Transmission of song-making in Interior Athabascan tradition, Alaska

Vocal music remains a central part of the cultural life of native tradition in the interior of Alaska even as language shift from Athabascan languages to English has accelerated in the last 30 years. The elders are still engaged in musical composition and documentation, but their number is quickly diminishing. Many elders have shown a concern for the continuation of song-making which is essential above all in memorial ceremonies. Young people have also developed the ambition to learn and to carry on this practice. This chapter focuses on the on-going processes in the middle to lower Tanana River area and the situation of language knowledge and song-making there. Song and language are closely related and how the two interact in the learning and practicing situations will be explored. It will also consider the interplay among elders, younger learners, Athabascan language teachers, teachers of music in school, archivists and researchers in processes of transmission.