Module VII: American Period: Society

Essential Question—To what degree is there distinctiveness in the art, literature, science, recreation, and cultural institutions of Alaska? In what way do these contribute to, or reflect, a unique Alaska identity?  

Mt. McKinley (Denali) from the North

Art-There is great distinctiveness in art throughout Alaska. Early art was been categorized in 3 ways, documentary art (people & places), market art (woven baskets, carvings, etc) and landscape art (paintings). Many travelers recorded their visit to Alaska especially those that came up during the Klondike Gold Rush. Construction of the Alaskan Railroad was also another big project that was documented. Some of the Native art that went to markets were carvings, beadwork, dolls, moccasins, sewn skins, etc. Currently, you can still find much of this artwork in local shops or at events. Many Athabascan women and girls still enjoy sewing and beading to a great extent. I did my first beading project when I was visiting the village of Hughes; I made a suncatcher. All of the women and children gathered a couple times a week for sewing nights. It was always a big hit! Landscape painters, as you can imagine, had no problem finding subjects. Mt. McKinley (Denali) still seems to be a favorite among today’s artists. Modern art began after WWII with newly established art departments within colleges.

The Call of the Wild

Literature-To me, literature is an art form as well and has great distinctiveness in Alaska. There has been no shortage of books, magazines, and newspapers published over the last decade. I’ve read several Native biographies from those around the Interior telling about growing up with frigid temperatures, living a subsistence lifestyle. I’ve always found those to be so interesting. It really opens your eyes to how good we have things now. Likewise, many travelers have written about their accounts in Alaska, some fiction and some nonfiction. Some of the most popular writers have been Jack London and Robert Service. After living up here for a couple of years now, I’ve developed a great appreciation for their work.

Alaska Summer Research Academy

Science-Science is all over Alaska. From the formation of the mountains and rivers to the extreme amount of sunlight and darkness, science surrounds Alaska. From the wildlife to the plants to the minerals, there is no way to get around this concept. The Alaska Summer Research Academy at UAF offers wonderful field experiences to give students a real-life glimpse into the scientific realm of the state. No matter what type of science you may be interested in, Alaska serves as a great outdoor laboratory.

Recreation-see “examine question”

Morris Thompson Cultural Center

Cultural Institutions-When I think of cultural institutions, I think of the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage. I have yet to go there but plan to in August during Father Oleksa’s multi-cultural class. I have heard it is a wonderful place to learn about the different languages, cultures, and traditions found around Alaska. I am really looking forward to my visit there. I also think about the Morris Thompson Cultural Center in Fairbanks where they have cultural workshops, daily films, traditional dancing, etc. I’ve been lucky enough to do some pretty extensive travel since I’ve been in Alaska. There are many cultural institutions that showcase what traditions our state is founded upon. Some other great ones I’ve stumbled across and enjoyed were the Kenai Visitors & Cultural Center and the Denali Park Visitors Center.

Examine Question— Describe various forms of recreation in Alaska. Explain whether or not there is a particular Alaska “variant” of these types of recreation.

Alpine Skiier

Alpine (Downhill) Skiing--Anchorage and Girdwood are home to some pretty adventurous ski areas. For a more daring experience, some Alaskans try backcountry or heli-skiing for more untouched powder and spectacular views.

Cross Country Skiing—(classic & skating). XC skiing is more specific to Alaska than alpine skiing. Northern Europe, Canada, and Alaska are very active in this sport because of the large snowfields. In Fairbanks, UAF has a wonderful trail system that’s suited for both skate and classic skiing. I enjoy skate skiing along these routes.

Traditional Snowshoe

Snowshoeing—This sport isn’t specific just to Alaska though it is really neat to see the traditional snowshoes that the Natives use compares to the modern snowshoes. The shoes help you stay on the snow better with less sinking. There are many snowshoe races in Alaska.

Riding snowmachines—This sport is popular in many states with large amounts of snow though people in the lower 48 usually refer to these as snowmobiles. Arctic man is an event specific to Alaska where riders pull skiers or boarders up and down hills in the mountains going anywhere from 70-90 MPH. I’ve never been to Arctic Man but I’ve heard it’s an interesting experience. 



The Last Great Race



Dog mushing—Popular primarily in Alaska, Canada, and Northern Europe. It is the state sport of Alaska. The Iditarod is an event specific to Alaska where mushers start in Willow and ride across the state to the finish line in Nome. Another popular race in Alaska is the Yukon Quest where mushers ride 1000 miles from Fairbanks to Whitehorse. There are many other dog races in Alaska, some state-wide and some smaller community races. In the village I lived in, they had the Minto 90 where mushers rode from Minto to Old Minto and back, two days in a row. This race always draws a good crowd.

Hiking/Backpacking--A favorite summer sport of many Alaskans. From a couple hours to a couple weeks, there are trails all over the state to suit everybody. I have checked out many of the interior trails and plan to do a lot more this summer.

Canoeing/Kayaking—Another favorite summer sport for Alaskans. Like hiking trails, there are many, many places to canoe and kayak. Rivers, lakes, oceans, you name it! The Chena River is a very popular route for us adventurers in Fairbanks.

Fishing—Who doesn’t love fresh salmon or halibut? Fishing is very popular in Alaska whether you go out on your own or with a charter. Salmon, halibut, rockfish, trout, pike, etc. are just a few things you can find in the waters up here. I’m hoping to go out on a charter this summer and fill up my freezer for the winter.



Nushagak Guides



Hunting—Alaskans hunt sheep, bear, moose, wolf, caribou, etc. You can do this on a charter or on your own but make sure you are following the rules and regulations of the Department of Fish and Game.

Other activities—bicycling, skijoring, basketball, rock/ice climbing, camping, Aurora watching, gold mining, animal watching tours/cruises, clam digging, enjoying & participating in the arts. Alaska’s activities are really infinite.

Extend Question—What type of education system(s) are in your area?



Yukon Koyukuk School District



Where I live, Fairbanks North Star Borough is the largest, public K-12 school district in the area. FNSBSD consists of 21 elementary schools, 11 secondary schools and 1 correspondence school. My district, Yukon-Koyukuk, is also based out of Fairbanks. Our district office and correspondence school (Raven) is located in town. However, our 9 (all K-12) village schools are located along the Yukon, Koyukuk and Tanana Rivers encompassing 65,000 square miles of territory. There are a few other (statewide) correspondence schools located in Fairbanks; IDEA (Galena School District), Cyberlynx (Nenana School District), and Chugach Homeschool Extension (Chugach School District). Finally, there are 12 private schools located in our town, many Christian or Catholic based. The majority is PK-12 but a few are elementary or secondary only.

Modules I’ve visited—

Heather's Alaskan Exploration-- Heather has good, thorough reviews of the railroads in Alaska. I, myself, have been on the Alaska railroad and thought it was a beautiful ride. I'm definitely glad that it is around for tourists to enjoy!

Investigate Alaska-- Betty’s overview of the 'near disaster' in Nome this fall really is eye opening. It makes you realize how dependent this state is on our sources of transportation (air, barge, rail).

Alaska-Learning the Culture & Natural History--Christy gave nice insight into her community. I was very surprised to hear that they had over 2000 miles of roads. Very unlike many other communities near Prince of Wales.

Evaluation—

This blog was interesting to me, particularly the part on Alaskan recreation. This last year I’ve been able to try out many new activities (some which have become hobbies). Coming from Georgia, most of these activities are brand new to me considering we normally do not get snow. I’ve never been XC skiing, snowshoeing, or ice skating until I moved up here. Alaska has definitely opened up a lot of doors for me for which I’m much appreciative! I also enjoyed learning about the history of education and how much of an impact the church played in the earlier years. I sure didn’t realize how great of an impact they had on our schools.

Resources--Alaska's Heritage

Module VI- American Period: Transportation & Communication

Essential Question—What are issues facing Alaskans today related to transportation and communication?  

Barge Arriving in Skagway

Having worked in a few rural areas, I’m already aware of some of the issues with transportation in Alaska. Our state is huge—586,000 square miles! Only part of Alaska is accessible by road (some very rugged); the rest is only accessibly by boat or plane. The residents in the remote areas of Alaska rely heavily on airplanes and/or river/ocean barges to get mail, food, heating oil, and other necessary supplies. A couple obvious issues are cost and weather. As you can imagine, the fuel and resources needed for airplanes and boats/ships are very expensive. Despite the high costs, residents in these communities depend on these sources of transportation for their survival.

Warbelows Air Caravan

Weather is also another issue dealing with transportation. Travel by airplane can be very unreliable in the winter. Most planes do not fly when it gets colder than 30 or 40 below zero. Wind, ice and visibility are other factors affecting air travel. In the village I used to live in, we had our mail delivered three times a week via airplane (weather dependent). Because it was such a windy and cold area, we typically did not meet our 3x a week quota. Sometimes we would have two deliveries a week and in cases of extreme weather, we might not have any deliveries in the course of a week. This also means that passenger travel in and out of town (Fairbanks) was limited as well.

Travel by barge can be problematic in cases of excess ice in the oceans (Northern & Western Alaska). We’ve all heard about what happened in Nome this year when the Russian vessel had to be used to break through the ice and deliver heating fuel to the village. That case is an extreme one, one that could have been a life or death matter for those residents. This near disaster was covered heavily by the media.

GCI Logo

Communication in Alaska has increased tremendously. Many remote areas now have telephone and cable/satellite capability. Some areas even have cell phone service through GCI or ACS. Becauseof the transportation issues, our school district communicates heavily though e-mail (internet) or videoconferencing. Each village school in the Yukon-Koyukuk School District is equipped with wireless internet and a VTC system that can be connected instantly. It’s amazing to read about the significant gains in communication from the early 1900’s to now on EXPLORE ALASKA.

Examine Question— How does aviation affect the lives of Alaskans today?

Alaska Air Flight

As I mentioned earlier, aviation in Alaska is a main source of transportation for people, mail and cargo. Passenger travel in and out of the villages is very common and similarly, it is also very common to travel among Alaskan cities/towns. Many Fairbanksians like to travel to Anchorage for good shopping and dining. Some state residents also travel to Juneau when government is in session. Tourists that want to enjoy a more thorough trip to Alaska often travel via airplane to different cities and some even to remote areas on sightseeing tours. One very popular tour that leaves out of Fairbanks is a polar bear viewing trip to Kotzebue. The plane takes them up and drops them off for a weekend adventure. So as so you can see, not only is aviation travel fundamental for Alaskans but for tourists as well.

Wrights Air Caravan

Mail and cargo are also carried in airplanes. Remote village residents receive their mail anywhere from a couple days a week to 6 days a week (depending on size of the village and flight schedules). It’s always interesting to see the crowds of villagers waiting for the planes to arrive. Some of the cargo may include food to supply the local store, building materials, or even recreation items such as snowmachines. One thing that’s for sure, the locals always rush to the store after the supply comes in to get all the freshest foods.

When winter weather hits and airplane travel is hindered, some people struggle to make ends meet. Aviation travel is an extremely vital aspect of Alaskan transportation that impacts all of us in some way or another.

Extend Question—Who are the air carriers in your region (Fairbanks) and what are their history?

AlaskaAir-most well-known passenger carrier in the state; also carries some cargo.

EraAviation-Began in 1948; has flights to many destinations (remote and urban) in Alaska. Both passengers and cargo is carried; charters are available.

Wright Air Service-Al Wright began flying in the 1940’s; airline travels to many interior villages carrying passengers and freight. Charters are available.

Warbelows Air- Many reasons forced them to downsize; they still offer some passenger and freight flights to interior villages, tour packages, and charters.

Some smaller tour companies include: Northern Alaska Air Company, Tanana Air, Frontier Flying Service.

Modules I’ve visited—

Explore Alaska Class--Niki points out how the Natives use every bit of the whales that they hunt. They are the same way in the Interior with moose. They do not waste any part of the animal. Very neat!

The Alaskan Adventure--Lane was very impressed by the Alaska Sealife Center. I also went there and was impressed. It was neat to see numbers, facts, and animals (up-close and personal). Fishing is such a big part of the economy up here-it's really interesting to learn more about the impact it has on the state.

Exploring Alaska from the Coast--Chelsey's blog includes a beautiful picture of Anchorage as a tourist destination. Don't you all feel so honored to live in a place where so many millions of people love to visit every year??

Evaluation—

I really enjoyed reading about transportation in Alaska because my job requires me to travel extensively. It really is an eye opener when you think about how dependent Alaskans are on air and boat travel. This module also reminded me of the near disaster in Nome this year when the ice was too thick to get the heating fuel into the village. It goes to show that transportation is vital for the survival of many Alaskans (especially in remote areas).

Module V-American Period: Alaska's Economy

Essential Question—What have been the major components of the Alaskan economy during the American period of 1867-present?

Alaska’s economy can be explained in three simple ways: oil production, federal spending, and the other category (consisting of mining, timber, fishing, tourism etc). Due to high costs in transportation and infrastructure, diversification of the economy is quite difficult in a state as unique as Alaska. Some hope that the more educated the population, the more ideas will begin to flow on how to reduce the state’s economic dependency.

Alaskan Pipeline

A whopping 80% of Alaska’s general fund revenue comes from oil taxes and PFD investments. As oil production has slowed down, questions arise as to how this will affect the state’s economy. Drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge still poses as an option though revenue would not be as plentiful because it is in federal territory.

Tourism has allowed for the creation of many new jobs in the state. On average, Alaska gets over a million tourists per year, mostly in the months from May to September. The most popular tourist attraction continues to be Denali National Park.  However, many tourists venture up to the Arctic Ocean, take boat tours in the Kenai Fjords National Park, take the ferry to the coastal communities, and enjoy flight-seeing tours of the vast wilderness.

Pollack Fishing Net

Commercial fishing continues to play a role in the economy. Though competition from other countries has decreased the market, many millions of pounds of fish and crab are caught and sold every year. Most Alaskans sure do love the taste of fresh salmon and crab legs—I know I do!

Other notable contributions to the Alaskan economy include agriculture, mining, and timber & wood products. The military bases are also a large part of the economy in the largest two cities in Alaska, Fairbanks and Anchorage.

From: Alaska Economy and Resource Development

Examine Question—What is the current status of farming, herding, logging, and tourism in Alaska?

Alaska Grown Logo 

Alaska has a short but intense growing season. There are approximately 500 farms in Alaska mostly in the Matanuska Valley, northeast of Anchorage and the Tanana Valley in the Interior. Leading crops include greenhouse and nursery products, hay, dairy products, potatoes, and cattle and calves. Milk, eggs, and beef cattle are a hot commodity produced in Alaska. However, compared to the rest of the nation, Alaska is ranked at the bottom as far as agricultural production.

More information on Alaskan agriculture here.  

Reindeer Herder Inspects Snowmachine

In 1937, the Reindeer Act restricted reindeer ownership to Native Alaskans. This act is still in place today. With approximately 20,000 reindeer in Western Alaska, there are about 20 herders. The herders belong to the Reindeer Herders Association, a group that provides help in the development of the industry and the improvement of the management of the herds. In Nunivak, St. Paul, Umnak, and other Aleutian Islands as well as a few herds along the road system, there are an additional 10,000 reindeer in the state.

More information about reindeer herding from the Reindeer Research Program at UAF here.

Klawok Timber

Southeast Alaska’s timber industry is at its lowest point in 50 years. If timber supply from federal lands continue to grow and timber sales remain an economic preference, the industry can grow to become sustainable again. In the interior, the industry is small but stable. In Anchorage and the Kenai Peninsula, the State timber sale program is focused on recovering as much of their beetle-killed timber as possible.

More on the Alaskan timber industry here.

Orca Breaching

Tourism in Alaska has produced many new jobs around the state, approximately 25,000. Princess Cruises, Holland-America, Alaska Airlines, and Westours are the main corporations involved in the tourism industry in Alaska. In 2003, about 5% of the state’s gross product was due to tourism—bringing in about $1.5 billion. People from all over the world come to enjoy all Alaska has to offer including majestic views, untouched natural beauty, Native culture, etc. I feel honored to live in a place that so many wish to visit!  

From: Alaska Economy and Resource Development

Evaluation—

I found this module very interesting. I have lots of friends that are commercial fisherman so reading about the impact it has on the state really hits close to home. I also have a friend that works for the reindeer research project at UAF. This module gave me a little more insight into what he does and the history of reindeer herding. Likewise, I love reading and hearing about tourism in Alaska. I see lots of tourists every year; I have also had lots of friends and family come visit adding to those numbers! Overall, this module has been one of the most interesting for me.

Blogs I've Visited--  

Brenda's Alaska Blog -- I enjoyed hearing Brenda reminisce on her past experiences in Kodiak. It sounds like she has had some great firsthand knowledge into the Russian culture. Beautiful picture of the church in Kodiak by the way!

Investigate Alaska -- It's really sad to hear Betty point out how unfair the Natives were treated by the Russians. I'm glad it wasn't all of the Russians, however. She did a great job covering this module--very thorough information!

Crossing Alaska -- I really like Kristi's use of visuals in this blog to demonstrate the Russian Colonization of Alaska. Great use of captions as well!

Module IV-Russian America

Essential Question—What is the legacy of the Russian Colonization of Alaska?

Russia has definitely left a lasting legacy in Alaska especially in what we know as present day southeastern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. In 1741, Captain Vitus Bering landed around Prince of Wales Island in the southeastern part of the state. They established colonies first in Kodiak then in Sitka. The Russians used Sitka as a port for international trading and also built schools, mills, libraries, and clinics. As exploration moved further into the Southeast and into the middle Yukon region so did the establishment of the Russian Orthodox churches. Many Russian workers married Native people becoming known as Creoles. Generally, these were the families that stayed in Alaska upon departure of the rest of the Russian population. More information on Russian America here.

Currently, there are many places in Alaska with obvious Russian influence beginning with the names. Some thriving villages presently embracing the culture are Nikolaevsk and Ninilkchik as well as the town of Sitka. Russia brought forward new housing styles.  In Sitka, red log houses with yellow roofs were developed that had an antiqued, foreign appearance. Likewise, they brought forth new styles in clothing. Russian women wore European clothing of the time; workers wore linen, cotton, or silk shirts and cotton trousers. Along with their Native clothing, some Aleuts still wear clothing influenced from European culture.

Russians also brought new tools and transportation to Alaska. Wheels, sleighs, wagons, and simple machinery as well as steam, water, and wind power are a few examples. They also brought iron for making tools.

The first Russian Orthodox missionaries came to Alaska.

Religion and art are two of the biggest areas in which Russia has left a lasting impact on Alaska. Russian Orthodox churches are still in session today. Russian forms of recreation are also still practiced; chess, checkers, cards, and billiards are a few examples. There are many restaurants around that can give you a firsthand experience into Russian style of foods. More information on art, religion, and education here.

Russian Orthodox Churches

Examine Question—Why were the Russians interested in Alaska?

Russia was not the only country interested in Alaska, especially in Europe. Many countries were interested in learning about the size and position of the globe as well as the people and resources that inhabited land around them. Curiosity and experimentation brought forth new exploration. Afterwards, explorers brought back information on how these new resources could be used for profit. Wealth and superiority were on the line. Russia jumped on the opportunity for the challenge. More on Russia's colony here.

Though Captain Bering did not make it back to Russia to share news of the discovery, his crew did. They brought with them fur from sea otters and it did not take long for word to spread of some of the greatest furs in the world. Crews set out to the Aleutian Islands in search of more furs. Soon after, they began establishing hunting and trading posts. Many of the Aleut people were forced into slavery, hunting for marine life. The relationship between the Russian people and the Aleuts became very deadly as time passed. Over 80% of the indigenous people were destroyed after the Russians left them no means of survival. The Russian colonies began to flourish making the fur industry even more booming.

Drawing of Russian fur trading colony in Kodiak

Overhunting soon led to a decrease in animal population as well other natural resources. By the 1860’s Russia was ready to clean its hand of the newly founded land. They had gained everything they were going to gain. In 1867, Russia sold the land to the United States for 2 cent an acre, a total of 7.2 million dollars. What a great deal, right? Under new ownership, the land (and later, the state of Alaska) has since been further explored and developed providing a stable, thriving economy.

Evaluation—

This module was interesting to me. I knew a little bit about the history of the Russian colonization but not like I do now. We have a large Russian population in Delta Junction where I work on a monthly basis. This module has given me more insight into their history and roots. I enjoyed learning about more about their legacy and where it presently exists.

Module III Reviews

Peter Explores Alaska

I like Peter’s chart he used to show the demographic breakdown of Natives in the state of Alaska. He emphasizes just how long these groups of people have occupied the land and that help from the outside is not necessarily needed.

My Cove and Beyond

Marg used great images portraying Alaska’s culture. She shows pictures of salmon, blueberry picking, whaling, and talks about subsistence living and using natural resources for survival. She does a great job of summing up what it really means to be an Alaskan.

Holly Explores Alaska History

Like Holly, I am also from a middle-class white community (in Georgia). I really agree that it is so important to research what kind of area you are coming to and what type of population you will be working with. I remember reading every website that I could find about the interior of Alaska and Athabascan Natives.