group), but the more important social unit was the local band (or family group or family/hunting units). In the winter, the regional band might split up into smaller units, called local bands, each one made up of perhaps four nuclear families. The regional band might meet again at a predetermined place and time in mid-winter for a gathering ceremony called a potlatch, and then split up again for beaver and muskrat trapping. At the end of the 19th century there were twelve regional bands living in the Tanana Athabaskan homeland: six downriver bands (four Lower Tanana and two Middle Tanana) and six upriver bands (two Tanacross and four Upper Tanana). Lower Tanana The Lower Tanana regional bands: (language: proper dialect of Lower Tanana) Minto band or Minto Flats band – inhabiting the Minto Flats and Old Minto () area. Neighbors: Gwich'in people (north), Koyukon people (west), Nenana-Toklat band (southwest), Wood River band (southeast), Chena band (east). Nenana-Toklat band – inhabiting the Nenana River (), Nenana Valley and Toklat River () area. Neighbors: Koyukon people (west), Dena'ina people (south), Minto band (north), Wood River band (east). Wood River band – inhabiting the Wood River area. Neighbors: Dena'ina people (south), Nenana-Toklat band (west), Minto and Chena bands (north), Salcha band (east). Chena band — inhabiting the Chena River and Chena Village () area (also formerly Fairbanks area). Neighbors: Gwich'in people (north), Minto band (west), Salcha band (east). Middle Tanana The Middle Tanana regional bands: (language: extinct (1993) separate dialect of Lower Tanana. Some authors consider the Salcha-Goodpaster dialect of Lower Tanana to be a distinct language, known as Middle Tanana. Linguist James Kari has been a strong advocate for Middle Tanana, referring to the former language of the Salcha-Goodpaster bands along the middle Tanana River) Salcha(ket) band – inhabiting the Salcha River () area. Neighbors: Hän people (northeast), Ahtna people (south), Chena band (north), Wood River band (west), Delta-Goodpaster band (east). (Big) Delta-Goodpaster band – inhabiting the Big Delta, Delta River (incl. Delta Junction and Deltana) and Goodpaster River () area. Neighbors: Hän people (northeast), Ahtna people (south), Salcha band (north and west), Healy River-Joseph band (east). Tanacross The Tanacross (Tanana Crossing; first documented by Ferdinand von Wrangel in 1839 as Copper River Kolchan) regional bands: (language: Tanacross) Healy River-Joseph band – inhabiting the formerly Joseph Village (), Healy Lake (), Lake George (), Sam Lake (official United States Geological Survey name