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Cultural and Historical Information
Background
The Native Village of Tanacross is an Athabascan Indian Community located on the bank of the Tanana River approximately 12 miles from the community of Tok, Alaska, and 90 miles west of the Canadian Border. Fairbanks, Alaska lies 200 miles to the northwest.
The Daendeh (Tanacross) People of the Tanana River Watershed have lived in and around this, "Traditional Use Area" for many centuries. Daendeh ancestors lived a semi-nomadic life, occupying and using a vast area of land. This "Traditional Use Area", as western science has labeled it, lies between what is now the Canadian Border to the east, the Delta River and Goodpasture River to the west and north, and the Copper River to the south, essentially as far north as was necessary to find moose and the migratory caribou. The Daendeh People alone had over 5,000,000 acres of subsistence land base used and occupied on a regular basis.
Archeological Dig in Tanacross' Traditional Use Area
Over the centuries, the village of the Daendeh People has moved several times, several ancient sites are known, and others remain to be located. The Ketchumstuk site, north of the current village, was occupied for several centuries. Once a thriving Village, disease and epidemics virtually wiped out the population.
In the 1800's, the Daendeh People relocated to Lake Mansfield. Though vacated during the early 1900's, it remains an important fish campsite and several village members have cabins there. Annually, the "Traditional Culture Camp" is held there giving the young and old an opportunity to learn from each other. The area around Lake Mansfield is a spiritual place for the Daendeh People. The last Traditional Chief for the Athabascan people; Chief Andrew Isaac is buried there.
The Daendeh People have a long history of being expert trappers and provided the traders who came and stayed on, with immense quantities of mink, fox, marten and muskrat furs. Some Daendeh People still continue this tradition and make an effort to teach these skills to willing students.
In the early 1900's, the U.S. Army laid an under water telegraph cable from the lower 48 to the Port of Valdez, extending to the Tanana River. Where the trail and telegraph crossed the Tanana River was known as "Tanana Crossing". The BIA School petitioned the Bureau of Place Names to change the name of Tanana Crossing to Tanacross. This is the area where the people relocated and became known as Tanacross. The Episcopal Church had built a church at this site in 1912 and this, in part was reason for the move.
Due to frequent flood events and resulting unsanitary conditions the community implemented plans to move to the south side of the Tanana River. The plans to relocate started in 1962. By 1970, most of the residents had moved to the south side of the Tanana River.
History
Tanacross is located 12 miles north west of Tok and is connected to the Alaska Highway by a 1.5 mile unpaved access road. The village lies on the south bank of the Tanana River. Many early-day residents relocated to Tanacross, known then as Tanana Crossing, from Mansfield Village, which was located 6 miles northwest of Tanacross. Some of the families relocated to Tanacross due to the easier river access, which was necessary for their trading expeditions. Approximately 400 people resided in Mansfield area before 1900.
Old Village "Tanana Crossing" on the North Side of the Tanana River
In the early 1970's the village was moved once more to the south side of the river near the airfield. By 1976, everyone who lived in the old village moved out permanently. In April 1979, the old village was almost completely destroyed when a grass fire spread out of control and only four houses were saved. Many of the residents felt that they lost a part of their lives since so much of their ancestral belongings were lost in the fire. Especially missed are the family mementos of Chief Walter Isaacs, which can never be replaced.
The struggle for land claims in Tanacross dates back to the 1950's when Tanacross filed a claim for its traditional hunting areas with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The claim was rejected in November of 1961. A protest filed by the village with the Secretary of Interior was never acted upon. In 1964, the State of Alaska filed for lands all around Tanacross. The State planned to sell recreational lots on nearby George Lake, at that time claimed by the Native Village of Tanacross and later claimed by Dot Lake Village. Chief Andrew Isaac then filed for a blanket claim on all the lands surrounding Tanacross.
As a result of the settlement of Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971, the Native Village of Tanacross established a for-profit village corporation, Tanacross, Inc. Tanacross Inc., was entitled to select just over 92,000 acres of land.
Most of the acreage selected by Tanacross, Inc. surrounds the Village and includes lands that are of greatest importance for subsistence activities. However, Tanacross, Inc. selected extensive holdings with highway frontage. Tanacross, Inc., thus has land holdings along the highway in Central Tok, the largest community in the area; on the western edge of Tok; and on the eastern edge of Tok at Tok Junction, where the highways from Anchorage and Fairbanks join together before passing through Tok and continuing on the Canadian border. Tanacross, Inc., has maintained a conservative investment policy and has thus far avoided the risky investments that have plagued so many native corporations in Alaska.
Tanacross, Inc. a for - profit Native corporation holds the land and corporate assets for Tanacross, Tanacross, Inc. has native shareholders, most of whom live in Tanacross. A growing number of shareholders live elsewhere. The governing body of the village is the Tanacross Village Council and Indian Reorganization Act (IRA) government incorporated by the federal government in 1942. The council is a government with sovereign powers to govern on "Indian Country" a concept being defined in Alaska through the federal courts. The council has seven members elected by the native residents for three-year terms.
Historical Photos
Canoeing along the Tanana River
Silas Henry and Liza
Tanacross Traditions
Tanacross Natives are proud of their cultural traditions. Traditional foods such as moose, caribou, rabbit, fish, ducks, muskrat, spruce root and wild berries are just a few important foods. These foods are an important part of their diet and the elders prefer them to the white man's (non gled) food.
Mukluks, moccasins, mittens and hats are made out of the skins and furs from the animals that they trap and hunt. When they kill an animal, none of it goes to waste. Even the stomach, head, liver, kidneys and tongue are used.
1970's Potlatch
A potlatch is given to honor someone, or to celebrate the first kill of small or large game. Potlatches are also given to show respect for a loved one who has passed on, or in honor of a family member. Potlatches generally last about three days. Food, dancing, singing and visiting are all a part of the potlatch ceremony. On the third day gifts are given to the visiting guests who traveled from the surrounding villages as well as from our neighboring country, Canada.
Tanacross Services
In 1979, the Tanacross Elementary School was completed for grades K-8. For grades 9-12, students commute to Tok High School. The Tanacross School is operated by the Alaska Gateway School District. There is one teacher and one Native Teachers Aide. Enrollment as of the 2001-2002 school year is 13 students. Basketball is a very popular extracurricular activity that the whole village participates in and they really support their local team. The students also go snowmachineing, sledding, trapping, have a choir and make traditional native crafts.
Public facilities in the Village include a school, Laundromat, contract Post Office, Fire Station, Community Hall, Tribal Government Office, Health Aide Clinic and an Episcopal Church. There are no retail stores in the Village, the nearest one being in Tok, 12 miles away.
A new clinic was built in 1978. It is open 6 hours daily. The Health Aides are Mrs. Diane Titus and Ms. Lisa Isaac. The Aides are chosen by the Tanacross Village Council and have to complete Emergency Trauma Technician (ETT) and Certified Health Aide (CHA) training prior to employment. Once a month, a State public health nurse visits Tanacross. She helps the village members with preventative health care, immunizations, pre-natal care, etc. In emergencies patients are given First Responder care in Tanacross, then transported to Tok for primary care. If necessary, patients are then medevaced to either Fairbanks or Anchorage.
Climate
The Native Village of Tanacross experiences long, cold winters with mild summers. In winter ice fog is common. The temperatures normally range from about 85 degrees in summer to -30 degrees in winter. In the summers of 1950 and 1955, the recorded high was 90 degrees. The all-time low recorded was -75 degrees in 1947. Tanacross averages about 27 inches of snowfall per year. The record snowfall was in 1956 with 60 inches. Rainfall is over 9 inches annually. The most rain received in one day was 3.6 inches in December 1955.