| DENA’INA CULTURE LIVING ON
THE LAND For centuries, people have been drawn to the Kenai Peninsula because
of the varied wildlife that exists here. Prior to European exploration in the
mid-1700s, most of Cook Inlet, including the western Kenai Peninsula, was occupied
by Athabascan Indians called Dena’ina. The Dena’ina migrated south from the Upper
Susitna River region, gradually displacing an established Eskimo culture on the
Kenai Peninsula. The Dena’ina were hunters and foragers. Most of their
permanent villages were located on major rivers where wood was plentiful and fish
could be harvested throughout the winter. During the summer, the Dena’ina used
fishing and hunting camps located inland from the coast, at lakes, and in the
mountains. One Dena’ina village was located near the outlet of the Kenai River
on Skilak Lake. |