Although it’s been thousands of years since our people first inhabited the Kenai Peninsula, we continue to recognize, honor and preserve traditional Kahtnuht’ana Dena’ina culture.
The Tribe’s Traditional Values Circle displays the principles that define our people and assure our future. Translated from Dena’ina to English, those values are:
- Ts’itsatna – “ancestors”
- Yinihugheltani – “one’s spirit”
- Qiz’unch’ – “the right way, the truth”
- Ada – “care, concern, tenderness”
- Nadesnaqa – “our Elders”
- Nagh’utdalts’ina – “our neighbors”
- Ch’anikna – “children”
- Nanutset – “our history, before our time”
- Nakenagh – “background, lineage”
- Henu – “work, job, task”
- Nudnelyahich’u qeneshi – “plants and animals”
- Daggeyi – “fellowship”
- Ey’uhqats’dalts’iyi – “subsistence, living upon the outdoors”
- Na’ini – “strength, courage, sobriety, humility”
- Naghet’a – “our honesty”
- Chiqinik – “thank you”
