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INUPIAT VALUES
Every Inupiaq is responsible to
all other Inupiat for the survival
of our cultural spirit, and the
values and traditions through
which it survives. Through our
extended family, we retain,
teach and live our Inupiaq way.
- With guidance and
support for Elders, we
must teach our children
Inupiaq values:
- Knowledge of Language
- Knowledge of Family
Tree
- Sharing
- Humility
- Respect for Children
- Cooperation
- Hard Work
- Respect for Elders
- Respect for Nature
- Avoid Conflict
- Family Roles
- Humor
- Spirituality
- Domestic Skills
- Hunter Success
- Responsibility to Tribe
Our understanding of our
universe and our place in it is a
belief in God and a respect for
all His creation. |
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The ancestral Inupiat crossed the Bering Land
Bridge from Siberia during the period many
thousands of years ago when the sea level was
much lower than it is now. Some of the early
migrants continued their journeys on to the east
and south. Those who remained in the region
gradually established camps, small villages, and
trading routes. |
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They were skilled hunters and gatherers, subsisting on whale, fish, caribou, and
moose,supplementing their diet with the berry and root plants native to this region.
They survived the challenges of the Arctic climate and thrived because of a culture
of cooperation and sharing.
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The coastal and inland
Eskimo of Northwest Alaska
had established a trade
system hundreds of years
prior to "discovery" by
Russian explorers in 1732. |
One of the early explorers for the Russian
government was Lt. Otto Von Kotzebue, who "discovered" Kotzebue Sound in 1816. Many of the
names in the region like Chamisso Islands, Kotzebue
Sound, Goodhope River, Cape Deceit, and Spafareif
Bay, remain from the extensive surveys conducted by
Kotzebue's crew. |
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After the purchase of Alaska in 1863 by the United States, several government
expeditions were organized to explore the interior lands of Northwest Alaska. The
discovery of gold near the end of the 19th century led to an influx of prospectors
pursuing dreams of gold and wealth. Although some small gold claims were located
and developed in the region, it was a harsh existence for a miner and only a few
stayed. Those who stayed usually married into Native American families.
Few newcomers to this ancient land come equipped with the traits of the original
inhabitants-traits essential to enduring this unique environment. Today, the land
remains sparsely populated.
Those who have endured are primarily the descendants of the First People. |
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