Iñupiat & St. Lawrence Island Yupik
These Arctic peoples are experts in hunting this large marine mammal.
The Whale
This Interior Alaska river is central to Dene traditional territory.
Yukon River
This delta is home to many Yup’ik and Cup’ik villages.
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta
This kind of traditional boat is expertly crafted for sea travel.
A kayak (qayaq)
These large carved wooden poles tell stories and display clan identity.
Totem poles
This island in the Bering Sea is home to a Yupik group with Siberian cultural ties.
St. Lawrence Island
Dene communities traditionally traveled in winter using this method.
Dog sled
This sea mammal is important in Yup’ik coastal subsistence.
The seal (or walrus)
These islands stretch across the southern edge of Alaska.
The Aleutian Islands
These coastal cities are part of traditional Tlingit and Haida territory.
Sitka, Juneau, and Ketchikan
These traditional tools are made from ivory and bone.
Carvings (or tools, art, and ornaments)?
Dene spiritual life often involved these individuals who healed and connected with spirits.
Shamans
These elaborate objects are used in dances to tell traditional stories.
Ceremonial masks
These animals were traditionally hunted along the coast, including sea otters and whales.
Marine mammals
This type of lineage system traces descent through the mother’s side.
Matrilineal
This language is closely related to the St. Lawrence Island Yupik tongue.
Siberian Yupik
These clan-based societies passed down roles and marriage customs.
Kinship or clan systems
This language family includes both Yup’ik and Cup’ik.
Eskimo-Aleut
This name is used for the Sugpiaq language group.
Alutiiq
These ceremonies involve gift-giving and reinforce social status.
Potlatches
These types of boats are used for Arctic sea travel.
Skin boats (umiaks or kayaks)
This Dene art form is made from tree bark and often used for storage or gathering.
Birch bark baskets
These performances mix dance, storytelling, and costume
Ceremonial dances (or storytelling performances)
This skill involves sewing waterproof clothing from animal skins.
Skin sewing
These languages are unique and not closely related to any other known languages.
Tlingit and Haida