fbpx
Wikipedia

Tikiġaġmiut

The Tikiġaġmiut (Inupiaq: [tikeʁɑɴmiut]), an Iñupiat people, live two hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle, 330 mi (530 km) southwest of Utqiagvik, Alaska, in the village of Point Hope (Inupiaq: Tikiġaq).[1] The Tikigaq are the oldest continuously settled Native American site on the continent. They are native whale hunters with centuries of experience co-existing with the Chukchi Sea that surrounds the Point Hope cape on three sides. "Tikiġaq" means "resembles an index finger (point of land)" in the Iñupiaq language.

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

History edit

About 1,500 years ago, when Tikiġaġmiut first settled the Point Hope area, they did not depend on whale hunting. Instead, early Tikiġaġmiut were notable for producing elaborate and beautiful art in an artstyle called Ipiutak, after the place where archaeologists first found the artwork. But the Tikagaq's past is a present-day mystery with no explanation for where the ideas for the art came from, nor how a large population was sustained during their earliest centuries without whale dependence.[2]

The Tikigaq relied on berries and roots for food, local willows for house frames, and moss or grass for lamp wicks and insulation.

Today, distribution and movement of game, especially the beluga, bowhead whale, caribou, seal, walrus, fur-bearing animals, polar bear and grizzly bear, directly affect the lives of Tikigaq.[3]

Daily life edit

While ancillary health care is provided by the local volunteer fire department, the closest physician is in Kotzebue, Alaska, 180 mi (290 km) away.

About one in three Tikiġaġmiut homes lack running water or sewer connections.

Culture edit

 
Whale bones at ceremonial site

Also known as Tikigaqmuit or Tikigaqmiut,[3] the Tikiġaġmiut people used to live close together for half the year in underground whale-bone, driftwood, and dirt houses that were connected by tunnels. The men's unit was called the qargi. Tikigaqmiut today live in modern houses. Their connections include the spirits of ancestors, the sun, the moon, and animal worship. Tikiġaġmiut sustain myths about their homeland once being a great whale killed by a shaman's harpoon. Their year involves storytelling, rituals, dances, shamanic seances, puppet shows, divinations, spirit guests, encounters with animal souls, and lunar rites, culminating in the spring with the annual whale hunt.[4]

Tikiġaġmiut people have complex kinship and alliance webs.

Education edit

Tikigaq School, part of the North Slope Borough School District,[5] is the second largest K-12 in Alaska, serving more than 250 children. Notable to the school's curriculum is a three-week whaling class where a small group of students learn specific whaling traditions and skills.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ . tikigaq.com. Archived from the original on August 6, 2007. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  2. ^ . akhistory. Archived from the original on November 12, 2002. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c "Tikigaq". tikigaq.com. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  4. ^ Tom Lowenstein (January 2000). "Ancient Land, Sacred Whale". Barnes and Noble. Retrieved September 30, 2007.
  5. ^ . schoolsk-12.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2007.

Further reading edit

  • Short Sketches of Oldest America by John Beach Driggs
  • Asatchaq, Jimmie Killigivuk and Tom Lowenstein, The Things That Were Said of Them: Shaman Stories and Oral Histories of the Tikiġaq People. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1992. ISBN 0-520-06569-7

External links edit

  • Tikigaq official website
  • Tikigaq photo gallery
  • Pulu, Tupou L., Ruth Ramoth-Sampson, and Angeline Newlin. "Whaling: A Way of Life." University of Alaska. 2004. Tikiġaġmiut Lifeways

tikiġaġmiut, inupiaq, tikeʁɑɴmiut, iñupiat, people, live, hundred, miles, north, arctic, circle, southwest, utqiagvik, alaska, village, point, hope, inupiaq, tikiġaq, tikigaq, oldest, continuously, settled, native, american, site, continent, they, native, whal. The Tikiġaġmiut Inupiaq tikeʁɑɴmiut an Inupiat people live two hundred miles north of the Arctic Circle 330 mi 530 km southwest of Utqiagvik Alaska in the village of Point Hope Inupiaq Tikiġaq 1 The Tikigaq are the oldest continuously settled Native American site on the continent They are native whale hunters with centuries of experience co existing with the Chukchi Sea that surrounds the Point Hope cape on three sides Tikiġaq means resembles an index finger point of land in the Inupiaq language Semi underground men s community house Qargi with bowhead whale bones Point Hope Alaska 1885 Contents 1 History 2 Daily life 3 Culture 4 Education 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editAbout 1 500 years ago when Tikiġaġmiut first settled the Point Hope area they did not depend on whale hunting Instead early Tikiġaġmiut were notable for producing elaborate and beautiful art in an artstyle called Ipiutak after the place where archaeologists first found the artwork But the Tikagaq s past is a present day mystery with no explanation for where the ideas for the art came from nor how a large population was sustained during their earliest centuries without whale dependence 2 The Tikigaq relied on berries and roots for food local willows for house frames and moss or grass for lamp wicks and insulation Today distribution and movement of game especially the beluga bowhead whale caribou seal walrus fur bearing animals polar bear and grizzly bear directly affect the lives of Tikigaq 3 Daily life editWhile ancillary health care is provided by the local volunteer fire department the closest physician is in Kotzebue Alaska 180 mi 290 km away About one in three Tikiġaġmiut homes lack running water or sewer connections Culture edit nbsp Whale bones at ceremonial siteAlso known as Tikigaqmuit or Tikigaqmiut 3 the Tikiġaġmiut people used to live close together for half the year in underground whale bone driftwood and dirt houses that were connected by tunnels The men s unit was called the qargi Tikigaqmiut today live in modern houses Their connections include the spirits of ancestors the sun the moon and animal worship Tikiġaġmiut sustain myths about their homeland once being a great whale killed by a shaman s harpoon Their year involves storytelling rituals dances shamanic seances puppet shows divinations spirit guests encounters with animal souls and lunar rites culminating in the spring with the annual whale hunt 4 Tikiġaġmiut people have complex kinship and alliance webs Education editTikigaq School part of the North Slope Borough School District 5 is the second largest K 12 in Alaska serving more than 250 children Notable to the school s curriculum is a three week whaling class where a small group of students learn specific whaling traditions and skills 3 References edit Point Hope Alaska tikigaq com Archived from the original on August 6 2007 Retrieved September 30 2007 Tikigaq A Permanent Settlement for More than 1000 Years akhistory Archived from the original on November 12 2002 Retrieved September 30 2007 a b c Tikigaq tikigaq com Retrieved September 30 2007 Tom Lowenstein January 2000 Ancient Land Sacred Whale Barnes and Noble Retrieved September 30 2007 TIKIGAQ SCHOOL QUICK REPORT schoolsk 12 com Archived from the original on July 16 2011 Retrieved September 30 2007 Further reading editShort Sketches of Oldest America by John Beach Driggs Asatchaq Jimmie Killigivuk and Tom Lowenstein The Things That Were Said of Them Shaman Stories and Oral Histories of the Tikiġaq People Berkeley University of California Press 1992 ISBN 0 520 06569 7External links editTikigaq official website Tikigaq photo gallery Pulu Tupou L Ruth Ramoth Sampson and Angeline Newlin Whaling A Way of Life University of Alaska 2004 Tikiġaġmiut Lifeways Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tikiġaġmiut amp oldid 1151450013, 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.