Dena’ina Ełnena 

Now on view
Gottstein Learning Center, Second Floor, West Wing

Stretching from the Kenai Peninsula, reaching north beyond Talkeetna, and extending westward to the Upper Stony River, the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina people covers more than 41,000 square miles across Southcentral Alaska. For thousands of years, the Dena’ina have cared for and sustained this place, building deep relationships with the land and waters that surround us.

This installation of murals created by Iñupiaq artist and graphic designer Katie O’Connor highlights three locations of importance to the Eklutna Dena’ina of the Anchorage area: Susni Kaq’ (Susitna River) to the west, Dgheyaytnu (Ship Creek) to the north, and Idluytnu (Eklutna) to the east.

Near these murals are Dena’ina words that describe different aspects of the surrounding ecosystems. They are primarily drawn from the Upper Cook Inlet dialect spoken by the people of Eklutna. Indigenous place names offer more than geographic reference. They reflect cultural, environmental, historical, and spiritual understandings that continue to shape the region. Learning and using Dena’ina language honors the people who have called this area home long before it became known as Anchorage.