fbpx
Wikipedia

Iñupiat

The Iñupiat (or Iñupiaq[2]) are a group of Indigenous Alaskans whose traditional territory roughly spans northeast from Norton Sound on the Bering Sea to the northernmost part of the Canada–United States border.[3][4][5][6] Their current communities include 34 villages across Iñupiat Nunaat (Iñupiaq lands), including seven Alaskan villages in the North Slope Borough, affiliated with the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation; eleven villages in Northwest Arctic Borough; and sixteen villages affiliated with the Bering Straits Regional Corporation.[7] They often claim to be the first people of the Kauwerak.[8]

Iñupiat
Iñupiat woman sharing a kunik with a small child at a Nalukataq in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, 2007
Total population
20,709 (2015)
Regions with significant populations
North and northwest Alaska (United States)
Languages
English, Inupiaq[1]
Religion
Christianity, Animism
Related ethnic groups
Inuit, Yupik
Iñu- / nuna
"person" / "land"
PersonIñupiaq
Dual: Iñupiak
PeopleIñupiat
LanguageIñupiatun
Urraaraq
CountryIñupiat Nunaat

Name edit

 
Semi-underground men's community house (Qargi) with bowhead whale bones, Point Hope, Alaska, 1885

Iñupiat (IPA: [iɲupiɐt]) is the plural form of the name for the people. The singular form is Iñupiaq (IPA: [iɲupiɑq]), which also sometimes refers to the language. Iñupiak (IPA: [iɲupiɐk]) is the dual form. The roots are iñuk "person" and -piaq "real", i.e., an endonym meaning "real people".[9][10]

Groups edit

Ethnic groups edit

The Iñupiat are made up of the following communities

Regional corporations edit

 
Iñupiaq high-kickball, ca. 1910, Utqiaġvik, Alaska, collection of the NMAI

In 1971, the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act established thirteen Alaskan Native Regional Corporations. The purpose of the regional corporations were to create institutions in which Native Alaskans would generate venues to provide services for its members, who were incorporated as "shareholders".[12] Alaskan Native Regional Corporations pose many challenges as participation in extractive capitalism is often in conflict with Native Alaskans subsistence lifestyles that require the health of the ecosystems.[12] Three regional corporations are located in the lands of the Iñupiat. These are the following.

Tribal Governments edit

Prior to colonization, the Iñupiat exercised sovereignty based on complex social structures and order. Despite the transfer of land from Russia to the U.S. and eventual annexation of Alaska, Iñupiat sovereignty continues to be articulated in various ways. A limited form of this sovereignty has been recognized by Federal Indian Law, which outlines the relationship between the federal government and American Indians. The Federal Indian Law recognized Tribal governments as having limited self-determination. In 1993, the federal government extended federal recognition to Alaskan Natives tribes.[13] Tribal governments created avenues for tribes to contract with the federal government to manage programs that directly benefit Native peoples.[13] Throughout Iñupiat lands, there are various regional and village tribal governments. The tribal governments vary in structure and services provided, but often are related to the social wellbeing of the communities. Services included but are not limited to education, housing, tribal services, and supporting healthy families and cultural connection to place and community.

The following Alaska Native tribal entities for the Iñupiat are recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs:

Community Native tribal entities Native Village Corporation Native Regional Corporation
Alatna (Alaasuq) Alatna Village None Doyon, Limited
Ambler (Ivisaappaat) Native Village of Ambler None NANA Corporation
Anaktuvuk Pass (Anaqtuuvak/Naqsraq) Village of Anaktuvuk Pass Nunamiut Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Atqasuk (Atqasuk) Atqasuk Village Atqasuk Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Utqiaġvik Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government Ukpeagvik Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Buckland (Nunatchiaq/Kaŋiq) Native Village of Buckland None NANA Corporation
Brevig Mission (Sitaisaq/Sinauraq) Native Village of Brevig Mission None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Council (Akauchak/Kaułiq) Native Village of Council None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Deering (Ipnatchiaq) Native Village of Deering None NANA Corporation
Diomede (Iŋaliq) Native Village of Diomede None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Kaktovik (Qaaktuġvik) Kaktovik Village Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Kiana (Katyaaq) Native Village of Kiana None NANA Corporation
King Island ( Ugiuvak) King Island Native Community King Island Native Corporation Bering Straits Regional Corporation
Kivalina (Kivalliñiq) Native Village of Kivalina None NANA Corporation
Kotzebue (Qikiqtaġruk) Native Village of Kotzebue Kikiktagruk Corporation NANA Corporation
Kobuk (Laugviik) Native Village of Kobuk None NANA Corporation
Koyuk (Kuuyuk) Native Village of Koyuk None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Mary's Igloo (Qawiaraq/Iglu) Native Village of Mary's Igloo None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Nuiqsut (Nuiqsat) Native Village of Nuiqsut Kuukpik Arctic Slope Native Corporation
Noatak (Nuataaq) Native Village of Noatak None NANA Corporation
Noorvik (Nuurvik) Noorvik Native Community None NANA Corporation
Point Hope (Tikiġaq) Native Village of Point Hope Tikiġaq Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Point Lay (Kali) Native Village of Point Lay Cully Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Selawik (Akuliġaq/Siiḷivik) Native Village of Selawik None NANA Corporation
Shaktoolik (Saqtuliq) Native Village of Shaktoolik None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Shishmaref (Qigiqtaq) Native Village of Shishmaref Shismaref Native Corporation Bering Straits Native Corporation
Shungnak (Isiŋnaq) Native Village of Shungnak None NANA Corporation
Solomon (Aaŋuutaq) Village of Solomon None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Teller (Tala/Iġaluŋniaġvik) Native Village of Teller Teller Native Corporation Bering Straits Native Corporation
Unalakleet (Uŋalaqłiq) Native Village of Unalakleet Unalakleet Native Corporation Bering Straits Regional Corporation
Wainwright (Ulġuniq) Village of Wainwright Olgoonik Corporation Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
Wales (Kiŋigin) Native Village of Wales None Bering Straits Regional Corporation
White Mountain (Nachizrvik) Native Village of White Mountain None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Golovin (Siŋik/Chiŋik) Chinik Eskimo Community None Bering Straits Native Corporation
Nome (Sitnasuaq) Nome Eskimo Community Sitnasuak Corporation Bering Straits Native Corporation
Elim (Nivviaqhchauġluq) Native Village of Elim None Bering Straits Native Corporation

Languages edit

Inuit, the language and the people, extend borders and dialects across the Circumpolar North. Inuit are the Native inhabitants of Northern Alaska, Canada, and Greenland. Inuit languages have differing names depending on the region it is spoken in. In Northern Alaskan, the Inuit language is called Iñupiatun.[14] Within Iñupiatun, there are four major dialects: North Slope, Malimiut, Bering Straits, and Qawiaraq.[14] Prior to western contact, the Iñupiaq dialects flourished. Due to harsh assimilation efforts in Native American boarding schools, Natives were punished for speaking their language.[7][13] Now only 2,000 of the approximately 24,500 Iñupiat people can speak their Native tongue.[14]

Revitalization efforts have focused on Alaskan Native languages and ways of life. Located in Kotzebue, Alaska, an Iñupiaq language immersion school called Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat was established in 1998. The immersion school's mission is to "instill the knowledge of Iñupiaq identity, dignity, respect and to cultivate a love of lifelong learning".[15] June Nelson Elementary school is another school in Kotzebue that is working to include more content into their curriculum about Iñupiaq language and culture.[16] Nome Elementary School in Nome, Alaska has also put in place plans to incororate an Iñupiaq language immersion program.[17] There are many courses being offered at the various campuses a part of the University of Alaska system. University of Alaska Fairbanks offers several course in the Iñupiaq language. University of Alaska Anchorage offers multiple levels of Elementary Iñupiaq Language and Alaskan Native language apprenticeship and fluency intensive courses.[18]

Since 2017, a grassroots group of Iñupiaq language learners have organized Iḷisaqativut, a two-week Iñupiaq language intensive that is held throughout communities in the Iñupiat region.[19] The first gathering was held in Utqiaġvik in 2017, Siqnasuaq (Nome) in 2018, and Qikiqtaġruk (Kotzebue) in 2019.[20]

Kawerak, a nonprofit organization from the Bering Strait region, has created a language glossary that features terms from Iñupiaq, as well as terms from English, Yup'ik, and St. Lawrence Island Yupik.[21]

Several Iñupiat developed pictographic writing systems in the early twentieth century. It is known as Alaskan Picture Writing.[7]

History edit

Along with other Inuit groups, the Iñupiaq originate from the Thule culture. Circa 300 B.C., the Thule migrated from islands in the Bering Sea to what now is Alaska.

Iñupiaq groups, in common with Inuit-speaking groups, often have a name ending in "miut," which means 'a people of'. One example is the Nunamiut, a generic term for inland Iñupiaq caribou hunters. During a period of starvation and an influenza epidemic introduced by American and European whaling crews,[22] most of these people moved to the coast or other parts of Alaska between 1890 and 1910. A number of Nunamiut returned to the mountains in the 1930s.

By 1950, most Nunamiut groups, such as the Killikmiut, had coalesced in Anaktuvuk Pass, a village in north-central Alaska. Some of the Nunamiut remained nomadic until the 1950s.

The Iditarod Trail's antecedents were the native trails of the Dena'ina and Deg Hit'an Athabaskan Indians and the Iñupiaq people.[23]

Subsistence edit

 
A family of Iñupiat
from Noatak, Alaska, 1929 – by Edward S. Curtis

Iñupiat are hunter-gatherers, as are most Arctic peoples. Iñupiat continue to rely heavily on subsistence hunting and fishing. Depending on their location, they harvest walrus, seal, whale, polar bears, caribou, and fish.[11] Both the inland (Nunamiut) and coastal (Taġiumiut, i.e. Tikiġaġmiut) Iñupiat depend greatly on fish. Throughout the seasons, when they are available, food staples also include ducks, geese, rabbits, berries, roots, and shoots.

The inland Iñupiat also hunt caribou, Dall sheep, grizzly bear, and moose. The coastal Iñupiat hunt walrus, seals, beluga whales, and bowhead whales. Cautiously, polar bear also is hunted.

The capture of a whale benefits each member of an Iñupiat community, as the animal is butchered and its meat and blubber are allocated according to a traditional formula. Even city-dwelling relatives, thousands of miles away, are entitled to a share of each whale killed by the hunters of their ancestral village. Maktak, which is the skin and blubber of bowhead and other whales, is rich in vitamins A and C.[24][25] The vitamin C content of meats is destroyed by cooking, so consumption of raw meats and these vitamin-rich foods contributes to good health in a population with limited access to fruits and vegetables.

A major value within subsistence hunting is the utilization of the whole catch or animal. This is demonstrated in the utilization of the hides to turn into clothing, as seen with seal skin, moose and caribou hides, polar bear hides. Fur from rabbits, beaver, marten, otter, and squirrels are also utilized to adorn clothing for warmth. These hides and furs are used to make parkas, mukluks, hats, gloves, and slippers. Qiviut is also gathered as Muskox shed their underlayer of fur and it is spun into wool to make scarves, hats, and gloves. The use of the animal's hides and fur have kept Iñupiat warm throughout the harsh conditions of their homelands, as many of the materials provide natural waterproof or windproof qualities. Other animal parts that have been utilized are the walrus intestines that are made into dance drums and qayaq or umiaq, traditional skin boats.

The walrus tusks of ivory and the baleen of bowhead whales are also utilized as Native expressions of art or tools. The use of these sensitive materials are inline with the practice of utilizing the gifts from the animals that are subsisted. There are protective policies on the harvesting of walrus and whales.[26] The harvest of walrus solely for the use of ivory is highly looked down upon as well as prohibited by federal law with lengthy and costly punishments.

Since the 1970s, oil and other resources have been an important revenue source for the Iñupiat. The Alaska Pipeline connects the Prudhoe Bay wells with the port of Valdez in south-central Alaska. Because of the oil drilling in Alaska's arid north, however, the traditional way of whaling is coming into conflict with one of the modern world's most pressing demands: finding more oil.[27]

The Iñupiat eat a variety of berries and when mixed with tallow, make a traditional dessert. They also mix the berries with rosehips and highbush cranberries and boil them into a syrup.[28]

Culture edit

 
Blanket toss during a Nalukataq in Utqiaġvik, Alaska

Traditionally, some Iñupiat lived in sedentary communities, while others were nomadic. Some villages in the area have been occupied by indigenous groups for more than 10,000 years.

The Nalukataq is a spring whaling festival among Iñupiat. The festival celebrates traditional whale hunting and honors the whale's spirit as it gave its physical body to feed entire villages. The whale's spirit is honored by dance groups from across the North performing songs and dances.

The Iñupiat Ilitqusiat is a list of values that define Iñupiat people. It was created by elders in Kotzebue, Alaska,[29] yet the values resonate with and have been articulated similarly by other Iñupiat communities.[30][31] These values include: respect for elders, hard work, hunter's success, family roles, humor, respect for nature, knowledge of family tree, respect for others, sharing, love for children, cooperation, avoid conflict, responsibility to tribe, humility, and spirituality.[29]

These values serve as guideposts of how Iñupiat are to live their lives. They inform and can be derived from Iñupiaq subsistence practices.

There is one Iñupiaq culture-oriented institute of higher education, Iḷisaġvik College, located in Utqiaġvik.

 
Students from Iḷisaġvik College with Senator Lisa Murkowski.

Current issues edit

Iñupiat have grown more concerned in recent years that climate change is threatening their traditional lifestyle. The warming trend in the Arctic affects their lifestyle in numerous ways, for example: thinning sea ice[32] makes it more difficult to harvest bowhead whales, seals, walrus, and other traditional foods as it changes the migration patterns of marine mammals that rely on iceflows and the thinning sea ice can result in people falling through the ice; warmer winters make travel more dangerous and less predictable as more storms form; later-forming sea ice contributes to increased flooding and erosion along the coast as there is an increase in fall storms, directly imperiling many coastal villages.[33] The Inuit Circumpolar Council, a group representing indigenous peoples of the Arctic, has made the case that climate change represents a threat to their human rights.[34]

As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the Iñupiat population in the United States numbered more than 19,000.[citation needed] Most of them live in Alaska.

Iñupiat Nunaat (Iñupiat territories) edit

The North Slope Borough has the following cities Anaktuvuk Pass (Anaqtuuvak, Naqsraq), Atqasuk (Atqasuk), Utqiaġvik (Utqiaġvik, Ukpiaġvik), Kaktovik (Qaaktuġvik), Nuiqsut (Nuiqsat), Point Hope (Tikiġaq), Point Lay (Kali), Wainwright (Ulġuniq)

 
Map of Alaska highlighting North Slope Borough

The Northwest Arctic Borough has the following cities Ambler (Ivisaappaat), Buckland (Nunatchiaq, Kaŋiq), Deering (Ipnatchiaq), Kiana (Katyaak, Katyaaq), Kivalina (Kivalliñiq), Kobuk (Laugviik), Kotzebue (Qikiqtaġruk), Noatak (Nuataaq ), Noorvik (Nuurvik), Selawik (Siilvik, Akuligaq ), Shungnak (Isiŋnaq, Nuurviuraq)

 
Map of Alaska highlighting Northwest Arctic Borough

The Nome Census Area has the following cities Brevig Mission (Sitaisaq, Sinauraq), Diomede (Iŋalik), Golovin (Siŋik), Koyuk (Kuuyuk), Nome (Siqnazuaq, Sitŋasuaq), Shaktoolik (Saqtuliq), Shishmaref (Qigiqtaq), Teller (Tala, Iġaluŋniaġvik), Wales (Kiŋigin), White Mountain (Natchirsvik), Unalakleet (Uŋalaqłiq)

 
Map of Alaska highlighting Nome Census Area

Notable Iñupiat edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Inuit-Inupiaq." Ethnologue. Retrieved 4 Dec 2013.
  2. ^ . nnlm.gov. Archived from the original on 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2015-09-14.
  3. ^ "Alaska Native Tribes – tribal territories map and Info links". www.kstrom.net.
  4. ^ "IC_Lateral2". Lateral. 2018.
  5. ^ "Alaska Natives Peoples Native Indians Eskimos". alaskatrekker.com.
  6. ^ "Inupiaq – Festival of Native Arts". fna.community.uaf.edu.
  7. ^ a b c "Inupiaq (Inupiat)—Alaska Native Cultural Profile." www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov 2014-08-21 at the Wayback Machine National Network of Libraries of Medicine. Retrieved 4 Dec 2013.
  8. ^ William A. Oquilluk. "PEOPLE OF KAUWERAK – Legends of the Northern Eskimo".
  9. ^ Frederick A. Milan (1959), The acculturation of the contemporary Eskimo of Wainwright Alaska via books.google.com
  10. ^ Johnson Reprint (1962), Prehistoric cultural relations between the Arctic and Temperate zones of North America via books.google.com
  11. ^ a b c "Inupiat." Alaska Native Arts. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  12. ^ a b Anders, Gary (1986). "Incompatible Goals in Unconventional Organization: The Politics of Alaska Native Corporations". Organization Studies. 7 (3): 213–233. doi:10.1177/017084068600700301. S2CID 144605636.
  13. ^ a b c The Alaska native reader : history, culture, politics. Williams, Maria Sháa Tláa. Durham: Duke University Press. 2009. ISBN 978-0822344650. OCLC 294887695.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. ^ a b c MacLean, Edna Ahgeak (15 October 2014). Iñupiatun Uqaluit Taniktun sivuninit = Iñupiaq to English dictionary. Fairbanks, AK. ISBN 9781602232341. OCLC 908390136.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  15. ^ "Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat : Programs : Native Village of Kotzebue / Kotzebue IRA". www.kotzebueira.org. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  16. ^ Edmison, Nicole (20 May 2021). "Kotzebue elementary school works to better incorporate Iñupiaq culture in classrooms". KTOO Public Media. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  17. ^ Phillips, JoJo (22 May 2020). "First Iñupiaq Language Class Coming to Nome Public Schools Starting This Fall". Knom Radio Mission. Knom Radio Mission, Inc. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  18. ^ "Alaska Native Studies (AKNS) < University of Alaska Anchorage". catalog.uaa.alaska.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  19. ^ . Iḷisaqativut. Archived from the original on 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  20. ^ "Media". Iḷisaqativut. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  21. ^ Davis, Kyle (8 October 2021). "Native nonprofit publishes language glossary in English, Inupiaq, Yup'ik". Alaska Public Media. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  22. ^ Bockstoce, John (1995). Whales, Ice, & Men: The History of Whaling in the Western Arctic.[page needed]
  23. ^ The Iditarod National Historic Trail/ Seward to Nome Route: A Comprehensive Management Plan, March 1986. Prepared by Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage District Office, Anchorage, Alaska.
  24. ^ Geraci, Joseph R.; Smith, Thomas G. (June 1979). "Vitamin C in the Diet of Inuit Hunters From Holman, Northwest Territories" (PDF). Arctic. 32 (2): 135. doi:10.14430/arctic2611.
  25. ^ "Vitamin C in Inuit traditional food and women's diets". cat.inist.fr.
  26. ^ . Fish & Wildlife Services. Archived from the original on 2019-10-04. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  27. ^ Mouawad, Jad (December 4, 2007). "In Alaska's Far North, Two Cultures Collide". New York Times.
  28. ^ Jones, Anore, 1983, Nauriat Niginaqtuat = Plants That We Eat, Kotzebue, Alaska. Maniilaq Association Traditional Nutrition Program, page 105
  29. ^ a b "Iñupiat Ilitqusiat". www.ankn.uaf.edu. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  30. ^ "Mission & Values | Sitnasuak Native Corporation | Nome, Alaska". Sitnasuak Native Corporation. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  31. ^ . http. Archived from the original on December 21, 2017. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  32. ^ "Alaska's Changing Environment". International Arctic Research Center. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  33. ^ "Record Low Bering Sea Ice Causes 'Natural Disaster' for Alaskan Communities". EcoWatch. 2018-05-07. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  34. ^ Canada, Inuit Circumpolar Council (10 December 2003). "Climate Change in the Arctic: Human Rights of Inuit Interconnected with the World. Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada". Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  35. ^ . National Geographic Channel. Archived from the original on 2018-07-02. Retrieved 2019-05-22.
  36. ^ "One dead in vehicle collision near North Pole", Alaska Dispatch News, July 29, 2014
  37. ^ "Alice Qannik Glenn". Pulitzer Center. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  38. ^ "Andrew Okpeaha MacLean". IMDb. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  39. ^ "Andrew Okpeaha MacLean". NYU. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  40. ^ "d g nanouk opkik". Poetry Foundation. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  41. ^ "Howard Rock". Tuzzy Consortium Library. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  42. ^ "Ariel Tweto". IMDb. Retrieved 7 February 2021.
  43. ^ "Native Shorts". FNX. Retrieved 7 February 2021.

Further reading edit

  • Heinrich, Albert Carl. A Summary of Kinship Forms and Terminologies Found Among the Inupiaq Speaking People of Alaska. 1950.
  • Sprott, Julie E. Raising Young Children in an Alaskan Iñupiaq Village; The Family, Cultural, and Village Environment of Rearing. West, CT: Bergin & Garvey, 2002. ISBN 0-313-01347-0
  • Chance, Norman A. The Eskimo of North Alaska. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1966. ISBN 0-03-057160-X
  • Chance, Norman A. The Inupiat and Arctic Alaska: An Ethnology of Development. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1990. ISBN 0-03-032419-X
  • Chance, N.A. and Yelena Andreeva. "Sustainability, Equity, and Natural Resource Development in Northwest Siberia and Arctic Alaska." Human Ecology. 1995, vol 23 (2) [June]

External links edit

    iñupiat, this, article, about, ethnic, group, their, language, inupiaq, language, this, article, possibly, contains, original, research, please, improve, verifying, claims, made, adding, inline, citations, statements, consisting, only, original, research, shou. This article is about the ethnic group For their language see Inupiaq language This article possibly contains original research Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations Statements consisting only of original research should be removed July 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Inupiat or Inupiaq 2 are a group of Indigenous Alaskans whose traditional territory roughly spans northeast from Norton Sound on the Bering Sea to the northernmost part of the Canada United States border 3 4 5 6 Their current communities include 34 villages across Inupiat Nunaat Inupiaq lands including seven Alaskan villages in the North Slope Borough affiliated with the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation eleven villages in Northwest Arctic Borough and sixteen villages affiliated with the Bering Straits Regional Corporation 7 They often claim to be the first people of the Kauwerak 8 InupiatInupiat woman sharing a kunik with a small child at a Nalukataq in Utqiaġvik Alaska 2007Total population20 709 2015 Regions with significant populationsNorth and northwest Alaska United States LanguagesEnglish Inupiaq 1 ReligionChristianity AnimismRelated ethnic groupsInuit YupikInu nuna person land PersonInupiaqDual InupiakPeopleInupiatLanguageInupiatunUrraaraqCountryInupiat Nunaat Contents 1 Name 2 Groups 2 1 Ethnic groups 3 Regional corporations 4 Tribal Governments 5 Languages 6 History 7 Subsistence 8 Culture 9 Current issues 10 Inupiat Nunaat Inupiat territories 11 Notable Inupiat 12 See also 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External linksName edit nbsp Semi underground men s community house Qargi with bowhead whale bones Point Hope Alaska 1885Inupiat IPA iɲupiɐt is the plural form of the name for the people The singular form is Inupiaq IPA iɲupiɑq which also sometimes refers to the language Inupiak IPA iɲupiɐk is the dual form The roots are inuk person and piaq real i e an endonym meaning real people 9 10 Groups editEthnic groups edit The Inupiat are made up of the following communities Bering Strait Inupiat Sivunmiut South Seward Peninsula Inupiat Qawiaraq Inupiat Nunamiut 11 Northwest Arctic Inupiat Malimiut North Alaska Coast Inupiat Taġiuġmiut people of the sea or Siḷaliniġmiut Regional corporations editThis section may be unbalanced towards certain viewpoints Please improve the article by adding information on neglected viewpoints or discuss the issue on the talk page June 2019 nbsp Inupiaq high kickball ca 1910 Utqiaġvik Alaska collection of the NMAIIn 1971 the Alaskan Native Claims Settlement Act established thirteen Alaskan Native Regional Corporations The purpose of the regional corporations were to create institutions in which Native Alaskans would generate venues to provide services for its members who were incorporated as shareholders 12 Alaskan Native Regional Corporations pose many challenges as participation in extractive capitalism is often in conflict with Native Alaskans subsistence lifestyles that require the health of the ecosystems 12 Three regional corporations are located in the lands of the Inupiat These are the following Arctic Slope Regional Corporation Bering Straits Native Corporation NANA Regional Corporation 11 Tribal Governments editPrior to colonization the Inupiat exercised sovereignty based on complex social structures and order Despite the transfer of land from Russia to the U S and eventual annexation of Alaska Inupiat sovereignty continues to be articulated in various ways A limited form of this sovereignty has been recognized by Federal Indian Law which outlines the relationship between the federal government and American Indians The Federal Indian Law recognized Tribal governments as having limited self determination In 1993 the federal government extended federal recognition to Alaskan Natives tribes 13 Tribal governments created avenues for tribes to contract with the federal government to manage programs that directly benefit Native peoples 13 Throughout Inupiat lands there are various regional and village tribal governments The tribal governments vary in structure and services provided but often are related to the social wellbeing of the communities Services included but are not limited to education housing tribal services and supporting healthy families and cultural connection to place and community The following Alaska Native tribal entities for the Inupiat are recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs Community Native tribal entities Native Village Corporation Native Regional CorporationAlatna Alaasuq Alatna Village None Doyon LimitedAmbler Ivisaappaat Native Village of Ambler None NANA CorporationAnaktuvuk Pass Anaqtuuvak Naqsraq Village of Anaktuvuk Pass Nunamiut Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationAtqasuk Atqasuk Atqasuk Village Atqasuk Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationUtqiaġvik Native Village of Barrow Inupiat Traditional Government Ukpeagvik Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationBuckland Nunatchiaq Kaŋiq Native Village of Buckland None NANA CorporationBrevig Mission Sitaisaq Sinauraq Native Village of Brevig Mission None Bering Straits Native CorporationCouncil Akauchak Kauliq Native Village of Council None Bering Straits Native CorporationDeering Ipnatchiaq Native Village of Deering None NANA CorporationDiomede Iŋaliq Native Village of Diomede None Bering Straits Native CorporationKaktovik Qaaktuġvik Kaktovik Village Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationKiana Katyaaq Native Village of Kiana None NANA CorporationKing Island Ugiuvak King Island Native Community King Island Native Corporation Bering Straits Regional CorporationKivalina Kivalliniq Native Village of Kivalina None NANA CorporationKotzebue Qikiqtaġruk Native Village of Kotzebue Kikiktagruk Corporation NANA CorporationKobuk Laugviik Native Village of Kobuk None NANA CorporationKoyuk Kuuyuk Native Village of Koyuk None Bering Straits Native CorporationMary s Igloo Qawiaraq Iglu Native Village of Mary s Igloo None Bering Straits Native CorporationNuiqsut Nuiqsat Native Village of Nuiqsut Kuukpik Arctic Slope Native CorporationNoatak Nuataaq Native Village of Noatak None NANA CorporationNoorvik Nuurvik Noorvik Native Community None NANA CorporationPoint Hope Tikiġaq Native Village of Point Hope Tikiġaq Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationPoint Lay Kali Native Village of Point Lay Cully Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationSelawik Akuliġaq Siiḷivik Native Village of Selawik None NANA CorporationShaktoolik Saqtuliq Native Village of Shaktoolik None Bering Straits Native CorporationShishmaref Qigiqtaq Native Village of Shishmaref Shismaref Native Corporation Bering Straits Native CorporationShungnak Isiŋnaq Native Village of Shungnak None NANA CorporationSolomon Aaŋuutaq Village of Solomon None Bering Straits Native CorporationTeller Tala Iġaluŋniaġvik Native Village of Teller Teller Native Corporation Bering Straits Native CorporationUnalakleet Uŋalaqliq Native Village of Unalakleet Unalakleet Native Corporation Bering Straits Regional CorporationWainwright Ulġuniq Village of Wainwright Olgoonik Corporation Arctic Slope Regional CorporationWales Kiŋigin Native Village of Wales None Bering Straits Regional CorporationWhite Mountain Nachizrvik Native Village of White Mountain None Bering Straits Native CorporationGolovin Siŋik Chiŋik Chinik Eskimo Community None Bering Straits Native CorporationNome Sitnasuaq Nome Eskimo Community Sitnasuak Corporation Bering Straits Native CorporationElim Nivviaqhchauġluq Native Village of Elim None Bering Straits Native CorporationLanguages editInuit the language and the people extend borders and dialects across the Circumpolar North Inuit are the Native inhabitants of Northern Alaska Canada and Greenland Inuit languages have differing names depending on the region it is spoken in In Northern Alaskan the Inuit language is called Inupiatun 14 Within Inupiatun there are four major dialects North Slope Malimiut Bering Straits and Qawiaraq 14 Prior to western contact the Inupiaq dialects flourished Due to harsh assimilation efforts in Native American boarding schools Natives were punished for speaking their language 7 13 Now only 2 000 of the approximately 24 500 Inupiat people can speak their Native tongue 14 Revitalization efforts have focused on Alaskan Native languages and ways of life Located in Kotzebue Alaska an Inupiaq language immersion school called Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat was established in 1998 The immersion school s mission is to instill the knowledge of Inupiaq identity dignity respect and to cultivate a love of lifelong learning 15 June Nelson Elementary school is another school in Kotzebue that is working to include more content into their curriculum about Inupiaq language and culture 16 Nome Elementary School in Nome Alaska has also put in place plans to incororate an Inupiaq language immersion program 17 There are many courses being offered at the various campuses a part of the University of Alaska system University of Alaska Fairbanks offers several course in the Inupiaq language University of Alaska Anchorage offers multiple levels of Elementary Inupiaq Language and Alaskan Native language apprenticeship and fluency intensive courses 18 Since 2017 a grassroots group of Inupiaq language learners have organized Iḷisaqativut a two week Inupiaq language intensive that is held throughout communities in the Inupiat region 19 The first gathering was held in Utqiaġvik in 2017 Siqnasuaq Nome in 2018 and Qikiqtaġruk Kotzebue in 2019 20 Kawerak a nonprofit organization from the Bering Strait region has created a language glossary that features terms from Inupiaq as well as terms from English Yup ik and St Lawrence Island Yupik 21 Several Inupiat developed pictographic writing systems in the early twentieth century It is known as Alaskan Picture Writing 7 History editAlong with other Inuit groups the Inupiaq originate from the Thule culture Circa 300 B C the Thule migrated from islands in the Bering Sea to what now is Alaska Inupiaq groups in common with Inuit speaking groups often have a name ending in miut which means a people of One example is the Nunamiut a generic term for inland Inupiaq caribou hunters During a period of starvation and an influenza epidemic introduced by American and European whaling crews 22 most of these people moved to the coast or other parts of Alaska between 1890 and 1910 A number of Nunamiut returned to the mountains in the 1930s By 1950 most Nunamiut groups such as the Killikmiut had coalesced in Anaktuvuk Pass a village in north central Alaska Some of the Nunamiut remained nomadic until the 1950s The Iditarod Trail s antecedents were the native trails of the Dena ina and Deg Hit an Athabaskan Indians and the Inupiaq people 23 Subsistence edit nbsp A family of Inupiat from Noatak Alaska 1929 by Edward S CurtisInupiat are hunter gatherers as are most Arctic peoples Inupiat continue to rely heavily on subsistence hunting and fishing Depending on their location they harvest walrus seal whale polar bears caribou and fish 11 Both the inland Nunamiut and coastal Taġiumiut i e Tikiġaġmiut Inupiat depend greatly on fish Throughout the seasons when they are available food staples also include ducks geese rabbits berries roots and shoots The inland Inupiat also hunt caribou Dall sheep grizzly bear and moose The coastal Inupiat hunt walrus seals beluga whales and bowhead whales Cautiously polar bear also is hunted The capture of a whale benefits each member of an Inupiat community as the animal is butchered and its meat and blubber are allocated according to a traditional formula Even city dwelling relatives thousands of miles away are entitled to a share of each whale killed by the hunters of their ancestral village Maktak which is the skin and blubber of bowhead and other whales is rich in vitamins A and C 24 25 The vitamin C content of meats is destroyed by cooking so consumption of raw meats and these vitamin rich foods contributes to good health in a population with limited access to fruits and vegetables A major value within subsistence hunting is the utilization of the whole catch or animal This is demonstrated in the utilization of the hides to turn into clothing as seen with seal skin moose and caribou hides polar bear hides Fur from rabbits beaver marten otter and squirrels are also utilized to adorn clothing for warmth These hides and furs are used to make parkas mukluks hats gloves and slippers Qiviut is also gathered as Muskox shed their underlayer of fur and it is spun into wool to make scarves hats and gloves The use of the animal s hides and fur have kept Inupiat warm throughout the harsh conditions of their homelands as many of the materials provide natural waterproof or windproof qualities Other animal parts that have been utilized are the walrus intestines that are made into dance drums and qayaq or umiaq traditional skin boats The walrus tusks of ivory and the baleen of bowhead whales are also utilized as Native expressions of art or tools The use of these sensitive materials are inline with the practice of utilizing the gifts from the animals that are subsisted There are protective policies on the harvesting of walrus and whales 26 The harvest of walrus solely for the use of ivory is highly looked down upon as well as prohibited by federal law with lengthy and costly punishments Since the 1970s oil and other resources have been an important revenue source for the Inupiat The Alaska Pipeline connects the Prudhoe Bay wells with the port of Valdez in south central Alaska Because of the oil drilling in Alaska s arid north however the traditional way of whaling is coming into conflict with one of the modern world s most pressing demands finding more oil 27 The Inupiat eat a variety of berries and when mixed with tallow make a traditional dessert They also mix the berries with rosehips and highbush cranberries and boil them into a syrup 28 Culture edit nbsp Blanket toss during a Nalukataq in Utqiaġvik AlaskaTraditionally some Inupiat lived in sedentary communities while others were nomadic Some villages in the area have been occupied by indigenous groups for more than 10 000 years The Nalukataq is a spring whaling festival among Inupiat The festival celebrates traditional whale hunting and honors the whale s spirit as it gave its physical body to feed entire villages The whale s spirit is honored by dance groups from across the North performing songs and dances The Inupiat Ilitqusiat is a list of values that define Inupiat people It was created by elders in Kotzebue Alaska 29 yet the values resonate with and have been articulated similarly by other Inupiat communities 30 31 These values include respect for elders hard work hunter s success family roles humor respect for nature knowledge of family tree respect for others sharing love for children cooperation avoid conflict responsibility to tribe humility and spirituality 29 These values serve as guideposts of how Inupiat are to live their lives They inform and can be derived from Inupiaq subsistence practices There is one Inupiaq culture oriented institute of higher education Iḷisaġvik College located in Utqiaġvik nbsp Students from Iḷisaġvik College with Senator Lisa Murkowski Current issues editInupiat have grown more concerned in recent years that climate change is threatening their traditional lifestyle The warming trend in the Arctic affects their lifestyle in numerous ways for example thinning sea ice 32 makes it more difficult to harvest bowhead whales seals walrus and other traditional foods as it changes the migration patterns of marine mammals that rely on iceflows and the thinning sea ice can result in people falling through the ice warmer winters make travel more dangerous and less predictable as more storms form later forming sea ice contributes to increased flooding and erosion along the coast as there is an increase in fall storms directly imperiling many coastal villages 33 The Inuit Circumpolar Council a group representing indigenous peoples of the Arctic has made the case that climate change represents a threat to their human rights 34 As of the 2000 U S Census the Inupiat population in the United States numbered more than 19 000 citation needed Most of them live in Alaska Inupiat Nunaat Inupiat territories editThe North Slope Borough has the following cities Anaktuvuk Pass Anaqtuuvak Naqsraq Atqasuk Atqasuk Utqiaġvik Utqiaġvik Ukpiaġvik Kaktovik Qaaktuġvik Nuiqsut Nuiqsat Point Hope Tikiġaq Point Lay Kali Wainwright Ulġuniq nbsp Map of Alaska highlighting North Slope Borough The Northwest Arctic Borough has the following cities Ambler Ivisaappaat Buckland Nunatchiaq Kaŋiq Deering Ipnatchiaq Kiana Katyaak Katyaaq Kivalina Kivalliniq Kobuk Laugviik Kotzebue Qikiqtaġruk Noatak Nuataaq Noorvik Nuurvik Selawik Siilvik Akuligaq Shungnak Isiŋnaq Nuurviuraq nbsp Map of Alaska highlighting Northwest Arctic Borough The Nome Census Area has the following cities Brevig Mission Sitaisaq Sinauraq Diomede Iŋalik Golovin Siŋik Koyuk Kuuyuk Nome Siqnazuaq Sitŋasuaq Shaktoolik Saqtuliq Shishmaref Qigiqtaq Teller Tala Iġaluŋniaġvik Wales Kiŋigin White Mountain Natchirsvik Unalakleet Uŋalaqliq nbsp Map of Alaska highlighting Nome Census AreaNotable Inupiat editFurther information List of American Inuit Eddie Ahyakak born 1977 Inupiaq marathon runner and expert mountaineer on Season Two on Ultimate Survival Alaska 35 36 John Baker musher dog musher pilot and motivational speaker Irene Bedard born 1967 actress Ada Blackjack nee Delutuk 1898 1983 lived for two years as a castaway on uninhabited Wrangel Island north of Siberia Ticasuk Brown 1904 1982 educator poet and writer Callan Chythlook Sifsof born 1989 Olympic snowboarder Alice Qannik Glenn born 1989 podcaster and producer 37 Agnes Hailstone profiled in the National Geographic documentary television series Life Below Zero William L Iggiagruk Hensley born 1941 advocate for Alaska Native rights and U S politician author Eben Hopson politician and founder of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Joan Kane poet Sonya Kelliher Combs born 1969 mixed media artist of Inupiaq Athabascan German and Irish heritage Andrew Okpeaha MacLean writer director and filmmaker known for On the Ice 38 39 Edna Ahgeak MacLean born 1944 Inupiaq linguist anthropologist and educator Eileen MacLean 1949 1996 Alaska state legislator and educator Ray Mala 1906 1952 actor Sadie Neakok first female magistrate in Alaska dg nanouk okpik poet 40 Josiah Patkotak politician member of the Alaska House of Representatives Katherine Paul born 1989 singer songwriter of Inupiaq and Swinomish heritage Ryan Redington dog musher 2023 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Champion ambassador of Alaska Native values and traditions Shirley Reilly Team USA athlete 4 time medalist in the Paralympic Games Howard Rock 1911 1976 advocate for Alaska Native land claims writer and founder of the Tundra Times 41 Ronald Senungetuk 1933 2020 sculptor silversmith educator Tara Sweeney 13th Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Indian Affairs Kenneth Utuayuk Toovak 1923 2009 ice scientist Inupiat spiritualist and scientist Ariel Tweto born 1987 TV personality producer and actress known for her roles on Flying Wild Alaska and Native Shorts a talk show supported by the Sundance Institute and FNX First Nations Experience 42 43 See also editBaleen basketry Eskimo yo yo Kivgiq Messenger Feast Maniilaq Never Alone a video game featuring Inupiaq folklore Qargi men s community houseReferences edit Inuit Inupiaq Ethnologue Retrieved 4 Dec 2013 Inupiaq Inupiat Alaska Native Cultural Profile nnlm gov Archived from the original on 2017 08 29 Retrieved 2015 09 14 Alaska Native Tribes tribal territories map and Info links www kstrom net IC Lateral2 Lateral 2018 Alaska Natives Peoples Native Indians Eskimos alaskatrekker com Inupiaq Festival of Native Arts fna community uaf edu a b c Inupiaq Inupiat Alaska Native Cultural Profile www nnlm nlm nih gov Archived 2014 08 21 at the Wayback Machine National Network of Libraries of Medicine Retrieved 4 Dec 2013 William A Oquilluk PEOPLE OF KAUWERAK Legends of the Northern Eskimo Frederick A Milan 1959 The acculturation of the contemporary Eskimo of Wainwright Alaska via books google com Johnson Reprint 1962 Prehistoric cultural relations between the Arctic and Temperate zones of North America via books google com a b c Inupiat Alaska Native Arts Retrieved 26 July 2012 a b Anders Gary 1986 Incompatible Goals in Unconventional Organization The Politics of Alaska Native Corporations Organization Studies 7 3 213 233 doi 10 1177 017084068600700301 S2CID 144605636 a b c The Alaska native reader history culture politics Williams Maria Shaa Tlaa Durham Duke University Press 2009 ISBN 978 0822344650 OCLC 294887695 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link a b c MacLean Edna Ahgeak 15 October 2014 Inupiatun Uqaluit Taniktun sivuninit Inupiaq to English dictionary Fairbanks AK ISBN 9781602232341 OCLC 908390136 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat Programs Native Village of Kotzebue Kotzebue IRA www kotzebueira org Retrieved 2019 10 21 Edmison Nicole 20 May 2021 Kotzebue elementary school works to better incorporate Inupiaq culture in classrooms KTOO Public Media Retrieved 2 December 2021 Phillips JoJo 22 May 2020 First Inupiaq Language Class Coming to Nome Public Schools Starting This Fall Knom Radio Mission Knom Radio Mission Inc Retrieved 2 December 2021 Alaska Native Studies AKNS lt University of Alaska Anchorage catalog uaa alaska edu Retrieved 2019 10 21 Program Iḷisaqativut Archived from the original on 2019 10 22 Retrieved 2019 10 21 Media Iḷisaqativut Retrieved 2019 10 21 Davis Kyle 8 October 2021 Native nonprofit publishes language glossary in English Inupiaq Yup ik Alaska Public Media Retrieved 2 December 2021 Bockstoce John 1995 Whales Ice amp Men The History of Whaling in the Western Arctic page needed The Iditarod National Historic Trail Seward to Nome Route A Comprehensive Management Plan March 1986 Prepared by Bureau of Land Management Anchorage District Office Anchorage Alaska Geraci Joseph R Smith Thomas G June 1979 Vitamin C in the Diet of Inuit Hunters From Holman Northwest Territories PDF Arctic 32 2 135 doi 10 14430 arctic2611 Vitamin C in Inuit traditional food and women s diets cat inist fr Marine Mammal Management Fish amp Wildlife Services Archived from the original on 2019 10 04 Retrieved 2019 10 21 Mouawad Jad December 4 2007 In Alaska s Far North Two Cultures Collide New York Times Jones Anore 1983 Nauriat Niginaqtuat Plants That We Eat Kotzebue Alaska Maniilaq Association Traditional Nutrition Program page 105 a b Inupiat Ilitqusiat www ankn uaf edu Retrieved 2019 10 22 Mission amp Values Sitnasuak Native Corporation Nome Alaska Sitnasuak Native Corporation Retrieved 2019 10 22 Our Values NWABSD Values http Archived from the original on December 21 2017 Retrieved 2019 10 22 Alaska s Changing Environment International Arctic Research Center Retrieved 2019 10 22 Record Low Bering Sea Ice Causes Natural Disaster for Alaskan Communities EcoWatch 2018 05 07 Retrieved 2019 10 22 Canada Inuit Circumpolar Council 10 December 2003 Climate Change in the Arctic Human Rights of Inuit Interconnected with the World Inuit Circumpolar Council Canada Retrieved 2019 10 22 Channel Homepage National Geographic Channel Archived from the original on 2018 07 02 Retrieved 2019 05 22 One dead in vehicle collision near North Pole Alaska Dispatch News July 29 2014 Alice Qannik Glenn Pulitzer Center Retrieved 7 February 2021 Andrew Okpeaha MacLean IMDb Retrieved 7 February 2021 Andrew Okpeaha MacLean NYU Retrieved 7 February 2021 d g nanouk opkik Poetry Foundation Retrieved 7 February 2021 Howard Rock Tuzzy Consortium Library Retrieved 6 February 2021 Ariel Tweto IMDb Retrieved 7 February 2021 Native Shorts FNX Retrieved 7 February 2021 Further reading editHeinrich Albert Carl A Summary of Kinship Forms and Terminologies Found Among the Inupiaq Speaking People of Alaska 1950 Sprott Julie E Raising Young Children in an Alaskan Inupiaq Village The Family Cultural and Village Environment of Rearing West CT Bergin amp Garvey 2002 ISBN 0 313 01347 0 Chance Norman A The Eskimo of North Alaska Holt Rinehart and Winston 1966 ISBN 0 03 057160 X Chance Norman A The Inupiat and Arctic Alaska An Ethnology of Development Holt Rinehart and Winston 1990 ISBN 0 03 032419 X Chance N A and Yelena Andreeva Sustainability Equity and Natural Resource Development in Northwest Siberia and Arctic Alaska Human Ecology 1995 vol 23 2 June External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Inupiaq Inupiat of Arctic Alaska Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Inupiat amp oldid 1198891276, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

    article

    , read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.