UAF Alaska Native Language Center

Thank you Dr. Walkie Charlies for all your contributions ❤️

✨ Meet our April Faculty Spotlight: Bruce Ervin, Assistant Professor of Language and Culture

Bruce Ervin finds his greatest motivation in the moments when students reconnect with their culture, whether they’re learning their first words of Nee’aanèegn’ (Upper Tanana Language) or experiencing the wellness and joy that come from Applied Arts (APAR) classes such as birch bark basket weaving, beading, and caribou‑hair tufting.

“When students smile, laugh, and ask questions, I see the healing that happens through learning."

🔗 Read the full profile in our newsletter: https://sites.google.com/alaska.edu/april-2026/the-steambath-porch

ANLC is not being eliminated - We are aware of some rumors that UAF is planning to close the Alaska Native Language Center. Those rumors are not correct. UAF is not planning to eliminate the ANLC, nor are we planning to eliminate Alaska Native language instruction or programs.

UAF and the Alaska Native Language Center are committed to teaching, preserving and studying Alaska Native languages. UAF offers a bachelor’s degree in Alaska Native languages with concentrations in Inupiaq and Yup’ik. Additionally, we offer courses in Unangam Tunuu and several Athabascan languages including Gwich’in, Upper Tanana and Benhti Kokht’ana Kenaga. We will also continue to facilitate publishing of Alaska Native language materials.

Check out the three Lower Tanana language courses being offered this summer! Both fully remote and taught via Zoom by David Engle. This is a great opportunity to learn one of the Indigenous languages of Interior Alaska—from anywhere!

Beginning Dene / Athabascan I - Lower Tanana
ℹ️ ANL F141x | CRN: 51574 | 5 credits
⏰ MTWR 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
📍100% Remote via Zoom

Beginning Dene / Athabascan II - Lower Tanana
ℹ️ ANL F142x | CRN: 51575 | 5 credits
⏰ MTWR 3:30 pm - 4:45 pm
📍100% Remote via Zoom

Intermediate Dene / Athabascan I - Lower Tanana
ℹ️ ANL F241 | CRN: 51576 | 3 credits
⏰ MTW 5:45 pm - 6:45 pm
📍100% Remote via Zoom

Summer term:
🗓️ May 18 – August 7, 2026
Register today! uaf.edu/reg/

About Lower Tanana:
Lower Tanana is the Athabascan language of the Tanana Valley, from Moose Creek Bluff in the east to Baker Creek and Zitziana River to the West.

About the Instructor:
David Engle grew up in Minto, Alaska. He learned his language from his elders, and has many fond memories of speaking his language and listening to it every day growing up.

💡Did you know? ANLC offers Gwich’in courses! This spring, Assistant Professor Sam Alexander, a Gwich’in speaker, will be teaching two in-person courses in Fairbanks: Beginning and Intermediate Gwich’in.

Beginning Dene/Athabascan II Gwich’in �
ℹ️ ANL F142x | CRN: 35187 | 5 credits�
⏰MTWRF 10:30 - 11:30am
📍UAF Troth Yeddha’ Campus in Fairbanks, AK

Intermediate Dene/Athabascan II Gwich’in
ℹ️ ANL F242 | CRN: 35188 | 3 credits
⏰ MWF 2:15 - 3:15pm �
📍UAF Troth Yeddha’ Campus in Fairbanks, AK

Spring semester:
🗓️ January 12 – May 2, 2026

Register today! ➡️ uaf.edu/reg/

🔹About Gwich’in:
Gwich’in language belongs to one of northernmost Indigenous people on the North American continent. These people live at the limits of the boreal forest around North East of Alaska with communities across Yukon Territory and Northwest Territories of Canada.

🔹About our Assistant Professor of Gwich’in:
Sam Alexander is a Gwich’in speaker and was raised in Fort Yukon, Alaska, which is a large Gwich’in village on the Yukon River. He spent much of his childhood exploring the Yukon Flats and the Northeastern Brooks Range, living the traditional Gwich’in lifestyle as was taught to him by the elders of his tribe. His interests include second language acquisition, language revitalization, and cultural growth and maintenance.

We are so excited to share our spring 2026 Alaska Native Languages course offerings!

Whether you are a total beginner or looking to continue your language learning, we have offerings at many levels in Lower Tanana, Upper Tanana, Gwich'in, Iñupiaq & Yup'ik!

Start your journey by contacting an advisor at [email protected] or exploring our full Spring 2026 course catalog: https://catalog.uaf.edu/class-search/ ✨

Tonight!! Check out the Alaska Native Languages Archive at this year's Open House :)

Join us on October 16th from 4pm-7pm for the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives open house.⁠
⁠
Our theme for the year is Dog Mushing, titled Breaking Trail: History, Heritage and Huskies is the 100th Anniversary of the 1925 Diphtheria⁠
Serum Run to Nome, the event for which the legendary dog Togo would become famous.⁠
⁠
We'll be featuring the collections of our own departments, like Photos & Manuscripts, Rare Books & Maps, Alaskana, Film, Oral History, and Native Languages, as well as special guests like our University of Alaska Museum of the North and Eielson Air Force Base's Historian. We'll also have several dogs on the premises for pets and cuddles with local volunteer pet therapy organization Companions, Inc.⁠
⁠
Light refreshments will be served, with free parking beginning at 5pm.

https://uaf.libcal.com/event/15394388