The People of Alaska
| Outline | Computer links and Other Resource Suggestions | |
| I. Native Peoples of Alaska |
Books: Indians of the Arctic and Subarctic by Paula Younkin, copyright 1992, 96 pages. Excellent resource covering lots of history and tradition. Internet Links: In depth with links, see The Alaskan Heritage Center. Also, here is Indigenous People, and this site, Inuit Culture Resouce Page is a wealth of knowledge and links. You'll need Quicktime to take this tour of a great collection of Alaskan native artifacts at http://www.northstar.k12.ak.us/schools/upk/var/akroom.html . It's well worth it, as each item is described in detail and you can even turn each item around to see all of it's sides. (Use the link on the first page to download Quicktime if you don't have it on your computer.) Other: Here is a page of Inuit Arts and Recipes to give a try. Color a totem pole and create a story to go with it. Build a model of an igloo with sugar cubes and white ready-made cake icing... younger children can use mini-marshmallows and stick them with the icing to a disposable bowl (use part of a toilet paper roll for the tunnel opening.) Read How Raven Stole the Sun, then make and decorate a "bentwood" box . Learn an Inuit game. |
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| II. Explorers |
Books: DK Publishing's Polar Exploration - Journeys to the Arctic and the Antarctic by Martyn Bramwell, copyright 1998, 48 pages. Lots of great drawings, great resource. Internet Links: A short page from SeaWorld with a worksheet at III. The Klondike Stampeders |
Books: The Alaska Gold Rush by May McNeel, copyright 1960,
186 pages, about 5th grade reading level. Tells many of the stories heard about the Klondike
gold rush. Klondike '98 Hegg's Album of the 1898 Alaska Gold Rush by Ethel Anderson Becker, copyright 1949, is an excellent accompaniment because
it provides photos and commentary to the events of the book above. Cooking: beans, bacon and sourdough bread or pancakes - that's what most stampeders had to eat if they were lucky. Here's a recipe and advice for a Sourdough Starter. Internet Links: Stories from the Gold Rush . Here are some Historial Photographs of the times. Curriculum Materials for the History of the Pacific Northwest in the Washington Public Schools. Lots of interesting links on this page: ExploreNorth. Other: The classic poem, The Cremation of Sam McGee. Field Trip: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Located in Skagway, Alaska. |
| IV. Women of Alaska | Internet Links: A ThinkQuest presentation on Women in Alaska's History. And a page of highlights, Women of the Klondike. | |
| V. Today | Internet Links: Here is an excellent link to the Current Profile of the Inupiat people of the North Slope of Alaska. Info on the Pipeline can be digested in bite size pieces with these Matter of Fact tidbits from the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company site. More quick facts on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline can be seen on the Alaska Dept. of Community and Economic Development page. |
This is me in Barrow, Alaska eating muktuk (whale blubber). When the first whale of the season is harvested for the village, the captain of the crew invites everyone to his house to enjoy the bounty. This happened on my very first day in Barrow. I went over to Browerville and tried muktuk, whale lip, and tongue. Muktuk has a very distinct smell and flavor and is very rich.
While living in Barrow for about 6 months in 1987, I also joined in for the yearly dip in the Arctic Ocean to become a member of the Polar Bear Club. It was August and the water temperature was 37*F. All we had to do was go in, dunk under all the way and come back on shore. Getting up onto the beach was a challenge because my feet and ankles were already so numb! But now I can say, "I did it!" There were about 25 people there that day that joined the Club! We got an official certificate and a patch.
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