The Arctic Athabaskan Council and the Ket People of Siberian Russia Renew Historic Contacts and Agree to Work Together

Whitehorse, Yukon, April 20, 2010

Danny Cresswell, Deputy Chief of the Carcross and Tagish First Nation speaking on behalf of the Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC), announced today an historic meeting in Moscow of representatives of AAC and the Kets of Siberian Russia. The languages spoken by the Ket and Athabaskan peoples share striking similarities. Linguists are currently researching the possibility that the languages are related. Absolute proof of language links would raise profound anthropological and genetic questions about the ancient links and ties between Eurasia and North America.

The Ket people, numbering fewer than 2,000 according to official figures, reside in settlements in the middle Yenisei river basin. Approximately 200 Kets still speak their ancient language. AAC’s delegation spent a day and a half with Ket representatives Zoya Maksunova, Olya Peshkina and Galina Nikolayeva. AAC’s delegation included Doug Hitch, a linguist in the Yukon Native Language Centre, Cindy Dickson, AAC Executive Director, Colleen Henry, AAC Projects Coordinator and Terry Fenge, AAC Advisor.

Ms. Dickson, a member of the Gwich’in Nation in northern Yukon, said “The Kets told us this was the first time they had met representatives of North American Athabaskan peoples. They are very excited about the possibilities of working with us and want to organize cultural exchanges. They also want to promote research on the linguistic and other connections between us.” She added, “They are very concerned for their survival as a people and asked us to help improve the diet and health of the 54 Ket children resident in their villages. They want us to send multivitamins. Of course we will respond”.

Doug Hitch recommended as a matter of urgency further linguistic work to firmly establish the Athabaskan-Ket connection. He made a promising start in recording Ket language material with Zoya Maksunova, a fluent speaker and teacher, who showed great enthusiasm in developing teaching and learning materials for her language similar to those already available for Yukon languages. Mr. Hitch noted that the sound files would eventually be posted on the web site of the Yukon Native Language Centre. He concluded, “It would be wonderful to continue collaboration on this beautiful language”.

Edward Vajda of Western Washington University in the United States has undertaken extensive research into these linguistic connections. Insightfully he has written:

Who would have imagined the ancient words Native American and Siberian boarding-school children were punished for speaking a few decades ago could wield a power vast enough to reunite entire continents?

Noting the growing interest worldwide in the circumpolar Arctic, Mr. Cresswell said “the connection between the Ket and Athabaskan peoples is hugely important. Upon this base we can build cultural, economic and perhaps political links.”

For Further Information Contact

Danny Cresswell: 867-335-4974
Cindy Dickson: 867-393-9214; and
Doug Hitch: 867-668-8824.

Historic Meeting of North American Athabaskan People and the Ket People of Siberian Russia

April 9, 2010 Whitehorse, Yukon

In the coming week, Canadian and Alaskan leaders of the Arctic Athabaskan Council (AAC) will meet for the first time with representatives of the Kets, a Siberian Indigenous people resident in four villages on the Yenisei River in the Krasnoyarsk Krai district of Russia. The Ket language and Athabaskan languages including Gwich’in, Dene, Navaho and Apache of North America now appear to have an ancient common ancestor. There are approximately 1,200 Kets of whom about 200 still speak their indigenous language.

While this linguistic connection has long been suggested, Western Washington University professor Edward Vajda seems to be the first to give it scientific credibility. He has outlined similarities in the verbal systems and in a range of other features which for a growing number of scholars appear to be more than coincidental. But there is more than language to this story. For Vajda the use of similar words for canoe and component parts such as prow and cross-piece also shows ancient cultural connections.

Cindy Dickson, a member of the Gwitchin Nation from Old Crow in northern Yukon and Executive Director of AAC, said “This is an historic and exciting occasion. We are meeting the Kets to find out more about our shared linguistic and cultural heritage. We have so much to discuss. I hope that we may be able to set up some exchanges, particularly of our young people. In the longer term perhaps we can even develop political links and work together in the eight-nation Arctic Council.”

Doug Hitch, a linguist from the Yukon Native Language Centre and a member of AAC’s delegation, will initiate language discussions with Zoya Maksunova, one of four Ket representatives meeting the Arctic Athabaskan Council delegates in Moscow.

The AAC delegation and Ket representatives will be in Moscow to attend the April 14 and 15 summit of Arctic Indigenous Leaders. Updates on the Arctic Leaders Summit proceedings and the meeting with the Ket People will be made available online. Please visit our website at http://www.arcticathabaskancouncil.com for information and photos.

For Additional information contact:

Ms. Cindy Dickson, Executive Director, Arctic Athabaskan Council, Whitehorse, Yukon at 867-393-9214 (office) and 867-333-9041 (mobile)

Mr. Doug Hitch, Linguist, Yukon Native Language Centre, Whitehorse, Yukon at 867-668-8820

Arctic Athabaskan Council Calls Upon the Minister of Foreign Affairs to include Arctic Indigenous Peoples in Arctic Summit.

February 12, 2010 Whitehorse, Yukon

Mr. Bill Erasmus, International Chair of the Arctic Athabaskan Council, today called upon Lawrence Cannon, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to invite representatives of Arctic Indigenous Peoples to the March 29 meeting in Chelsea Quebec of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the five Arctic Ocean littoral states.

Noting that AAC and five other Arctic Indigenous Peoples organizations are “permanent participants” to the eight-nation Arctic Council Mr. Erasmus said “It makes no sense for us to be included in the Arctic Council but excluded in meetings of the five Arctic Ocean states”.

Minister Cannon issued a press release on February 3 saying the purpose of the Chelsea meeting is to “encourage new thinking on responsible development in the region.” Mr. Erasmus responded, “We don’t see how the minister can discuss ‘responsible development’ in the Arctic with his counterparts from the United States, Russia, Denmark/Greenland and Norway without representatives of northern Canada, particularly Arctic Indigenous Peoples, attending and contributing.”

Mr. Erasmus added, “It is important to maintain the integrity and status of the Arctic Council as the key ‘high level forum’ in the circumpolar world. In his press release, Minister Cannon said that the Chelsea meeting will ‘reinforce ongoing collaboration in the region, including in the Arctic Council.’ We invite the minister to tell us how this will be achieved when we are not even in the room”.

For further information, contact:

Mr. Bill Erasmus, AAC International Chair, 613 859-5063; or

Ms. Cindy Dickson, AAC Executive Director, 867-393-9214