Eyak Tribe

The Eyak are an Alaska Native people who historically lived on the Copper River Delta and near the town of Cordova, Alaska. Today, Eyak people live in Cordova, Yakutat, across Alaska, and the U.S.

Many of them do not qualify to be tribal members in the Native Village of Eyak, a federally recognized Alaska Native tribe which was established through the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971.

This is due to the enrollment qualifications that extend tribal membership only to those who reside in the town of Cordova for the majority of the year.

The now-common name Eyak for both the ethnic group and its language is an exonym and comes from the Sugt’stun (Alutiit’stun) dialect of Chugach Sugpiaq, a group of Sugpiaq (“real people,” better known as Alutiiq) for an Eyak village as Igya’aq’ at the mouth of the Eyak River. The Eyak refer to themselves as DAXunhyuu (“the people”) and the present-day Eyak Native Village as IiyaaGdaad’ (“at Eyak Native Village”) – but the now officially recognized tribe as IiyaaGdAlahGAyuu (“People from Eyak Native Village”), as the tribe consists of descendants of Chugach Sugpiaq, Eyak, and Tlingit.

The Eyak language is an isolate, meaning it is not related to any other language in the world. It is believed to have been spoken in the Copper River Delta region for at least 5,000 years. The Eyak language is now critically endangered, with only a few fluent speakers remaining.

The Eyak people were a hunter-gatherer society. They lived in small villages and subsisted on salmon, halibut, sea otters, and other marine animals. They also hunted land animals, such as caribou, moose, and bear. The Eyak people were skilled boat builders and traveled extensively by canoe.

The Eyak people were first contacted by Europeans in the 1700s. The arrival of Europeans brought disease, warfare, and displacement to the Eyak people. By the early 1900s, the Eyak population had declined significantly.

Today, the Eyak people are working to revive their culture and language. The Native Village of Eyak operates a cultural center and museum in Cordova. The tribe also offers language classes and cultural programs.

FAQ

Here are some common questions people ask about the Eyak Tribe:

What is the Eyak Tribe’s language?

The Eyak language is an isolate, meaning it is not related to any other language in the world. It is believed to have been spoken in the Copper River Delta region for at least 5,000 years. The Eyak language is now critically endangered, with only a few fluent speakers remaining.

What is the Eyak Tribe’s traditional territory?

The Eyak Tribe’s traditional territory is located in the Copper River Delta and near the town of Cordova, Alaska. The territory includes the Copper River, Prince William Sound, and the Gulf of Alaska.

What is the Eyak Tribe’s economy based on?

The Eyak Tribe’s economy is based on a combination of traditional hunting, fishing, and trapping, as well as government services, tourism, and arts and crafts.

What are some of the Eyak Tribe’s cultural traditions?

The Eyak Tribe has a rich and diverse culture. Some of the tribe’s cultural traditions include storytelling, dancing, drumming, and singing. The tribe also has a strong oral history tradition.