Łingít | |
|---|---|
 Chief Anotklosh of theTaku Tribe, wearing aChilkat blanket,Juneau, Alaska,c. 1913 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| United States (Alaska) | 22,601 (2020)[1][2] |
| Canada (British Columbia,Yukon) | 2,110[3][2] |
| Languages | |
| English,Tlingit, Russian (historically) | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity, esp.Russian Orthodox TraditionalAlaska Native religion | |
| Łingít "People of the Tides" | |
|---|---|
| People | Tlingit |
| Language | Łingít |
| Country | Tlingit Aaní |
TheTlingit orLingít (/ˈtlɪŋkɪt,ˈklɪŋkɪt/ ⓘTLING-kit,KLING-kit) areIndigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast ofNorth America. As of 2022[update],[4] they constitute two of the 231 federally recognizedTribes of Alaska.[5] Most Tlingit areAlaska Natives; however, some areFirst Nations in Canada.
Theirmother tongue is theTlingit language,[6] aNa-Dene language. Tlingit people today belong to several federally recognized Alaska Native tribes including the Angoon Community Association, Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes,[7]Chilkat Indian Village, Chilkoot Indian Association, Craig Tribal Association, Hoonah Indian Association, Ketchikan Indian Corporation, Klawock Cooperative Association, the Organized Village of Kasaan, the Organized Village of Kake, the Organized Village of Saxman, Petersburg Indian Association, Skagway Village, theYakutat Tlingit Tribe, and the Wrangell Cooperative Association.[8] Some citizens of theCarcross/Tagish First Nation in Yukon and theSitka Tribe of Alaska are of Tlingit heritage.[9]Taku Tlingit are enrolled in theDouglas Indian Association in Alaska and theTaku River Tlingit First Nation in Canada.
The Tlingit have amatrilinealkinship system, with children born into the mother'sclan, and property and hereditary roles passing through the mother's line.[10] Their culture and society developed in thetemperate rainforest of the southeastAlaskan coast and theAlexander Archipelago. The Tlingit have maintained a complexhunter-gatherer culture based on semi-sedentary management of fisheries.[11] Hereditary slavery was practiced extensively until it was outlawed by the United States Government.[12] The Inland Tlingit live in the far northwestern part of the province ofBritish Columbia and the southernYukon in Canada.
Their autonymŁingít means 'People of the Tides'.[13][14] The Russian nameKoloshi (Колоши, from aSugpiaq-Alutiiq termkulut'ruaq for thelabret worn by women) or the related German nameKoulischen may be encountered referring to the people in older historical literature, such asGrigory Shelikhov's 1796 map ofRussian America.[15]
The greatest territory historically occupied by the Tlingit extended from thePortland Canal along the present border betweenAlaska andBritish Columbia, north to the coast just southeast of theCopper River delta in Alaska.[16] The Tlingit occupied almost all of theAlexander Archipelago, except the southernmost end ofPrince of Wales Island and its surroundings, where the KaiganiHaida moved just before the first encounters with European explorers.[17]
The Coastal Tlingit tribes controlled one of the mountain passes into the Yukon interior; they were divided into three tribes: the Chilkat Tlingit (Jilḵáat Ḵwáan) along theChilkat River and onChilkat Peninsula, the Chilkoot Tlingit (Jilḵoot Ḵwáan) and theTaku Tlingit (Tʼaaḵu Ḵwáan:) along theTaku River.
Inland, the Tlingit occupied areas along the major rivers that pierce theCoast Mountains andSaint Elias Mountains and flow into thePacific, including theAlsek,Tatshenshini,Chilkat,Taku, andStikine rivers. With regular travel up these rivers, the Tlingit developed extensive trade networks withAthabascan tribes of the interior, and commonly intermarried with them. From this regular travel and trade, a few relatively large populations of Tlingit settled aroundAtlin,Teslin, andTagish Lakes, whose headwaters flow from areas near the headwaters of the Taku River.
Delineating the current territory of the Tlingit is complicated because they live in both Canada and the United States, they lack designated reservations, other complex legal and political concerns make the situation confusing, and their population is highly mobile. They also share territory withAthabascan peoples such as theTahltan,Kaska, andTagish. In Canada, the Interior Tlingit communities, such asAtlin, British Columbia (Taku River Tlingit),[18]Teslin, Yukon (Teslin Tlingit Council), andCarcross, Yukon (Carcross/Tagish First Nation) havereserves.[6]
Tlingits in Alaska lack Indian reservations because theAlaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) established regional corporations throughout Alaska with complex portfolios of land ownership rather than bounded reservations administered by Tribal Governments. The corporation in the Tlingit region isSealaska Corporation, which serves the Tlingit,Haida, andTsimshian in Alaska.[19]
Tlingit people participate in the commercial economy of Alaska, and typically live in privately owned housing and land. Many also possess land allotments from Sealaska or from earlier distributions predating ANCSA. Their current residences are within their historical homelands. Land aroundYakutat, south through theAlaskan Panhandle, to the lakes in interior Yukon, as beingLingít Aaní, the Land of the Tlingit.
The extant Tlingit territory can be roughly divided into four major sections, paralleling ecological, linguistic, and cultural divisions:
These categories reflect differences in cultures, food harvesting, and dialects. Tlingit groups trade among themselves with neighboring communities. These academic classifications are supported by similar self-identification among the Tlingit.
| Tlingit tribe | IPA | Translation | Village or Community location | Anglicized, archaic variants or adaptations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G̱alyáx̱ Ḵwáan | qaɬjáχqʰʷáːn | Salmon Stream Tribe | Yakataga-Controller Bay area | Kaliakh |
| Xunaa Ḵáawu | χʊnaːkʰáːwʊ | Tribe or People from the Direction of the North Wind | Hoonah | Hoonah people |
| S'awdáan Ḵwáan | sʼawdáːnqʰʷáːn | FromS'oow ('jade')daa (around),aan (land/country/village) because the bay is the color of jade all around | Sedum | Sumdum |
| Tʼaḵjik.aan Ḵwáan: | tʼaqtʃikʔaːnqʰʷáːn | Coast Town Tribe | northernPrince of Wales Island | Tuxekan |
| Laax̱aayík Kwáan: | ɬaːχaːjíkqʰʷáːn | Inside the Glacier People | Yakutat area | Yakutat |
| Tʼaaḵu Ḵwáan: | tʼaːqʰuqʰʷáːn | Geese Flood Upriver Tribe | Taku | Taku Tlingit,Taku people |
| Xutsnoowú (a.k.a.Xudzidaa)Ḵwáan | xutsnuːwúqʰʷáːn | Brown Bear Fort a.k.a. Burnt Wood Tribe | Angoon | Hootchenoo people, Hoochenoo, Kootznahoo |
| Hinyaa Ḵwáan | hinjaːqʰʷáːn | Tribe From Across The Water | Klawock | Henya, Hanega |
| G̱unaax̱oo Ḵwáan | qunaːχuːqʰʷáːn | Among The Athabascans Tribe | Dry Bay | Gunahoo people, Dry Bay people |
| Deisleen Ḵwáan: | tesɬiːnqʰʷáːn | Big Sinew Tribe | Teslin | Teslin Tlingit,Teslin people, Inland Tlinkit |
| Shee Tʼiká (a.k.a.Sheetʼká)Ḵwáan | ʃiːtʼkʰáqʰʷáːn | Outside Edge of a Branch Tribe | Sitka | Sitka, Shee Atika |
| Shtaxʼhéen Ḵwáan | ʃtaxʼhíːnqʰʷáːn | Bitter Water Tribe | Wrangell | Stikine people, Stikine Tlingit |
| Séet Ká Ḵwáan | séːtʰkʰʌ́qʰʷáːn | People of the Fast Moving Water | Petersburg | Séet Ká Ḵwáan |
| Jilḵáat Ḵwáan | tʃiɬqʰáːtqʰʷáːn | FromChaal ('food cache')xhaat ('salmon')khwaan ('dwellers'): Salmon Cache Tribe | Klukwan | Chilkat people |
| Áa Tlein Ḵwáan | ʔáːtɬʰeːnqʰʷáːn | Big Lake Tribe | Atlin | Taku River Tlingit, Inland Tlinkit |
| Ḵéex̱ʼ Kwáan | qʰíːχʼqʰʷáːn | Dawn Tribe | Kake | Kake people |
| Taantʼa Ḵwáan | tʰaːntʼaqʰʷáːn | Sea Lion Tribe | Fort Tongass (formerly) &Ketchikan (today) | Tongass people |
| Jilḵoot Ḵwáan | tʃiɬqʰuːtqʰʷáːn | Chilkoot Tribe | Haines | Chilkoot people |
| Áakʼw Ḵwáan | ʔáːkʷʼqʰʷáːn | Small Lake Tribe | Auke Bay | Auke people |
| Kooyu Ḵwáan | kʰuːjuqʰʷáːn | Stomach Tribe | Kuiu Island | Kuiu people |
| Saanyaa Ḵwáan | saːnjaːqʰʷáːn | Southward Tribe | Cape Fox Village (formerly) &Saxman (today) | Saanya Kwaan, owns Saxman Corporation, which owns Cape Fox Corporation |
The Tlingit culture is multifaceted and complex, a characteristic of Northwest Pacific Coast people with access to easily exploited rich resources. In Tlingit culture a heavy emphasis is placed upon family and kinship, and on a rich oratory tradition. Wealth and economic power are important indicators of rank, but so is generosity and proper behavior, all signs of "good breeding" and ties to aristocracy. Art and spirituality are incorporated in nearly all areas of Tlingit culture, with even everyday objects such as spoons and storage boxes decorated and imbued with spiritual power and historical beliefs of the Tlingits.
Tlingit society is divided into twomoieties, the Raven and the Eagle.[20] These in turn are divided into numerousclans, which are subdivided into lineages or house groups. They have a matrilineal kinship system, with descent and inheritance passed through the mother's line. These groups have heraldic crests, which are displayed ontotem poles,canoes, feast dishes, house posts, weavings, jewelry, and other art forms.[10] The Tlingits pass downat.oow(s) or blankets that represented trust. Only a Tlingit can inherit one but they can also pass it down to someone they trust, who becomes responsible for caring for it but does not rightfully own it.
Like other Northwest Coast native peoples, the Tlingit did practicehereditary slavery.[21]
Tlingit thought and belief, although never formally codified, was historically a fairly well organized philosophical and religious system whose basic axioms shaped the way Tlingit people viewed and interacted with the world around them. Tlingits were traditionallyanimists, and hunters ritually purified themselves before hunting animals.Shamans, primarily men, cured diseases, influenced weather, aided in hunting, predicted the future, and protected people against witchcraft.[22] A central tenet of the Tlingit belief system is the reincarnation of both humans and animals.[23]
Between 1886 and 1895, in the face of their shamans' inability to treat Old World diseases includingsmallpox, many Tlingit people converted toOrthodox Christianity.[24]Russian Orthodox missionaries had translated their liturgy into the Tlingit language. It has been argued that they sawEastern Orthodox Christianity as a way of resisting assimilation to the "American way of life", which was associated withPresbyterianism.[25] After the introduction ofChristianity, the Tlingit belief system began to erode.[26]
Today, some young Tlingits look back towards their traditional tribal religions and worldview for inspiration, security, and a sense of identity. While many elders converted to Christianity, contemporary Tlingit "reconcile Christianity and the 'traditional culture.'"[27]
The Tlingit people of Southeast Alaska and Western Canada speak theTlingit language (Lingít[ɬɪ̀nkítʰ]),[6] which is a branch of theNa-Dené language family. Lingít has a complexgrammar and sound system and also uses certainphonemes unheard in almost any other language.[28]
Tlingit has an estimated 200 to 400 native speakers in the United States and 100 speakers in Canada.[6] The speakers are bilingual or near-bilingual in English. Tribes, institutions, and linguists are expending extensive effort into revitalization programs in Southeast Alaska to revive and preserve the Tlingit language and its culture.Sealaska Heritage Institute,Goldbelt Heritage Institute and theUniversity of Alaska Southeast have Tlingit language programs, and community classes are held inKlukwan andAngoon.[6]
Tlingit tribes historically built plank houses made from cedar and today call them clanhouses; these houses were built with a foundation such that they could store their belongings under the floors. It is said that these plank houses had no adhesive, nails, or any other sort of fastening devices. Clan houses were usually square or rectangular in shape and had front facing designs and totem poles to represent to which clan and moiety the makers belonged.
Many Tlingit men work in the fishing industry while women are employed at canneries or in the local handicraft industry. These handicrafts include items like wood carvings and woven baskets which are sold for practical or tourist consumption.[29]
Various cultures of indigenous people have continuously occupied the Alaska territory for thousands of years, leading to the Tlingit. Human culture with elements related to the Tlingit originated around 10,000 years ago near the mouths of theSkeena andNass Rivers. The historic Tlingit's first contact with Europeans came in 1741 with Russian explorers. Spanish explorers followed in 1775. Tlingits maintained their independence but suffered from epidemics ofsmallpox and otherinfectious diseases brought by the Europeans.[2] The1862 Pacific Northwest smallpox epidemic killed about 60% of the Mainland Tlingit and 37% of the Island Tlingit.[citation needed]
Food is a central part of Tlingit culture, and the land is an abundant provider. Most of the richness of intertidal life found on the beaches of Southeast Alaska can be harvested for food. Though eating off the beach could provide a fairly healthy and varied diet, eating nothing but "beach food" is considered contemptible among the Tlingit and a sign of poverty. Indeed, shamans and their families were required to abstain from all food gathered from the beach, and men might avoid eating beach food before battles or strenuous activities in the belief that it would weaken them spiritually and perhaps physically as well. Thus for both spiritual reasons as well as to add some variety to the diet, the Tlingit harvest many other resources for food besides those they easily find outside their front doors. No other food resource receives as much emphasis assalmon; however,seal and game are both close seconds.
Halibut,shellfish, andseaweed traditionally provided food in the spring, while late spring and summer bringseal andsalmon. Summer is a time for gathering wild and tame berries, such assalmonberry,soap berry, andcurrants.[31] In fall,sea otters are hunted.[10]Herring andeulachon are also important staples, that can be eaten fresh or dried and stored for later use. Fish provide meat, oil, and eggs.[31] Sea mammals, such as sea lions and sea otters, are used for food and clothing materials. In the forests near their homes, Tlingit hunted deer, bear, mountain goats and other small mammals.
Genetic analyses of HLA I and HLA II genes as well as HLA-A, -B, and -DRB1 gene frequencies links theAinu people of Japan to someIndigenous peoples of the Americas, especially to populations on thePacific Northwest Coast such as Tlingit. The scientists suggest that the main ancestor of the Ainu and of the Tlingit can be traced back toPaleolithic groups inSouthern Siberia.[32]
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