area for years for my UAF graduate work.
Molly from Denali with Tanacross Dene body parts. Like most Dene languages, body parts in Dihthâad xt’een iin aanděg’ always have to belong to someone or something.
shké’ "my foot"
nké’ "your foot"
ch'eké’ "something's foot, a foot"
shké’ ehts’iik "my foot hurts"
#Dene #Language #Alaska
shké’ "my foot"
nké’ "your foot"
ch'eké’ "something's foot, a foot"
shké’ ehts’iik "my foot hurts"
#Dene #Language #Alaska
November 17, 2024 at 5:12 PM
Han relations in Tanacross, Alaska for safe keeping. With his foresight, over a century later, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in are alive and thriving in Dawson. The gold rush is just a memory.
Photo: Unknown | University of Alaska Fairbanks
Photo: Unknown | University of Alaska Fairbanks
April 2, 2026 at 2:25 AM
Han relations in Tanacross, Alaska for safe keeping. With his foresight, over a century later, the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in are alive and thriving in Dawson. The gold rush is just a memory.
Photo: Unknown | University of Alaska Fairbanks
Photo: Unknown | University of Alaska Fairbanks
In my short time living in Alaska I've flown many miles in many planes in all sorts of weather.
Hell my first trip from Anchorage to Tanacross in 1976 was on the old Polar Airways, half the trip in a Cessna Skymaster and through Mentasta Pass in a 207.
/1
Hell my first trip from Anchorage to Tanacross in 1976 was on the old Polar Airways, half the trip in a Cessna Skymaster and through Mentasta Pass in a 207.
/1
February 8, 2025 at 10:27 PM
In my short time living in Alaska I've flown many miles in many planes in all sorts of weather.
Hell my first trip from Anchorage to Tanacross in 1976 was on the old Polar Airways, half the trip in a Cessna Skymaster and through Mentasta Pass in a 207.
/1
Hell my first trip from Anchorage to Tanacross in 1976 was on the old Polar Airways, half the trip in a Cessna Skymaster and through Mentasta Pass in a 207.
/1
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
tidaxdint̲h̲ek "the situation is bad"
shaa xéxúntsáath "it is difficult for me"
ts’ani’egt’eh "I'm angry"
😡😡
@gwandaii.bsky.social
tidaxdint̲h̲ek "the situation is bad"
shaa xéxúntsáath "it is difficult for me"
ts’ani’egt’eh "I'm angry"
😡😡
@gwandaii.bsky.social
March 26, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
tidaxdint̲h̲ek "the situation is bad"
shaa xéxúntsáath "it is difficult for me"
ts’ani’egt’eh "I'm angry"
😡😡
@gwandaii.bsky.social
tidaxdint̲h̲ek "the situation is bad"
shaa xéxúntsáath "it is difficult for me"
ts’ani’egt’eh "I'm angry"
😡😡
@gwandaii.bsky.social
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Tanacross has intricate ways of expressing how/where people walk:
ghihhaaɬ "I’m walking along"
tinilgaayh "get going, go out!"
xdaghins̲h̲ah "she/he walked down the hill"
netétthjáatiiɬ "she/he is walking quickly with a cane"
naxtetdék "they are walking around"
Tanacross has intricate ways of expressing how/where people walk:
ghihhaaɬ "I’m walking along"
tinilgaayh "get going, go out!"
xdaghins̲h̲ah "she/he walked down the hill"
netétthjáatiiɬ "she/he is walking quickly with a cane"
naxtetdék "they are walking around"
November 23, 2024 at 8:24 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
"Wind" is nearly always used as a verb in Tanacross Dene
ehts’eyh "it's windy"
xaghįhts’eyh "it became windy"
xághints’eyh "it was stormy" (frequent strong wind)
ehts’eyh mâay "whirlwind" Likely refers to a "dust devil"
xah xú’ dets’iik "there's a little wind"
"Wind" is nearly always used as a verb in Tanacross Dene
ehts’eyh "it's windy"
xaghįhts’eyh "it became windy"
xághints’eyh "it was stormy" (frequent strong wind)
ehts’eyh mâay "whirlwind" Likely refers to a "dust devil"
xah xú’ dets’iik "there's a little wind"
August 24, 2025 at 11:33 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Working wood:
tsets niɬdzedekt’ox "I'm splitting wood"
tsets dįhjaayh "you split wood for kindling"
tsets tinttheeɬ "you’ll chop the wood"
tsets ihtl’ęyh "I’m sawing wood"
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig tah tsets niɬdzedekt’úux "I usually split wood in September"
Working wood:
tsets niɬdzedekt’ox "I'm splitting wood"
tsets dįhjaayh "you split wood for kindling"
tsets tinttheeɬ "you’ll chop the wood"
tsets ihtl’ęyh "I’m sawing wood"
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig tah tsets niɬdzedekt’úux "I usually split wood in September"
September 26, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
taagos "trumpeter swan"
delgok "swan calls"
Taagos have been coming to Interior Alaska in spring since the Pleistocene to raise their chicks before leaving in August. In this difficult time, knowing there are 25,000 year old rhythms playing out is helpful to me.
taagos "trumpeter swan"
delgok "swan calls"
Taagos have been coming to Interior Alaska in spring since the Pleistocene to raise their chicks before leaving in August. In this difficult time, knowing there are 25,000 year old rhythms playing out is helpful to me.
April 9, 2025 at 3:25 AM
Tanacross #Alaska #Dene #Language
k’įį t’ą́ą’ xdít-tsiik "birch leaves turned yellow"
k’įį t’ą́ą’ xdeltthox "birch leaves are brown"
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig "month when leaves turn yellow" i.e.September
k'ah du' teddh tah natl’esnalgót "now it gets dark at night"
naxúlsóx "it is frosty"
k’įį t’ą́ą’ xdít-tsiik "birch leaves turned yellow"
k’įį t’ą́ą’ xdeltthox "birch leaves are brown"
Wunenh Ch’et’ą̌ą’ Dit-tsiig "month when leaves turn yellow" i.e.September
k'ah du' teddh tah natl’esnalgót "now it gets dark at night"
naxúlsóx "it is frosty"
August 23, 2026 at 8:58 PM
Tanacross Dene (eastern Interior Alaska): tl'ox chinaas̲h̲éth "tussock"
September 1, 2026 at 8:34 PM
Tanacross Dene (eastern Interior Alaska): tl'ox chinaas̲h̲éth "tussock"
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ "golden eagle"
Ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ S̲ǎa’ "March" literally "golden eagle month"
ch’etthaayh "red-tailed hawk"
Ch’etthaayh S̲ǎa’ "April" literally "red-tailed hawk month"
ch’etthaayh ɬonaat’ax "the red-tailed hawk is flying around"
@gwandaii.bsky.social
ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ "golden eagle"
Ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ S̲ǎa’ "March" literally "golden eagle month"
ch’etthaayh "red-tailed hawk"
Ch’etthaayh S̲ǎa’ "April" literally "red-tailed hawk month"
ch’etthaayh ɬonaat’ax "the red-tailed hawk is flying around"
@gwandaii.bsky.social
March 16, 2025 at 7:59 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ "golden eagle"
Ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ S̲ǎa’ "March" literally "golden eagle month"
ch’etthaayh "red-tailed hawk"
Ch’etthaayh S̲ǎa’ "April" literally "red-tailed hawk month"
ch’etthaayh ɬonaat’ax "the red-tailed hawk is flying around"
@gwandaii.bsky.social
ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ "golden eagle"
Ch’es̲h̲ǎan’ S̲ǎa’ "March" literally "golden eagle month"
ch’etthaayh "red-tailed hawk"
Ch’etthaayh S̲ǎa’ "April" literally "red-tailed hawk month"
ch’etthaayh ɬonaat’ax "the red-tailed hawk is flying around"
@gwandaii.bsky.social
In the Tanacross language area in the upper Tanana valley, there are two Dendîig Ndiig "Moose Creek" for creeks without names in Orth.
July 23, 2026 at 11:31 PM
In the Tanacross language area in the upper Tanana valley, there are two Dendîig Ndiig "Moose Creek" for creeks without names in Orth.
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Migratory birds have returned to Interior Alaska.
tsuugaay "small songbirds"
k’elaxdihtsogh "yellow warbler"
ché’ delgez "arctic tern"
kets’iht’ón’ "swallow"
ts’est’ûud "dark-eyed junco"
mehk’ą̂ąy "mew gull"
ntsiiɬ "northern flicker"
tsidaanmbiidh "crossbill"
Migratory birds have returned to Interior Alaska.
tsuugaay "small songbirds"
k’elaxdihtsogh "yellow warbler"
ché’ delgez "arctic tern"
kets’iht’ón’ "swallow"
ts’est’ûud "dark-eyed junco"
mehk’ą̂ąy "mew gull"
ntsiiɬ "northern flicker"
tsidaanmbiidh "crossbill"
May 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
saa "sun"
xesaadin'ąą "it's sunny"
xesaaghin’ąą "the sun rose"
nasaaghin'ąą "the sun set"
yitehkaayh "it's starting to become daylight"
natsaa’elxek "it's getting dark"
saa ndéeth "early spring", when days are rapidly lengthening but snowmelt has not started.
saa "sun"
xesaadin'ąą "it's sunny"
xesaaghin’ąą "the sun rose"
nasaaghin'ąą "the sun set"
yitehkaayh "it's starting to become daylight"
natsaa’elxek "it's getting dark"
saa ndéeth "early spring", when days are rapidly lengthening but snowmelt has not started.
March 14, 2026 at 11:24 PM
Tanacross #Dene #Language #Alaska
Winter gear:
xey ’eek "winter parka"
keech’ótl "mukluks"
ch’edzaat̲h̲éth keech’ótl "caribou legging mukluks"
dąą thetl "traditional fur pants"
des̲h̲oz jeyh "mittens with fur inside"
jeyh tl’ǔul’ "mitten strings"
wut̲h̲een niɬkeneet’eey "parka ruff"
’aayh "snowshoes"
Winter gear:
xey ’eek "winter parka"
keech’ótl "mukluks"
ch’edzaat̲h̲éth keech’ótl "caribou legging mukluks"
dąą thetl "traditional fur pants"
des̲h̲oz jeyh "mittens with fur inside"
jeyh tl’ǔul’ "mitten strings"
wut̲h̲een niɬkeneet’eey "parka ruff"
’aayh "snowshoes"
November 23, 2025 at 9:50 PM