Module III

Essential:
What is Culture? How can it be defined?
Simply put, culture is the way in which a people group lives and defines their identity. It is the answer that is given when asked "how does one carry out their way of life within this group of people?" The answer to this question can be as specific or as broad as one may make it. Whatever that answer may be for one person, there is a deeply historical aspect to culture that relates to both the cause of "why" that people group is the way they are and the effect of "how" that culture functions in every day life. Culture is defined not only as the customs, traditions, and mores of a people group but also as how the people within a group understand and explain their world and reality.

Consider this photograph taken by my Great uncle in April of 1969.

After the whale hunt the Eskimo skin boats slid on a rack to dry

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They say a picture is worth a thousand words and you could just about come up with that many words about the culture this photo displays. These men were loading walrus skin umiaks onto racks to dry after a whale hunt on St. Lawrence Island. From this alone you can tell this culture depends on the water as a natural resource for their subsistence way of life. Also note the snowmachines as well as the sleds they pull, a primary mode of transportation in this community as well as a sign of their relative isolation due to lack of a road system for commerce and trade. From this photo one can also get a glimpse of Siberian Yupik dress, architecture, and seafaring vessel construction as well as the importance of each within this culture.

Now consider stepping off a plane into this culture and knowing nothing of this people. You've instantly been immersed in a new culture, which is, at the core of it's definition, the identity and way of life of a people group.

Examine:
What social and political systems are imbedded in traditional Native cultures? 
Many Alaskan Native cultures have matrilineal societies. These include the Athabascans, Eyak, Tlingit, Tsimshian and Haida. Their social order is structured according to matriarchal lineage rather than the lineage of the father. This translates into subsistence land rights being passed on though the maternal lineage.

Socio-political systems imbedded in traditional Native cultures also include the barter economy of the Yupik coastal and inland villages and the importance of trading partnerships among the Athabascan. Such partnerships existed not only for trade but also as a means of diplomacy between tribal groups. Below are photos of commonly traded parkas and muk-luks.

Eskimos sewing mukluks & parkas, Nome Skin Sewers, 1945-

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Eskimo footwear, moc[c]asins on bench and muk-luks hanging, at Nome Skin Sewers Assn., 

Nome, Alaska

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Among the Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian there is no central government, rather decisions are made at lower levels within those societies. The Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian were also noted to have a highly stratified society, much like a feudal system, with individuals of high rank, common clansmen and slaves within their society (see Alaska Native Heritage Center: Eyak, Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian).

The following pamphlet Politics and Alaska Natives was produced by the federal government in 1975 in order to inform the public of Alaska Native political issues of the day, many of which still exist. One of these political issues that continues even today was seen in the video Teachers' Domain: Gwich'in Tribe Protects Caribou and Culture. This video highlighted the specific interests and political systems of both the indigenous people of the region and the cultural perspective of the oil drilling entities.

Colleague Reviews
Peter's Alaska Blog - The link to the Tsunami Warning Center in Palmer, Alaska was helpful in understanding the strategic location of the center. It was interesting to explore the link and find that it is one of two tsunami warning centers in the U.S. and that the Palmer site was chosen for its close proximity to bedrock.

Dancing Light: One path of Learning - Joan's photos gave prime examples of the hardy flora and fauna and dynamic topography of Alaska. The views she posted of the Chitna Riverbed remind me of the Matanuska River and the dramatic changes that can occur as the current alters.

Explore AK - Portage Glacier was cited in Tina's blog as a great example of a receding glacier and the changes that can and do occur in glacial landscapes over time. This glacier that was once known for it's accessibility will soon require the sojourn of a backpacking trip to reach it's edge.

Evaluation Paragraph

The content of this week's assignment was very informative concerning the specific differences and similarities among the Native people groups of Alaska. I also found the links to demographic information and history of Polynesian, African American and Asian cultures very useful and pertinent. The content helped me better understand how the make-up of the people of Alaska has evolved and changed over time. I appreciated the essay on Maniilaq - even being a lifelong Alaskan I had never heard his story, although I know of the village that bears his name. The many pictures from VILDA were interesting as well.