Gwichyaa Gwichin (alternate spelling: Gwich'yaa Gwichin or Kutchakutchin, translation: "those who dwell on the Flats") are a Gwich'in people who live in the Yukon Flats area of Alaska, USA. This includes the Fort Yukon (originally "Gwicyaa Zhee"; translation: "house on the Flats") area on both banks of the Yukon River from Birch Creek to Porcupine River;" the Senati area of the middle Yukon River, the namesake of Sahneuti, Gwich'in chief and fur trader; and Venetie. Etymology The Gwichyaa Gwichin have been known by many other names, including: Eert-kai-lee (1892), Fort Indians, Ik-kil-lin (1892), Itohali (11th Census, Alaska, 1893), It-kagh-lie, It-ka-lyariiin (1877), I't-ka-lyi, Itkpe'lit (1876), Itkpeleit, Itku'dlln, Koo-cha-koo-chin (1866), Kot-a-Kutchin (1874), Kotch-a-Kutchins (1869), Kouehca Kouttohin (1891), KutchaaKuttchin (1865), Kutcha-kutchl (1851), Kutch a Kutchin (1862), Kutchia-Kuttehin (1876), Kutsha-Kutahi (1854), Lowland people (1869), Na-Kotchpo-tsohig-Kouttchin (1891), O-til'-tin (1887), Toukon Louchioux Indians, Yukon Flats Kutchin (1936). History The Gwichyaa Gwichin are the easternmost of the Gwichin groups. In addition to the Kutchakutchin, there were four other main Kutchin groups in the upper Yukon-Porcupine regions: the Han (Hän Hwëch'in) (erroneously as Hankutchin grouped as an Kutchin group, upper Yukon), the Natsikutchin (Chandalar River drainage), the Tranjikutchin (Black River), and the Ventakutchin (Crow River area). Two bands of the main tribe are extinct, the Tatsakutchin of Rampart, Alaska and Tennuthkutchin of Birch Creek. In 1827, Hudson's Bay Company Chief Factor, Peter Warren Dease gathered information from the Gwichyaa Gwichin. They told him that no other tribe but themselves frequent the Peel River and that they come upstream in barges every year as far as Arctic Red River for trade. In 1928, Mooney estimated the 1740 population to be 500. Culture Jones described the Kutchakutchin as being split into three clans: Tchitcheah (Chitsa), Tengeratsey (Tangesatsa), and Natsahi (Natesa). At one time, a man was required to marry outside his caste, but eventually the custom fell into disuse. Other former customs included polygamy, slavery, and burning their dead. Hodge described the Kutchakutchin as being partially nomadic. Their traditional livelihood was based on hunting and trapping. After the introduction of the trading post, the Gwichyaa became traders as well. Their standard of value was the Nakieik, a string of beads . A string's value was equivalent to one or more beaver skins. The dwellings were made of deerskins pieced together over curved poles in the shape of inverted teacups. Men cooked while women performed other tasks. Because they lacked pottery,