Marie Smith Jones

Marie Smith Jones, born on May fourteenth, nineteen eighteen, in Cordova, Alaska, was a remarkable linguist and the last surviving speaker of the Eyak language, a unique linguistic heritage of Southcentral Alaska.

As an honorary chief of the Eyak Nation, she held a significant cultural role, embodying the spirit and traditions of her people. Marie was not only the last fluent speaker of Eyak but also the final full-blooded member of the Eyak tribe, making her a living link to a rich cultural history.

In a poignant interview conducted in two thousand five, she shared that her name in Eyak is 'udAch' k'uqAXA'a'ch', which translates to 'a sound that calls people from afar.' This phrase beautifully encapsulates her legacy as a guardian of her language and culture.