THIS IS A GROUP OF ATHAPASKANS LIVING IN ALASKA AND THE YUKON. THEY HAVE LOST HAVE OF THEIR POPULATION DUE TO WARS BETWEEN TRIBES AND KILLING OF FEMALE CHILDREN. CHIEFS AND TWO MEDICINE MEN HAVE 2 TO 3 WIVES. THEY HAVE DANCES AND CHANT TO THEIR SONGS. BOYS WRESTLE AND CHANT TO THEIR SONGS. THEY HAVE BOUTS OF UNTIL THE STRONGEST OR FRESHEST MAN WINS. THE WOMEN ALSO WRESTLE. THEY HAVE GUESTS FOR MONTHS AND THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY TAKES HIS TURN IN FEASTING. THE FAMILY THEN FASTS UNTIL THEY LEAVE. THEY HAVE 11 TRIBES.
KUTCHIN MEANS ONE WHO DWELLS. BY THE FRENCH THEY ARE CALLED LOUCHEUX. THEY ALSO CALL THEMSELVES DINT11-ZHUU OR "SMALL PEOPLE".
THEY ARE KNOWN FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF SNOWSHOES, BIRCH BARK CAQNOES, SLEDS AND ORNATE BEADWORK. THEY SEW CLOTHING WITH CARIBOU SKIN. THEY HAVE MANY BANS.
THEY HAVE 2 MAJOR CLANS THE FIRST CLAN IS CALLED NANTSAU OR FIRST ON THE LAND. THE SECOND CLAN IS CALLED TENJERAAATSA11 MEANING "INDEPENDENTS". THE CLAN SYSTEM IS NO LONGER USED. THEY HAVE A SYSTEM OF ABOUT 9000 FOLKS IN 5 COMMUNITIES.
THE KUTCHIN HAVE A STRONG ORAL HISTORY AND STORYTELLING. ONE STORY IS ABOUT HOW KUTCHIN HAS A YOUNGER BROTHER WHO BECAME SNAGGED. IT IS A COMICAL ADVENTURER OF A KUTCHIN MISFIT WHO BATTLES LICE ON A GIANTS HEAD. HE PLAYS THE FOOL TO THE CUNNING FOX AND EATS A SCAB FROM HIS ANUS UNKNOWINGLY. THEY HAVE MANY FOLK TALES THAT BEGIN "IN ANCIENT DAYS"..
THEY HAD A RELIGION SIMILAR TO ANIMISM. THE WAY OF VIEWING THE WORLD WAS STRONGLY STEEPED IN NATURAL MYSTICISM AND MAGICAL TRADITION. THEY HAD A TRADITION CONSIDERED AN INHERENT BELIEF THAT THEY COULD COMMUNICATE WITH ANIMALS FOR MUTUAL BENEFITS CONSIDERED AN INHERENT BELIEF THAT THEY COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE ANIMALS FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT. THEY HAD NO CONCEPT OF GOD. ALL LIFE AND NATURAL ENTITIES - AIR, STONES, WATER, FIE, AND PLANTS AND ANIMALS HAD A LIFE FORCE. THEY DIDN'T BELIEVE IN A PRIEST. SHAMANS WERE GIFTED AND POWERFUL IN SOME ASPECT OF LIFE.
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