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30-Second Reads

Blending art and natural history: The Alaska Literary Field Guide

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Alaskans and their visitors can enjoy a new travel companion this summer. The Alaska Literary Field Guide, published in March by Mountaineers Books, brings a unique and artistic approach to describing over 90 species of wildlife, plants, and other features of Alaska. The book is written and compiled by Nancy Lord, Marybeth Holleman, and Shaelene Moler. “It’s not a traditional field guide,” says Lord. Instead, she describes it as a collaboration among writers, artists, and experts on Alaska’s natural world. The 330-page book features digestible descriptions of a sampling of the things we love about Alaska, including bears, glaciers, birds, plants, and the aurora borealis, to name just a few. Grouped by ecosystem, each description blends writing and illustrations. They bind together Indigenous cultural knowledge, Western science, and more. The diverse approach promises readers a new take on our favorite sights. “It was fun working with the writers, poets, and…

30-Second Reads

Oomingmak: Home-spun gifts from Alaska

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Since 1969, the Oomingmak cooperative has been keeping Alaskans warm with qiviut hats, scarves, and other accessories that are handknit in remote Arctic villages. Qiviut is the famously soft underwool that muskox shed in spring. “It has a great insulating quality,” says Marie Texter, executive director of the cooperative. Speaking from co-op headquarters in Anchorage, she says qiviut is eight times warmer than sheep’s wool and doesn’t itch or shrink. Texter says the co-op was established to provide economic opportunity in remote villages with few cash-paying jobs. But with no quotas or deadlines required of knitters, the arrangement also affords the flexibility villagers need to keep up with subsistence and other needs. “So when the fish come in, people can still be at fish camp,” she says. “Or they can devote time to picking berries in summer.” In between, Texter tells Alaska magazine, they can knit at their own…

Culture

World Eskimo-Indian Olympics

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The World Eskimo-Indian Olympics have been held in Fairbanks every year since 1961, drawing contestants from many surrounding villages. Gathering to play games and celebrate with storytelling, dancing and sharing of food is an ancient tradition of Native people of the circumpolar north that lives on today through the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics. The games were designed to hone and test skills required to survive in the Arctic. The four-man carry tests the strength required to haul game, wood, or ice for long distances. The ear pull tests the endurance required to tolerate frostbite pain. The Indian stick pull tests the grip required to grab a fish by the tail, and the greased pole walk tests the balance required for crossing creeks on slippery logs. There are many other games that test strength, agility, and endurance. Contests include fish cutting and seal skinning. Some games are just for fun and celebration.…

Culture

Caribou People

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The importance of the Porcupine herd to the Gwich’in people

[by Charlie Swaney and Peter Mather | photos by Peter Mather]

AS I SIT WITH GWICH’IN HUNTER CHARLIE SWANEY UNDER A CLASSIC BLUE CAMPING TARP, A RAIN DRIZZLE SILENTLY DRUMS ALL AROUND US.

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