Traditional place names embody the history of the Chugach Region and its people. The Indigenous Peoples of the Chugach Region lived there long before explorers came. Traditional Place names, in the native language, represent the ancestry, the origin and the traditional lifestyle associate with the place. Traditional place names were given to natural landmarks, trails, villages, smokehouses, and communities, primarily to help identify locations when traveling.

As the Sugpiaq and Eyak people began to settle in one area, the establishment of villages began to form. At the beginning of the 1900’s traditional migration was on the decline and over time it slowly stopped primarily due to the commercial fishing industry providing a reliable income. During this time the culture and heritage began shifting to a new lifestyle, primarily due to advances in technology resulting in a less-nomadic life.

Presently, the history of our culture and heritage is slowly drifting away with every Elder that passes. Elders in our community hold traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of our culture, history, and the establishment of communities and meanings behind names given to places. It is vital to document this wonderful wealth of our Elder’s TEK so we never forget.

The Traditional Place Names heritage kit focuses on traditional place names, meanings, history and geography within the Chugach Region. Knowing traditional place names helps connect and identify locations from oral stories or written history of ancestors and the traditional lifestyle.