My Lingit Name

Koodeik' yoo xat duwasakw Lingit x'einax
Dleit Kaa Joseff Marks yoo xat duwasakw.
translation:
My Lingit Name is Koodeik'. My "white man" name is Joseff Marks

I am on the right hand side of the picture in the green sweater. My older brother is in the middle in the cap and gown. The one on the far left is my litter brother.

Koodeik' is a very common name in my culture, because some names in each clan have been lost . However, I was named after my great uncle and that name has been past down through my family.

Because so many people have been named this, the meaning of it is unknown. For example, the lady that had named me also named my Clan brother Koodeik', for reasons I know not. So far I have come across three different people with this name. The same with my little brother. He and my other clan brother both have the name Yanalcheen.

On the other hand, my older brother has a strong name. He has a leaders name given to him by one of my uncles and passed down the line like an object.

So names in the Lingit culture are similar to English names in a way. For example a mother might call their child a name because they like it or name them after someone like an uncle or auntie or even the grandparents. One important thing to remember is that names are like objects in a house of a clan. They are at.oow ( that in which is paid for) and only that specific clan can use it unless given permission otherwise.

Gunalcheesh.