The Koyukon, also known as the Denaakk'e, are a Native Alaskan people group who occupy the largest territory of any Alaska Athabascan language. The name Denaakk'e [de-nae-kuh] derives from the word denaa 'people' and the suffix -kk'e 'like, similar', thus literally meaning 'like us'.
The Koyukon language, Denaakk'e, is spoken in three dialects - Upper, Central, and Lower - in 11 villages along the Koyukuk and middle Yukon rivers. Of the total population only about 300 Koyukon speak the language. A Jesuit Catholic missionary, Jules Jette, did extensive work on the language from 1899 through 1927. Since the early 1970s, native Koyukon speaker Eliza Jones has produced much linguistic material for use in schools and by the general public.
The majority of Koyukon adhere to traditional religious beliefs mixed with animism, Roman Catholicism, or Episcopalism.
The village of Kaltag is home to Saint Teresa Catholic Church, while Tanana is home to Saint James Episcopal Church and Huslia is home to the Good Shepherd (Episcopal) Mission.
Although the Koyukon people as a whole are considered no longer unreached, they actually have many villages with no evangelicals. Galena is home to Galena Bible Church. Therefore, a little over 2.5% Koyukon are evangelical and are very under-served by evangelical Christians. No known evangelical resources are available in the Koyukon language.
Prayer Points
Pray evangelical Koyukon will grow strong in their faith and share that faith with unreached Koyukon.
Pray God will send evangelicals who will intentionally engage unreached Koyukon villages and share a contextualized and clear message of God's grace through Jesus Christ.
Learn more about "Learning Paths" Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.
Learn more about "Reaching the Nations" This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.
"After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb."
