Eliza Jones

Mike Spindler and Clinton Brown interviewed Eliza Jones, Koyukuk, December 10, 2002. The interview was edited and produced by Clinton Brown.

ELIZA JONES maiden name was Eliza Peter. Her Native name is Neelteloyeeneelno, which means "mixed talent" or "having more than one project going at the same time". She was named by Grandma Cecilia Happy. She gave her the name because her grandma was a very talented person and she was a good seamstress, fisher person and made good dried fish. She was a good trapper and hunter so she gave Eliza the name as a way of carrying on the story of her life and also wishing Eliza would inherit some of her talent. Eliza was born February 28, 1938 in Cutoff. According to her baptismal record, she was probably born in a camp near Cutoff. Eliza's parents were Little Peter and Josie Peter. Eliza was raised near her grandparents, so she had considerable exposure to fluent Koyukon language speakers. She has been fascinated with the Koyukon language and traditional knowledge. From 1973 to 1990 Eliza worked at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Alaska Native Language Center. She co-authored the Koyukon Athabascan Dictionary (J. Jette and E. Jones, 2000, Alaska Native Language Center, Univ. of AK, Fairbanks, 1118pp). In recognition of her language contributions, in 1990 Eliza received her honorary doctorate degree from University of Alaska. She remains active in the village of Koyukuk, serves on the tribal council and works as a Koyukon studies teacher in the school.

The goal of Raven's Story is to record elders' stories, observations, and experiences relating to wildlife, fish, and subsistence in the Koyukuk and middle Yukon areas of interior Alaska. This Raven's Story was produced by Clinton Brown at public radio station KIYU-AM in Galena, Alaska, with the support of Louden Tribal Council and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.