S uden Guide
S udying
Tokk’aano
wi h D ones
h p://si es.google.com/alaska.edu/d ones
LOWER KOYUKON ATHABASCAN
2
Wha is okk’aano?
Tokk’aano o e osion is he p ocess o wea ing away he su ace o Ea h. This p ocess
happens slowly o e yea s and yea s. Wind, oo (wa e ), ice, clima e change, and g a i y all
con ibu e o okk’aano.
Tokk’aano mo es łaa s (sand) and le’on ( ock) om one place o ano he . I changes he
su ace o Ea h. Hoolyo o wea he can be a s ong d i e o okk’aano. A win e wi h hea y
snow will add a lo o oo o a c eek o hen ( i e ) come sp ing haw. Hea y oo low can lead
o looding. Flooding b ings oo in o a eas ha a e no usually unde wa e . This can damage
s uc u es and e ode landscapes.
Tokk’aano is all a ound us. In addi ion o oo, wind and g a i y can also lead o okk’aano.
S ong winds mo e łaa s (sand) o sil om one place o ano he . G a i y is he o ce holding
us down o he Ea h’s su ace. When le’on umbles down a hill, i e odes he hillside and pulls
ma e ial down wi h i . This is called a hoolgok o landslide.
image cou esy o Ch is Maio, UAF/GI
Tokk’aanoTokk’aano
E osion
3
Ha e you no iced okk’aano o a hoolgok a ound
you communi y? Whe e ha e łaa s and le’on been
anspo ed o a new place due o hea y ain all?
How has he pa h o he hen been impac ed?
Pe ma os is g ound ha emains ozen yea -
ound. Ac oss Alaska, he e a e la ge a eas o
pe ma os . I may be below you ee igh now.
In ecen yea s, pe ma os has been hawing.
Pe ma os haw can cause g ound o sink .
Ha e you no iced places whe e he g ound
has sunk o washed away? These a e signs o an
okk’aano e en . Look o okk’aano a ound you
communi y.
Image cou esy o ACUASI
The e's a lo o e osion on
he i e . The e [a e] a lo o
channels ha a e changing,
whe e we used o be able
o jus go ish and know
we' e going o ca ch ish.
The channels a e changing,
so hose a eas a en' good
o ishing anymo e. So we
ha e o go ind new a eas
whe e we hink he ish will
be good.
Ma ha Tu ne
Nula o, Alaska
4
How can a yok’enodzeedz (d one)
help moni o okk’aano (e osion)?
A yok’enodzeedz is used o help
wi h okk’aano in many ways. A came a
yok’enodzeedz can be used o moni o
a i e bank o daas (sandba ) by aking
pic u es o he okk’aano. I can be lown
along i e banks o hillsides o spo a eas o
ex eme okk’aano. Flying a yok’enodzeedz
can help people decide i he i e bank o
hill should be es o ed o ein o ced. A e a
hea y ains o m, o an ea hquake, a daas
may unde go la ge okk’aano e en s. Flying
a yok’enodzeedz o look o new haza ds like
snagged ees o la ge boulde s in he hen
( i e ) is use ul.
Yok’enodzeedzYok’enodzeedz
D one
image cou esy o Ma iah McNama a, UAF
image cou esy o ACUASI
5
People can also use d ones o ack how quickly he hen is e oding. Flooding and okk’aano
a e esul ing in he loss o impo an land along i e s and oceans in Alaska. This can damage
buildings and a ec maahaa ho s’edelyaaye (subsis ence) ac i i ies in hen communi ies.
D ones can ack okk’aano by aking many pho og aphs o a hen o e a long pe iod o ime o
show how he hen is changing.
Du ing sp ing b eakup, a yok’enodzeedz can be lown abo e he i e s o moni o he
ice. Seeing la ge a eas o he hen om abo e helps pinpoin when he ice is b eaking up
and mo ing. This can help a communi y ha is a isk o looding. D ones a e a sa e and
inexpensi e way o ake he pic u es om abo e.
pho o cou esy o Golden Valley Elec ic Associa ion
Can you spo he okk’aano in his
yok’enodzeedz image?
6
Ac i i y 1
Tokk’aano Vocabula y
A habascan Values: Knowledge o Language, Coope a ion, Sha ingA habascan Values: Knowledge o Language, Coope a ion, Sha ing
Wo k wi h classma es o you eache o p ac ice he ocabula y wo ds in his bookle . Use
he ca ds p o ided in he ma e ial ki o p in hem a si es.google.com/alaska.edu/d ones
Visi : si es.google.com/alaska.edu/d ones o hea and p ac ice he ocabula y wo ds.
Nula o
(Lowe Koyukon A habascan wo ds) English ansla ion
okk’aano e osion
hoolgok landslide
yok’enodzeedz d one
hen i e
hoolyo wea he
łookk'e ish
le’on ock, boulde
maahaa ho s’edelyaaye subsis ence
aa’geł le l ishing
łaa s sand
oo wa e
daas sandba
7
Wha causes a hoolgok?
A hoolgok (landslide) is a la ge amoun o ea h, le’on ( ock), and o he ma e ial ha mo es
down a s eep slope. Landslides happen when a laye o łaa s (sand) o le’on sepa a es om he
laye below i . The o ce o g a i y pulls he loose laye downwa d. An ea hquake can loosen
łaa s and le’on. The loose ma e ial can slide downhill quickly. Pe ma os haw can also cause
a landslide because pe ma os con ains a lo o ice, and becomes mud when i haws. Ea h
easily slides when he e is mud benea h i .
A hoolgok can be e y des uc i e. I can bu y o sweep away hings in i s pa h. I can also
block i e s and add small o la ge deb is o he oo. A la ge hoolgok can ca y whole ees
downhill. The image below shows a hoolgok. Can you see whe e he ees we e g owing and
whe e hey ended up? Wha do you no ice a he bo om o he slide?
HoolgokHoolgok
Landslide
image cou esy o Ma ha Tu ne , Nula o
[The e a e] e osion
si es going owa ds
Kal ag. I know he e's
one a Twel e Mile.
Tha whole one side o
ha hill came down.
Tha happened du ing
he 2018 ea hquake in
Ancho age.
T is an Mad os
Nula o, Alaska
8
F
a
s
e
Slowe
image cou esy o B ad Sco on, USFWS
He e you can see one cu e in he Yukon Ri e . The oo
on he ou e edge o he cu e is as e mo ing han
he oo on he inside o he cu e. Which side o he
hen do you hink is e oding he i e bank mo e?
How does okk’aano (e osion) shape a hen?
In a hen, okk’aano changes he edges o i e banks, as oo (wa e ) washes away he łaa s
(sand). The mo emen , o low, o oo in a hen is no always he same. Too changes speed
depending on he loca ion in he hen. When oo goes a ound a u n in a hen, he oo on he
ou side o he u n mo es as e han he oo on he inside o he hen. Fas e mo ing oo
ca es deepe cu s in o i e banks. Mo e oo ubs away mo e daas (sandba ) and łaa s o e
ime. This c ea es he winding snake-like shape a hen has.
Landscape changes impac local ecosys ems and ways o li e o local esiden s. The nex
ime you look a a hen, no ice he oo mo ing agains he bank. Can you see łaa s mo ing along
wi h he oo? Do you no ice places he i e banks look “ca ed” away?
HenHen
Ri e
9
How does okk’aano impac people?
Builde s lea n o unde s and he way land changes o e ime be o e building oads and
homes. They s udy he beha io o he g ound. Tokk’aano and looding a e impo an o
conside . Building oo close o wa e bodies can be dange ous. Yea s la e , land may e ode as
i e s change and g ow. Building in alleys o a low ele a ions can pu s uc u es a isk o
looding.
Communi ies close o i e s can some imes lood. O e he yea s, Nula o has had many
g ea loods. Du ing he sp ing when he hen haws, he oo can ge e y high and lood he
banks. Mel ing ice can clog he hen and cause looding as well. A la ge lood can cause damage
o buildings and oads. In Nula o, many amily homes we e buil on a hill abo e he Old Town
o Nula o. The hillside is e y sa e om looding because o i s ele a ion abo e oo le el.
S uc u es like he And ew K. Demoski school a e li ed o be sa e om u u e loods.
Image cou esy o Calde Tozie
The ai s ip in Nula o was buil up high abo e he own on a pla eau
o keep i away om okk’aano on he i e banks below.
16
Wha kind o haza ds does okk’aano cause?
A hen ( i e ) is ull o haza ds. Some a e isible and o he s a e no . La ge boulde s below
he wa e ’s su ace can cu holes in he bo oms o boa s. Floa ing ees and b anches can
ge caugh in boa mo o s. Li ing nea a hen comes wi h
a special se o challenges. In sp ing, mel ing
snow can cause looding. Many communi ies ake
measu es o ensu e s uc u es close o he bank
do no lood.
Lea ning how o be sa e on he hen is
impo an . A yok’enodzeedz (d one) can
be used o ly o e a allen ee and plan a
pa h o a boa . T ees and ocks ha ha e
allen in o he hen can snag ishing ne s
and ip hem. When boa ing on a
hen, always be on he lookou o
objec s in you pa h.
This is a hoolgok (landslide) on he Tanana Ri e . Wha do you no ice a he bo om o
he hill? The hoolgok has mo ed ees, le’on ( ock), and łaa s down o he oo (wa e ).
image cou esy o Daniel Walke , UAF
g aphic cou esy o Molly Pu man, UAF
17
Ac i i y 3
Tokk’aano & Maahaa ho s’edelyaaye
A habascan S anda ds: Responsibili y o Village, Respec o he Land, Respec o Na u eA habascan S anda ds: Responsibili y o Village, Respec o he Land, Respec o Na u e
In o:
In i e an Elde o you class o sha e abou maahaa ho s’edelyaaye (subsis ence) in he
communi y. Think abou how okk’aano a ec s a eling on i e s. How does his make li e
mo e di icul o you communi y? How can a yok'enodzeedz (d one) be used o moni o
okk’aano?
Ma e ials:
• D y e ase ma ke s
• P in ed Yukon Ri e pho os (1986 & 2016)
• Clea page p o ec o
• Tea o co ee
• Cups
• D ones in Nula o: S udying Tokk’aano wi h D ones ideo
P ocedu e:
1. In i e an Elde o you class oom o sha e abou how okk’aano and o he changes o he
hen and landscape a ec maahaa ho s’edelyaaye in you communi y. Welcome he Elde
and gi e hem a com o able place o si . Se e hem ea o co ee.
2. Poli ely ask he Elde ques ions abou how okk’aano changes a ec maahaa
ho s’edelyaaye. Lis en closely as hey sha e wi h you.
3. Wi h he Elde and as a class, b ains o m maahaa ho s’edelyaaye p ac ices ha ha e been
a ec ed by okk’aano. Make a lis on he whi eboa d.
4. Wa ch he D ones in Nula o: S udying Tokk’aano wi h D ones ideo a ailable he e: h ps://
si es.google.com/alaska.edu/d ones/.
18
Discuss:
1. Thinking speci ically abou i e s, how does okk’aano change a hen? Does change happen
as o slow? Bo h?
a. Wi h he Elde , s udy he lamina ed hen pho os o he Yukon.
b. Place "Image A" in he clea page p o ec o . T ace he pa h o he hen.
c. Remo e "Image A" and slide "Image B" in o he clea page p o ec o . Use a di e en colo
d y e ase ma ke and ace he i e ou line on Image B.
2. Wha do you no ice abou he wo ou lines? How a e hey di e en ?
3. Ask he Elde o sha e how okk’aano is changing he hen and landscape in you a ea.
Re iew ways d ones can help wi h okk’aano in you communi y.
4. When he Elde is done sha ing, e bally hank hem. You can make a hank you ca d, some
a wo k, o pe haps help hem wi h an e and o cho e o show you app ecia ion and
espec .
19
2016
1986
images cou esy o Sen inel Playg ound
Please no e:
The A habascan e minology in his S uden Guide is om
he Koyukon dialec spoken in he Nula o a ea. Check
wi h local speake s o ind ou i some o he e ms in you
communi y a e di e en .
Maasee' ( hank you):
Special hanks o he Nula o T ibal Council. Noolaagh Doh
Koyukon A habascan communi y membe s Ma ha Tu ne
and Mau ice McGin y guided con en de elopmen o his
publica ion. Maasee’ o his eam and he many addi ional
local knowledge bea e s, educa o s, and scien is s who
con ibu ed hei expe ise, in e iews, da a and pic u es o
his p ojec . The in o ma ion p o ided in his publica ion is
o educa ional pu poses only and no o comme cial use.
C edi s:
This publica ion was p oduced a he Uni e si y o Alaska
Fai banks Geophysical Ins i u e as pa o he D one
Resea ch Oppo uni ies o Na i e Elemen a y S uden s
(DRONES) p ojec unde he o e sigh o P incipal
In es iga o Lynda McGil a y and Co-P incipal In es iga o s
Cha lene S e n (UAF), Ca hy Cahill (UAF) and Dayna Jean
DeFeo (Uni . o Alaska Ancho age).
Au ho s: Ma iah McNama a, Lo i Schoening, Ma ha Tu ne ,
Mau ice McGin y
Koyukon A habascan T ansla o s: Rosa Pe e , Paul
Moun ain
Design, G aphics and Layou : Vicki Daniels, Molly Pu man
Science Edi o : Richa d Buza d
English Edi o : Do een Haywa d
Educa ion Resea che : Dayna Jean DeFeo
This ma e ial is based upon wo k suppo ed by he Na ional Science Founda ion
unde G an Nos. 1850561 & 1850556. Any opinions, indings, and conclusions
o ecommenda ions exp essed in his ma e ial a e hose o he au ho (s) and
do no necessa ily e lec he iews o he Na ional Science Founda ion. UA
is an a i ma i e ac ion/equal oppo uni y employe , educa ional ins i u ion
and p o ide and p ohibi s illegal disc imina ion agains any indi idual: www.
alaska.edu/nondisc imina ion. © 2024 Geophysical Ins i u e, Uni e si y o
Alaska Fai banks.
Co e pho o by Daniel Walke , UAF/GI
