Embracing Culture and Language to Honor the Past and the Future
By Southcentral Foundation Corporate Communications
Dena’inaq Ełnena Ch’tiyux.
We are walking on Dena’ina Land.
To honor the language and culture of the Dena’ina Athabascan people, Southcentral Foundation named buildings in Anchorage in the Dena’ina Athabascan language. By incorporating Indigenous language in more of the places we live and work, we acknowledge the Dena’ina people, the original caretakers of this land who called this place home for thousands of years.
“Today, about half the entire state’s population lives within the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina,” Aaron Leggett, president of the Native Village of Eklutna said.
“When I was growing up in Anchorage, people didn’t know about Dena’ina,” Leggett shared. “Alaska Natives, even Athabascans, didn’t know much about our people who still live in this now urban place. I have called us invisible many times, but we are working to change that.”
When asked how SCF could better embrace culture in day-to-day operations, employees overwhelmingly shared a desire to incorporate language into the places where they work. With support from the Alaska Native Heritage Center Dene Cultural Advisory Committee, SCF explored how to do this in a thoughtful, respectful way. In preparation for the naming ceremonies, cultural specialists from the Traditional Healing Clinic blessed each building with song and prayer.
Embracing culture by reclaiming language supports whole-person wellness, a value SCF strives to honor throughout the Nuka System of Care.
“We know that connection to culture, to language, to land, is at the root of wellness for people, families, and communities,” SCF President and CEO April Kyle shared.
By embracing the culture of the land we call home, customer-owners can see themselves reflected where they receive health and related services. Future generations will see their culture and heritage reflected when entering SCF locations in Anchorage.
“I am really encouraged that SCF is honoring the local Dena’ina language and people,” Leggett shared.
SCF Vice President of Executive and Tribal Services Leanndra Ross shared insight behind the selection of the building names.
“The building names are meant to be a normal, authentic, relevant, and meaningful expression of the local Dena’ina language,” Ross said. “Some of the building names represent a function or activity that takes place in each location, some of them a gift, some of them a value. All of them are beautiful!”
Following the naming of Yagheli Shesh Qenq’a Anchorage Native Primary Care Center, Steven Holley leads the Ida’ina K’eljeshna dancers in a procession to the next naming ceremony. Southcentral Foundation employees and Tribal leaders joined together for two days of ceremonies to name SCF buildings in Anchorage in the Dena’ina Athabascan language.
Welcome words in many Alaska Native languages are prominently displayed in each building. Serving customer-owners from across the state, it was important for SCF to recognize as many Alaska Native cultures as possible.
“I hope that when I bring my kids to various services at Southcentral Foundation that they see Native languages and feel connected to their heritage. We are excited to grow our use of Native languages at Southcentral Foundation,” Kyle said.
As SCF expands this language reclamation effort, we hope to continue to learn and improve. It is thanks to the support and guidance of the Alaska Native Heritage Center Dene Cultural Advisory Committee and Cook Inlet Region, Inc. Tribal leadership that this effort is underway.
Learn more about the building renaming by visiting this page to hear the names spoken aloud and discover the meanings of each building.
