The `Berdache'/`Two-Spirit': A Comparison of Anthropological and Native Constructions of Gendered Identities Among the Northern Athapaskans

This article examines accounts of cross-sex reincarnation among the Dene Tha of Northern Alberta, Canada, and shows how the Dene Tha constitute dual gender identities through processes of dream interpretation and socialization. In doing so, the article challenges recent claims that the status of'berdache' exists among Northern Athapaskans, and illustrates the danger of applying anthropological concepts to Northern Athapaskan social practices without adequate consideration of indigenous ideas and social contexts.