Deg Xitʼan
Deg Hitʼan (also Deg Xitʼan, Deg Hitan, Degexitʼan, Kaiyuhkhotana, Russian: Дег-хитан) is a group of Athabaskan peoples in Alaska. Their native language is called Deg Xinag. They reside in Alaska along the Anvik River in Anvik, along the Innoko River in Shageluk, and at Holy Cross along the lower Yukon River.
Traditional Deg Xit'an clothing in the Field Museum of Natural History | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 250 (speakers of language only) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| USA ( Alaska) | |
| Languages | |
| English, Deg Xinag | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Yup'ik, Koyukon, Holikachuk, Dena'ina |
The Deg Hitʼan are members of the federally recognized Alaska Native tribes of Anvik Village, Shageluk Native Village, and Holy Cross Village. The Iditarod Trail's antecedents were the native trails of the Dena'ina and Deg Hitʼan Athabaskan Indians and the Inupiaq Eskimos.
Their neighbors are other Athabaskan-speaking and Yupik Eskimo peoples: Yup'ik (west and south), Holikachuk (north), Upper Kuskokwim (north and east), and Dena'ina (south).