There’s a new monument in Chugach State Park that recognizes the Indigenous name for Tanaina Peak. The Dena’ina name for the mountain near Flattop in Anchorage is Qin Cheghi, which means “crying ridge,” said Aaron Leggett, president of the Native Village of Eklutna.
“It was a place of mourning, a highly revered place. They would look out, they'd think of those that had come before them, you know, family, people that had passed away, and they would cry, essentially, up there,” Leggett said. “So you can think of it as almost like a holy site, I guess, would be the best way of putting it.”
The Qin Cheghi monument was unveiled last week at a naming ceremony at the Glen Alps trailhead. It includes signage and a sculpture of a Dena’ina fire bag.
“This was a key piece of technology and tools that the Dena’ina would carry with them,” Leggett said. “And it kind of metaphorically represents the Dena’ina people and the fact that we're still here.”
The ceremony is part of the broader, ongoing Indigenous Place Names Project, a partnership between the Anchorage Park Foundation and a number of organizations, including Southcentral Foundation and the Native Village of Eklutna. Leggett said signage like the Qin Cheghi monument is one way the project aims to make Dena’ina place names more visible in Anchorage.
“First and foremost, I hope people discover them, take the time to look at them, you know, learn a little bit about the history of the place, think about the people that came before — my people, the Dena’ina — and want to know more,” he said.
Leggett said that work is also underway to develop educational curriculum and partnerships with local tourism companies. Eight more monuments will be installed this summer, mostly at sites around Eklutna Lake.
