Gwich'in facts for kids

The Gwich'in people are an Indigenous group who live in the cold northern parts of Alaska and Canada. Their homes are above the Arctic Circle, where winters are long and very cold.

Who Are the Gwich'in People?

The Gwich'in are one of the northernmost Indigenous groups in North America. They have lived in their traditional lands for thousands of years, adapting to the harsh Arctic environment. Their way of life is deeply connected to the land and the animals around them.

What Does "Gwich'in" Mean?

The Gwich'in people call themselves the Dinjii Zhuu. This name means "small people" in their own language. It's a special name that connects them to their history and culture.

Gwich'in Language

The Gwich'in have their own unique language, also called Gwich'in. It is part of the Athabaskan language family. The language is divided into two main ways of speaking, called dialects:

• The Canadian dialect
• The American dialect

Sadly, not many Gwich'in people speak their traditional language today. Most now use English. In Alaska, only about 300 Gwich'in people still know how to speak Gwich'in. Many efforts are being made to teach the language to younger generations so it doesn't disappear.

The Important Caribou

The caribou is an incredibly important animal to the Gwich'in people. For centuries, the caribou has provided them with food, clothing, and tools. Because of this strong connection, some Gwich'in people even call themselves the "caribou people."

The caribou herds migrate across the land, and the Gwich'in have traditionally followed them. This close relationship means that the health of the caribou herds is very important to the Gwich'in way of life and their culture.

Images for kids

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  Gwichʼin family outside their home, around 1899.

• 

  Gwichʼin hunters at Fort Yukon, 1847.

See also

In Spanish: Kutchin para niños