The Inupiat People

Wainwright's residents are Inupiat Eskimos who practice a subsistence lifestyle. Our ancestors were the Kuugmiut, or people of the nearby Kuk River, and the Utuqqagmiut, or people of the Utukok River.

Subsistence lifestyles depend upon food sources such as seal, duck, walrus, caribou, fish and whale. Hunting is a cooperative effort linking families together. Population areas are located along sea mammal migration routes.

Years ago, most rites revolved around hunting and the relationships that existed between humans, the environment, and animals. Village elders taught the boys how to make the necessary implements needed for hunting. The girls received instruction in sewing, cooking, childcare, and managing a house. The first wave of change came with the arrival of American whalers in the late 1840s. The arrival of outsiders brought tremendous transitions to the area. Whalers employed some of the Inupiats for seasonal work. The outsiders brought trade goods with them, as well as disease.

The discovery of oil became a far greater intrusion and it was only after the creation of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act in 1971 that the Alaska Natives were once again in control of their land and resources.

Current activities among the Inupiats include dancing that portrays events such as the hunting of a polar bear. Dances are accompanied by the beating of drums and chanting. The blanket toss is said to have been a method for villagers to reach a height enabling them to spot whales.

Today, Wainwright is the third largest village in Arctic Alaska with more than 540 residents. The village economy derives most of its revenues from government services that provide year-round employment.