Fields of Fireweed: An Exploration of Alaska

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Esk*** is a slur

- May 02, 2020

Eskimo is a commonly used word to describe ethnic peoples located in Alaska, Greenland, and other Arctic places. What many people don’t realize, is that the word is a slur. The word is considered derogatory to indigenous people because it was used by white people and racist, non-native colonizers, in aggressive, abusive ways. Native Alaskans emphasize the importance for proper communication and terminology regarding their ethnicity. In Alaska, the indigenous peoples fall into five main categories, but there are more. Aleuts are the indegenous peoples of the aleutian islands, Iñupiats occupy the northern, arctic Alaska. The Yuit peoples are indigenous to southern Alaska. Athabaskans occupy the interior of Alaska, Tlingit and Haida occupy the southeast coastal shore, and the Yup’ik/Cup’ik occupy the southwest of Alaska. An indigenous Alaskan from each of these much prefers being called by their actual name, rather than Esk***. If you meet a native Alaskan, instead of calling them an

Utqiagvik: Life in the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night

- May 01, 2020

Imagine you lived in a place where the sun doesn’t set for two and a half months, what would you do with all the daylight? Would you spend time soaking in the sun? Go fishing? Now imagine living in a place where the sun doesn’t rise for two and a half months. Would you go insane from the darkness? What could you do outdoors with no daylight? Did you know that the further North and South one gets, the more drastic their summer and winter daylight hours are? If you lived on the equator, you would see almost exactly 12 hours of daylight everyday, year round. Utqiagvik is the most northern town in Alaska, and even in all of North America. Utqiagvik isn’t the northernmost town in the world, that title is reserved for Svalbard’s Longyearbyen. However, Utquiagvik is only 1300 miles away from the North Pole. If there was a road, you could drive to the North Pole in under a day. Utqiagvik faces this climate every year. In the summer, the sun is above the horizon for two and a half m

Honoring Indigenous Alaskan elders

- April 30, 2020

When most people hear the word ‘elder’, they immediately would think of someone old. Maybe a grandparent or an old close family friend. Maybe they were taught to respect their elders when they disrespect a parent or grandparent. To most, the word elder wouldn’t make them bat an eye. In Alaska however, the idea of being an elder has very deep meaning and importance to society. If an Indigenous Alaskan is old, it does not mean they are an elder, as there are distinct differences between them. In Indigenous Alaskan culture, an elder is someone who has lived an extended life, who maintains a healthy lifestyle similar to their ancestors, and they must contain a wealth of knowledge of cultural, geographical, and historical information. An elder in Alaska provides guidance to the community. It’s worth noting that many older adults in Alaska hold the status of elder. Elders are highly respected, but not every adult is able to reach the experience and knowledge levels to become an elder

Spawning Salmon: The Nutrients of Life

- April 29, 2020

Did you know that there is much more than one type of salmon? To most people, a salmon is a salmon, but not in Alaska. In the 49th state, there’s King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Pink Salmon, Red Salmon, and Chum Salmon. Each salmon has its own physical characteristics, but to the untrained eye may look exactly the same. The prized possession is the King Salmon, the largest and best tasting meat. This Salmon is sought out from all over the world, especially the white king. There’s one stream in the entire world in which White King Salmon comes from, and the salmon is a genetic variation of the King Salmon. Silver Salmon are also highly prized for their delicious meat and size, but there are more Silver Salmon than King Salmon during fishing season. The most abundant species is the Pink Salmon, these species are often eaten by people living in the “Lower 48” but Alaskans avoid pinks and they’re often reserved for their pets. When salmon reach the end of their lives, they run, and t

Kachemak Bay: A History.

- April 28, 2020

Kachemak Bay is home to one of the most diverse marine populations in the entire world. Located on the Kenai Peninsula, in Alaska, it attracts attention from all over the world. Home to one of the biggest tides in the world, with often 30 feet moving up and down twice a day, the landscape is rugged and takes beautiful shape. Millions of years ago, a giant glacier tore through Alaska, creating this 576 foot deep behemoth of a bay, and paved the way for millions of people to enjoy this beautiful part of the world. Ocean temperatures reach at the highest 50 degrees, making it possible for many arctic creatures to thrive year round. Surrounding the bay is the Kenai Mountains, which host a whopping 38 glaciers. These glaciers are fed by the massive Harding Icefield, which is 700 square miles. About 10,000 years ago, Native Alaskans started living on the shores of Kachemak Bay, and they arrived on kayaks and umiaks. The marine species created a haven for fishing and surviving on th

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