Snakaey Nekenaege’ Dahwdeldiix:
Teaching Our Children Their Language.

In September 2009, The Ahtna Heritage Foundation was awarded a U.S. Department of Education Alaska Native Education grant to develop the Ahtna Children’s Language Project.  The award covers the three years it will take to create the cultural teaching materials.

The Ahtna Children’s Language Project will incorporate the Ahtna Athabascan Language and culture into learning materials for children, birth to 5 years of age.  Materials will include a CD, DVD, books and other teaching materials. The instructions for using the materials will be introduced in the Ahtna Athabascan Language to the families, in basic language phrases.

The Ahtna Heritage Foundation is working with village councils, school partners, and elders to select topics and phrases to be included in the material to develop a language program for young children and their families.

The Ahtna Heritage Foundation is working with a number of partners, both in the region and statewide. Our partners include: