Alaska's Mount McKinley Will Be Renamed Mount Denali By President Obama

Mount Denali. That is the new name that President Obama will confer on Alaskan mountain Mount McKinley on Sunday, according to the New York Times.

With his executive power he thus hopes to restore the mountain's "cultural importance".

He will officially rename it in Anchorage. Mount Denali is an Athabascan name used a lot by Alaskan Natives, and which means "the great one."

There are hopes that the move will improve relationships with the Native Americans, according to the Washington Post.

In an interview on Sunday, Julie Kitka, president of the Alaska Federation of Natives, said: "It's symbolic, but the practical thing is now on all the maps and all the descriptions it will have the traditional name. That is wonderful, it is timely and the right thing to do," she said.

Another announcement by the White House was that the President planned to expand the scope of programs wanting to permit Alaska Natives have a hand in developing their resources and include them in local fishery businesses.

He has been trying to involve himself more with the Native American community since June last year. He visited Cannon Ball, N.D. in the "first visit in 15 years by any president to Native American tribal lands," according to hngn.