TRANJIK- KUTCHIN IN ALASKA

TRANJIK-KUTCHIN WAS AN ABORIGINAL VILLAGE OF THE KUTCHIN LOCATED IN NORTH CENTRAL ALSKA NEAR FAIRBANKS. THEY SUFFERED SEVERLY FROM DISEASE, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD LITTLE EARLY WHITE CONTACT. IN CANADA THEY ARE CALLED LOVEHEANX. MACKENZIE MET THEM IN 1789 AND ESTABLISHED TRADING POSTS. IN THE 1850'S THEY GOT MANY EPIDEMICS. BY 1900 THEY HAD SCARLET FEVER EPEDEMIC. BY 1900 THE KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH OPENED TERRITORY HERE TOO. DURING THE 1920'S THEIR WERE INFLUENZA EPIDEMICS. THE TOTAL ALASKA POPULATION IN 1700 WAS ABOUT 2900 (NAHDB?). BY 1900 IT DROPPED TO 500 OR OTHERS SAID 5000(NAHDB?). AND BY 2000 IT WAS ABOUT 1500?? THE KUTCHIN WERE DIVIDED INTO THREE CLANS. MARRIAGE WAS OUTSIDE OF ONE'S CLAN AND OUTSIDE OF THE THE BAND. NUCLEAR FAMILY WAS FUNDAMENTAL. SOME GROUPS OF 6 TO 8 HOUSEHOLDS EXISTED WITHIN A FEW MILES OF EACH OTHER. HOUSES WERE SEMI SUBTERRANEAN RECTILINEAR LOG HOUSES ROOFED WITH MOSS AND A PORTABLE DOMED SKIN HOUSE.

THEIR SUBSISTENCE WAS BASED UPON A WIDE VARIETY OF FLORA AND FAUNA - LARGE MAMMALS ARE VERY IMPORTANT. DAILY SUBSISTENCE DEPENDED UPON FISHING , SEA MAMMALS, AND BIRDS.

THERE WERE NO FULL TIME RELIGIOUS FIGURES. SHAMANS WERE NOT THAT IMPORTANT. THEY HAD A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.

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