Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph.D.

Vita 2025

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Education

1997

Indiana University-Bloomington

PH.D. FOLKLORE

Dissertation Topic: 100 years of Alaska Native Literature Study

1989

University of Missouri-Columbia

M.A. ENGLISH

1981

University of Missouri-Columbia

B.A. CLASSICAL STUDIES

Honors Thesis Topic: Art on 2nd Century Roman Sarcophagi

Current Position

LINGUISTIC ANTHROPOLOGIST

Archival Preservation & Production – Video, Image & Text

PRESIDENT

Alaska History Projects

PRESIDENT

Alaska History Conservancy, LLC 501(c)3, established 2015.

Film Productions

VIDEOGRAPHER, DIRECTOR, POST-PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

2019

Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series: Moose, Moccasins, Community History, Upper Ahtna Culture Camp, Potlatch

7 hours / 5 DVD set. Shot 1996-2006. Funded by DOE & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium (MSTC).

DVD of Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series, Disc 1 of 5. Moose: A Way of Life. Featuring Elder Lena Charley. Presented by MSTC. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Copyright 2019 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

DVD of Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series, Disc 2 of 5. Moccasins: Upper Ahtna Art. Featuring Elder Ruby Sinyon. Presented by MSTC. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Copyright 2019 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

DVD of Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series, Disc 3 of 5. Chistochina: Community History. Featuring Elder Ruby Sinyon, Elder Lena Charley, Elder Jerry Charley and Wilson Justin. Presented by MSTC. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Copyright 2019 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

DVD of Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series, Disc 1 of 5. Upper Ahtna: Culture Camp. Featuring Elder Katie John, Elder Lena Charley, Elder Ruby Sinyon and Elder Jerry Charley. Presented by MSTC. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Copyright 2019 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

DVD of Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series, Disc 5 of 5. Upper Ahtna: Potlatch. Featuring Elder Katie John, Elder Lena Charley, Elder Ruby Sinyon, Elder Jerry Charley, Elder Robert Marshall, Elder Fred Ewan, and Elder Ben Neeley Presented by MSTC. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Copyright 2019 Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium. All Rights Reserved.

View All Films Online

2015

Interview: Michael Krauss, Founding Director of Alaska Native Language Center, on Frederica de Laguna & Eyak Studies

2 hours shot in 2007. Funded by Yukon Native Language Centre (YNLC) & Ainsworth Consulting, LLC. Annotated manuscript can be found at Rasmuson Library.

2014

Tanacross Oral History

Digitized 12 hours / 5 DVDs shot in 1995. Funded by Alaska Humanities Forum (AHF), YNLC & Ainsworth Consulting, LLC.

2012

This is Where I Live

30 min. DVD. Shot 2010-2011. Funded by DOE and Ainsworth Consulting, LLC. for Ahtna Heritage Foundation (AHFdn)

2012

Elder Conference: Traditional Childcare

10 hours / 5 DVD set. Funded by Ainsworth Consulting, LLC. for AHFdn.

2003-2009

Digitization Management & Pre- Post-production on Fish Camp & Oral History

172 hours. Funded by DOE & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for MSTC.

2002

Mentasta Remembers VHS

30 min VHS. Funded by Wrangell St. Elias National Park Service & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for Mentasta Traditional Council (MTC). Find a copy in Alaska’s Libraries.

1995

Tanacross Oral History / Photo Project

14 hour, 7 VHSs. Funded by AHF & Cynthea L. Ainsworth. Support of University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Elmer E. Rasmuson Library.

Books

IN PRODUCTION

Alaskan Native Literature: Folklore, Philology & Anthology

University of Alaska Press

2002

Mentasta Remembers

With Katie & Fred John. Funded by National Park Service (NPS) & Cynthea Ainsworth for Mentasta Traditional Council (MTC). Reach out to purchase a copy.

Scan of the table of contents of Mentasta Remembers by Cynthea Ainsworth, Katie John, and Fred John. PAGE TITLE: Table of Contents. SECTION TITLE: History of Mentasta Lake Village, 13. Territory & Trade, 15. Seasons, 16. Wars, 24. Childhood, 25. Klondike, 28. Missions, 31. Roads, 32. Schools, 34. SECTION TITLE: The Co-op, 37. SECTION TITLE: Chiefs & Heroes, 41. SUB-SECTION TITLE: Historic Mentasta Chiefs, 41. Fred John, 42. Charley Sanford, 44. SUB-SECTION TITLE: First Chiefs, 48. Eva John, 48. Norman Ewan & Kathryn John Martin, 48. Nora John David, 49. Sandy John, 49. Rose Rice, 49. SUB-SECTION TITLE: Other Heroes, 50. Katie John, 50. Houston Sanford, 51. Ruth Hicks, 51. Fred Rungee, 51. SECTION TITLE: Potlatch, 57. Introduction, 57. Clans, 58. Mentasta Memorial Potlatch, 60. Invitations, 60. Length of a Potlatch, 61. Food, Preparations & Serving, 62. Guests, Arrivals, & Events, 63. Gifts, 65. Dancing, 66. Author's Notes, 68. Giving, 69. Last Night Dance & Speeches, 70. SECTION TITLE: Reclaiming Batzulnetas, 75. Reclaiming the Past, 75. Katie John v. United States of America, 76. Cultural Impact, 78. Batzulnetas Culture Camp, 78. SECTION TITLE: The Lost Sister, 83. Katie's Mother's Story, 83. Chitina's "Lost Tribes", 84. Katie's Odyssey, 85. Family & Identity, 86. SECTION TITLE: Endnotes, 89. SECTION TITLE: Further Reading on Mentasta, 95. SECTION TITLE: Katie & Fred's Children, 96.

Scan of page 53 of Mentasta Remembers by Cynthea Ainsworth, Katie John and Fred John. PHOTO CAPTION 1: Adam Sanford. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 2: Fred John and Jack John Justin at Jack's house on the Nabesna Bar at the end of Nabesna Road. Long Lucy was Jack's mother. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 3: Long Lucy John of Mentasta, 1957. Photo courtesy Mentasta Clinic Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 4: Long Lucy and her husband Nabesna John (somtimes called Chisana John). Photo courtesy Mentasta Lake Katie John School Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 5: Adam and Kate Sanford. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 6: Adam and Kate Sanford, 1950. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection.

Scan of page 53 of Mentasta Remembers by Cynthea Ainsworth, Katie John and Fred John. PHOTO CAPTION 1 : Frank and Abbie Sanford staying in the recreation hall. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 2: Katie and her brother, Steven John. Photo courtesy Mentasta Clinic Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 3: Katie in 1957 with her favorite dog, Spike (left), and Bully. Spike used to tend her muskrat line for her, bringing the animals to her door at night and guarding them till she got up and cleaned them. Photo courtesy Ruth Hicks Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 4: Cherry and Johnny Nicolai. Photo courtesy Mentasta Clinic Memorial Photo Collection. PHOTO CAPTION 5: Short Lucy Sam of Fish Creek at Mentasta. She wears a traditional beaver coat with button decoration. Photo courtesy Mentasta Clinic Photo Collection.

1997

Alaskan Folklore and the American Philological Tradition

Dissertation

Indigenous Language Series

PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT

2019

Editor / Production: Ahtna Lessons for Web.

6 titles. Text & Sound: English / Ahtna. Funded by DOE & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for MSTC.

Cover of Mentasta Ahtna Language Lessons. 2nd Edition. Featured Speaker: Katie John. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter, James Kari. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D.<br />
A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

Cover of Mentasta Ahtna Listening Exercises. Featured Speaker: Katie John. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D.<br />
A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

Cover of Mentasta Ahtna Advanced Reader. Featured Speaker: Katie John. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter, James Kari. Original Illustrations: Susan McCallum. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D.<br />
A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

Cover of Chistochina Ahtna Language Lessons. 2nd Edition. Featured Speaker: Lena Charley. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D. A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

Cover of Chistochina Ahtna Listening Exercises. Featured Speaker: Lena Charley. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D. A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

Cover of Chistochina Ahtna Advanced Reader. Featured Speaker: Lena Charley. Linguistic Transcription: John T. Ritter. Original Illustrations: Susan McCallum. Series Editor: Cynthea L. Ainsworth, Ph. D. A production of Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium Native Language Program.

See full series online.

2012

Author: Pre-School Ahtna Indian Language Bi-Lingual Book Series

2012 – Flashcards

20 pages with instructions, color, laminated

2012 – Welcome Home Baby

10 page color baby board-book

2012 – Let’s Go to School

10 page color baby board-book

2012 – Parent’s Guide to Pre-School Books

72 page bi-lingual guide

Funded by DOE & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for AHFdn

2000 – 2019

Editor / Production: Ahtna Language Book Series

2019 – Mom’s Language

With text / sound CD

2000/2009 – Mentasta Ahtna Language Lessons

With text / sound CD

2009 – Mentasta Listening Exercises

With text / sound CD

2009 – Mentasta Advanced Reader

With text / sound CD

2000/2009 – Chistochina Ahtna Language Lessons

With text / sound CD

2009 – Chistochina Listening Exercises

With text / sound CD

2009 – Chistochina Advanced Reader

With text / sound CD

2009 – Ahtna Literacy Lessons

Co-author

2009 – Ahtna Athabaskan Grammar Refrence by Siri Tuttle

2000/2005 – Lower Ahtna Language Lessons

1st and 2nd Editions

2000/2005 – Cantwell Language Lessons

1st and 2nd Editions

Funded by DOE & Cynthea L. Ainsworth for MSTC

Articles

2005

“Frederica de Laguna: 1906 – 2004 A Remarkable Career in Alaskan Anthropology”

In Anthropological Papers of the University of Alaska (APUA)

2006

“Potlatch”; “Alaska Folklife”

In Encyclopedia of Folklife in America

2003

“When Stories are Silenced: The Suppressed Narratives of Inupiaq Vietnam Vets”

In Communities of Memories, APUA, Special Issue

Wrangell St Elias NPS Books & Reports

1996-2001

Ahtna Ethnographic Overview

1996-2000

Mentasta Community History

1998-2000

A Brief Summary Essay on Professor Frederica de Laguna’s Ethnography among the Ahtna

1996-1999

Chistochina Community History

Reviews

2025

The Folklore of Cornwall

Coming in Journal of Folklore Research

2024

Water Beings: From Nature Worship to the Environmental Crisis

In Journal of Folklore Research.

2002

Voyage of a Hero

2002:11 (Winter). Journal of American Folklore.

2001

The Story of Crow

2001:492-3 (Fall). Journal of American Folklore.

Teaching

ADJUNCT FACULTY & TUTORING

1992 – 2017

Yukon College – Whitehorse, Canada

Composition, Speech, Tutoring & Professional Development for Native Language Teachers

1986 – 2010

University of Alaska – Interior Campuses

Composition, Literature & Humanities

1985 – 1986

Lincoln University – Jefferson City, MO

Composition

1981 – 1984

University of Missouri – Columbia, MO

Composition