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Tanana Moon Calendar
Article #110
by T. Neil Davis
Unable to see stars in summer, the Indians of the Upper Tanana Valley, in olden times, utilized a self-adjusting calendar based on the moon. The year began in October and involved 13 months, each equal to the period of the revolution of the moon about the earth--29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes. As the lunar months were described in terms of familiar natural phenomena, the discrepancy between 13 lunar months (384 days) and one solar year (365 days) was of little consequence, nor was the exact day of the month.
The calendar was as follows:
October Moon when the bull moose ruts November Moon when the sheep ruts December Hook-game moon month of social activities and game
playing January Moon when the sun appears again after long
sleeps February Moon when the days grow longer March Moon of the cold winds, or the
Eagle Moon April Hawk Moon May Moon when the snow is soft in day and freezes
at night June Moon when young animals are born July Moon when new hair appears on animals, or moon
when the moose comes down off the hill August Moon when the moose fat is ready September Moon when the animals take on winter
coats 13th Month Moon when the leaves turn red
(Reference: R. A. McKennan, The Upper Tanana Indians,
Yale University, 1969.)
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