Postcards From Alaska introduces KNLS listeners to America's last frontier.  This story provided by the Alaska State Tourism Department.

Native Culture Thrives In Alaska

In the Siberian Eskimo village of Gambell on Alaska's St. Lawrence Island, where black walrus meat dries on racks outside homes and ancient ivory is so plentiful pieces lie on gravel roads, Native culture thrives.

Some of Alaska's best carvers live in the village of 650, honing images of birds, whales and seals from bone and ivory. The work is so valuable it can sell for thousands of dollars at East Coast auction houses like Sotheby's and has captured the interest of art experts at the Smithsonian Institute.

For those who cannot venture to the village 100 miles across the sea from Nome, they can easily experience the strength and beauty of that and other Alaskan Native cultures in a growing network of cultural centers and museums in both the state's well-traveled cities and in more rural communities.

No other state in America holds such a broad range of Native cultures as Alaska. From the Inupiat (In-OOPY-at) Eskimos of Barrow, just above the Arctic Circle, to the Tlingit (CLINK-it) Indians of Ketchikan on the tip of Southeast Alaska, Native cultural diversity is a hallmark of the state.

Alaska's 94,000 Native people make up about 16 percent of the state's population. The majority are Eskimo, Indian and Aleut and live in villages scattered along the coastline and rivers of Alaska, where they still practice traditional hunting and fishing lifestyles.

In larger communities such as Anchorage, Fairbanks and Juneau, Native dress, language, and social customs blend with modern city life. The blend is part of why Alaska is ranked as one of the top five states for historic and cultural travel by the Travel Industry Association.

"Alaska is a land of many peoples," said Ann Campbell, executive director of the Alaska Native Tourism Council. "For thousands of years, Alaskan Natives have preserved their rich traditions, and passed this cultural heritage from generation to generation. While the languages and philosophies vary from region to region, many common goals, values and spiritual beliefs weave these Native societies together in the past as well as today."

The variety of these groups can be traced back to Alaska's first Native descendants, who came by way of a northern land bridge that once connected Siberia and Alaska. As the Ice Age ended and the seas claimed the land, the nomads moved to higher ground. As the continents drifted apart, that land would become Alaska.

Some groups settled in the Arctic. Others crossed mountain passes to various regions of the state, or migrated through Alaska, continuing on to distant lands, in some cases as far as South America.

Alaskan Native cultural centers and museums across Alaska are a good way to get an overview of Native culture. Live demonstrations, performances, arts, crafts and one-of-a-kind collectible pieces are commonly found at the cultural centers. In fact, the hunger among Alaskans and the demand by visitors to know more about Native culture prompted the Smithsonian Institution to host a three-day workshop in Anchorage to teach Alaskan Natives how to preserve and promote their cultures through museums.

The Chugach Heritage Center in Seward is a prime example of Alaska's expansion of Native culture showcases. Located in a small fishing town a few hours' drive south of Anchorage, the newly constructed center features a play, displays of traditional artifacts, art and a gift shop.

Also recently opened, a 26-acre Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, which will showcase all five of the state's major Native groups.

For the traveler who wants to explore Alaskan Native villages independently, Campbell recommends first calling a regional or statewide tourism organization to find out which communities are the easiest to get to from the state's population centers.

"From wherever you are in Alaska, it's easy to access anywhere else," Campbell says. "And there is so much to experience in the rural communities. Cultural attractions can be planned as a day-trip, or as the basis of any itinerary."

In the larger communities, several collections of artifacts and fine art owned by businesses and Native corporations are displayed in their buildings and are open to the public. Combined with visits to the top-drawer museums and performance centers in hubs like Anchorage, Fairbanks or Juneau, slipping inside Alaska's Native culture is available to any visitor.

For Alaska Visitor Information write to: Dept. 712, P.O. Box 196710, Anchorage, AK 99519-6710, call 800-862-5275 or visit our web site.

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