Anchorage lies within Dena’ina Ełnena, the homeland of the Dena’ina Athabascan people and the Native Village of Eklutna. We’re grateful for their ongoing stewardship of this land and everything it holds.

For thousands of years, the Dena’ina people have called this place home.

The Indigenous Place Name Project is an effort to recognize the traditional names of prominent places in the Dena’ina Athabascan language. But it goes beyond just putting up signage. It fosters deeper appreciation and understanding of the people, cultures, history, and language of the area.

Aaron Leggett has been working to weave Dena’ina language into the city. As President and Chair of the Native Village, a Dena’ina scholar, and senior curator at the Anchorage Museum, he worked with community partners to add place names to parks and trails. Since then, 26 markers have been unveiled, with more planned in years to come.

Each marker includes metalwork created with oversight from artist Melissa Shaginoff. The metalwork depicts a Dena’ina men’s firebag, a piece of everyday kit vital to life, and two phrases Dena’inaq Ełnena Ch’tiyux “You are walking on Dena’ina land,” and Ye’uh qa ts’dalts’iyi “Living with the outdoors.” The specific placename and details on the translation and the significance of the location is on the marker as well.

As the number of markers continues to grow, finding one is easier than ever. Many markers are along the way during a whole range of outdoor activities; one more way that the story of Anchorage and our important places stretches across time.

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Visit Anchorage is the official source for Anchorage, Alaska and Southcentral Alaska travel information.