Sava Stephan, Sr.
Sava Stephan was born in 1920 in Susitna Station. Sava grew up speaking the Dena’ina language, and to this day he processes his thoughts in Dena’ina. He moved to Tyonek in 1934 along with most of the residents of Susitna Station. Sava has worked and traveled throughout the Susitna and Tyonek areas, and today he is the recognized expert on Upper Inlet Dena’ina. As a teacher, storyteller and singer Sava has made an enormous contribution to Dena’ina language and culture. He was a major contributor to the 2003 edition of Shem Pete’s Alaska (University of Alaska Press). Sava passed away in 2013. You can read a biography of Mr. Stephan here.
A Message from Sava Stephan
You can listen to the whole message here, or you can listen to it sentence by sentence below. | |
Tell them that I thank them |
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Chin’an hech’ qeshnash hu |
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shch’ qenadelghesh ch’u. |
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Shi k’a hech’ qeshnish, hech’ qeshnash shu, |
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Chiqinik gheli shtunutghelggesh dghu. |
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That’s all. |