Eyak language dies with its last speaker

Tue, January 22, 2008
Posted in Alaska News, Top Stories

Chief Marie Smith Jones in 2004

The last traditional speaker of the Eyak language died yesterday, making the language extinct. Eyak Chief Marie Smith Jones was 89 years old. She was the last person to have learned the language the traditional way, taught as a child from her parents.

Her long-time language documentarian, linguist Dr. Michael Krauss began working with her in 1962. He says Chief Marie kept the language going for many years after her older sister died in the early 1990s.

Chief Marie had 9 children; 7 are still living. Her funeral will be held in Anchorage on Friday at the St. Innocent Russian Orthodox Cathedral. Viewing is at 11:00 a.m. and services are at 1:00 p.m.

Lori Townsend, APRN – Anchorage

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Comments

spring michaud

ths wome was my aunt she gave me my eyak as a kid. she called me her spring and that i shell stay. i have dance for my aunt in sundances and gave her my white dress because my elder wanted it and i hope she tolk it with her when she went on the jurney to the spirty world

Auliaten

May God rest her soul in peace..

I dint know that wold has so many haritage langs that we haf one person to speak a lang. I thot English is tuf. but the school i am going good and the lang eazy for me. Check English class with this school.

backlinks

interesting post, thanks for sharing

kyuu

Fake comments are such a drag... -.- not all should believe what others say when really... they probably wouldn't know anything >/ Blah blah blah... R.I.P...

~Kyuu~