The continued Dena'ina-fication of Anchorage

After the 2008 opening of the Dena'ina Civic Convention Center, with rooms named after local Dena'ina landmarks -- Idlughet, Kahtnu, Tubughnenq, K'enakatnu, Tikahtnu -- I've lost track of what might be called the Dena'ina-fication of Anchorage. But the trend nevertheless continues. One event that I missed last year was the opening of Tikahtnu Commons, a new East Anchorage shopping mall developed by CIRI. (See April 2009 ADN story.) If the trend continues Anchorage may end up feeling a bit like Honolulu, with local Native names interwoven into the fabric of mainstream life.