Alaska Native History

ALASKA NATIVE HISTORY

History of Alaska

  • Overview of Historical Periods:

    • Geography

    • Indigenous Peoples

    • Russian Period (1754-1867)

    • American Period (1867-1959)

    • Modern American Period (1959-present)

Geography of Alaska

  • Geographic Location:

    • Bordered by Russia to the west across the Bering Strait.

    • Various geographic features including rivers, islands, and mountain ranges.

Geographic Quick Facts

  • Size: 586,000 square miles, constituting one-fifth the size of the U.S.

  • Coastline: 33,000 miles, making it the state with the longest coastline.

  • Glaciers: Approximately 100,000 glaciers; notably, the Malaspina Glacier is larger than Rhode Island.

  • Topography:

    • 39 mountain ranges.

    • 3,000 rivers.

    • 3,000,000 lakes.

  • Highest Peak: Denali, standing at 21,000 feet; of the 20 highest peaks in the U.S., 17 are located in Alaska.

Indigenous Peoples of Alaska

  • Broad Cultural Groups:

    • Eight primary groups identified.

    • Siberian Yupik

    • Bering Sea Yup'ik

    • Unangan

    • Inupiat

    • Athabascan Indians

    • Alutiiq & Chugach

    • Tlingit/Haida/Tsimshian

Languages and Tribes

  • Language Diversity:

    • 20 different Alaska Native languages.

    • 231 federally recognized tribes as of 2022.

    • Alaska represents almost 50% of the federally recognized tribes in the U.S. (574 total).

  • Alaska Native Language Groups:

    • Aleut (Unangak): a language family spread across Aleutians and parts of Siberia.

    • Central Yup'ik, Inuit-Yupik: spoken by groups along the Bering Sea and coastal regions.

    • Names of different language families include Athabascan, Eyak, and Tlingit, each with their unique dialects and regions.

  • Significance of Indigenous Languages:

    • Languages hold cultural heritage and identity.

    • Many languages face challenges of declining native speakers, with revitalization efforts ongoing.

Analysis of Cultural Groups in Alaska

Inupiaq People

  • Locations and Population:

    • Three major areas: Northern (North Slope), Kobuk area, Seward Peninsula.

    • Village names include Utqiagvik (Barrow), Wainwright, Point Lay, and more.

Yup’ik and Cup’ik Peoples

  • Cultural and Linguistic Distinctions:

    • Often referred to as 'Eskimo', a colonial term.

    • Different languages and social structures; they exhibit distinct dance and music styles.

Yup'ik Worldview

  • Philosophical Perspectives:

    • Nod to an interconnectedness with natural and ancestral spirits.

    • Emphasis on ecological balance, respect for Earth.

    • Concepts like Ellam Yua (Creative Force) reflects views differing from Western religious traditions.

Various Historical Periods

Russian Period (1741-1867)

  • Colonization Activities:

    • Invasion of Kodiak in 1784; initially had many villages which subsequently dwindled due to colonization.

    • Impact: Russian colonists enslaved Aleut/Unangan populations for sea otter pelts, leading to a decline in population and cultural erosion.

American Period (1867-1959)

  • Treaty of Cession (1867):

    • The United States took possession of Alaska from Russia.

    • Gold Rush (1899) led to an influx of settlers and missionaries who aimed to convert and assimilate native populations.

  • Missionaries' Role:

    • Established English-only policies, contributing to the erasure of native languages and cultures.

    • Conflicts arose between Catholic and Protestant efforts.

Modern American Period (1959-present)

  • Statehood Achievements:

    • The struggle for land claims post-statehood, where Indigenous people had limited say in resource management.

  • Native Solidarity Movement:

    • Formation of the Alaska Federation of Natives in the 1960s aims to address land claims and cultural rights.

    • Enactment of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) which allocated land and funds to Native corporations.

Cultural Revitalization and Modern Challenges

  • Cultural Renaissance:

    • Re-emergence of traditional dance, music celebrations since the late 1970s.

    • Young generations engaging in traditional practices and communal activities.

  • Demographic Changes:

    • By 2015-2016, over 130,000 Alaska Natives with a life expectancy of 66 years.

    • Challenges remain in education and public health, notably with high dropout rates among Alaskan Native students.

Conclusion

  • Legacy of Colonization:

    • Continues to affect demographics, education, and cultural identity of Indigenous people in Alaska.

    • The ongoing journey towards recognition and preservation of Alaska Native cultural heritage and rights.