The Aleuts in Alaska

Even in the 21st century, the Aleuts strive to regain their traditional cultures which were practiced by their Unangan predecessors. The term ‘aleut’ was first coined by the Russian tradesmen who came to visit the Aleutian Islands in the 18th century A. D. Now the Aleutian men and women proclaim themselves to be called Unangas as they belong from a particular indigenous tribe of Unalaska. The term Unanga means ‘original people’.

Aleutes inhabited the Aleutian Islands since time immemorial. The men were hunters who made an occupation by killing sea otters, whales, seals, and walruses. The Aleut men were also adept hunters in the forests where they eliminated massive grizzly bears. Mollusks and fruits were collected by the women from the abundant natural vegetation. They also hunted game birds and river water fishes. The women mastered weaving baskets from the grasses they collected. Thus, we can conclude that the Aleutes predominantly relied on maritime and forest resources for their survival. Due to adverse climatic changes, the indigenous people adopted various forms of preservation methods. In summer, they grow local seasonal crops. Those are preserved and consumed throughout the extremely cold winters. A very little number of raw materials were wasted as most of them were utilized in one way or the other. The Unangan people live a moderate lifestyle where they ensure that no harm is done to the biodiversity. The unity among the tribal men is remarkable. 

Aleut language 

Three separate languages are spoken by the people of the Aleutian Islands. The indigenous Unangas speak the native Aleut language. This language is also referred to as the Unangan Tunuu. Apart from this, the Russian settlers and the Americans communicate with the help of Russian and English languages respectively. People who belong from the North eastern borders of Russia, northern Quebec, Alaska, Nunavut, and even the Greenlanders speak the Aleut language. The highest number of Aleutians are currently stationed in the volcanic Islands of Pribilof. The dialect is on the verge of extinction as the present generation cannot fluently speak the language. Efforts are being continuously put to revive the culture by translating the language into Latin script. Religious beliefs trace back to Russian orthodox Christianity. Sections of the Bible have also been explained in the Aleut language. 

Sections of the tribe

• Sasignan islanders: These people inhabit the Near Islands. The indigenous language is Attuan. This archipelago is located in southwestern Alaska and falls under the territorial administration of the United States of America. It is surrounded in the west by the Russian Commander Islands. 
• Bering islanders: These islanders have descended from the Kasakam Unangangis. They also speak Attuan but fall within the Russian territory. 
• Delarof islanders: This small network of islands forms a part of the Central Aleutian Islands. Here, the Aleut people are distributed among eleven distinct islands. They follow the Western Aleut dialect or the Atkan language. The Russians who used to speak Atkan, reside in the Andreanof Islands. 
• Akuugun: They are the aboriginal people who represent the class speaking the Eastern Aleut dialect. They are also known as the islanders who belong to the four Aleutian mountains. 
• Krenitzen islanders: The people who live here speak the Eastern Aleut language. The latest generation is not aware of the correct grammar as the dialect is on the verge of extinction. 
• Fox islanders: This group of indigenous men lives along the western border of Unalaska, unlike the Krenitzen settlers who live in the eastern part. However, both the branches are acquainted with the Eastern Aleut dialect. 

Two other tribal natives also communicate using the East Aleutian acrolect. The Alaskan community identifies them as the Sanak and Shumagin islands. Both of the islands are included in the Eastern borough of Alaska. 

• The extinct islanders of Belkofski: There used to be a time when this eastern zone of Alaska was sparsely inhabited. But now there is no population. The indigenous population used to practice the Taxtamam tunuu dialect. 

The population of the Aleutes 

At the beginning of the 21st century, the census detected only 11,941 Aleutians across all Unalaskan islands. The mass extinction of the Aleut communities is mainly due to infectious diseases that led to serious fatalities in the late 19th century. Moreover, the indigenous lifestyle faced interruption owing to interracial marriage between Russian tradesmen and the Aleut women. Both of these factors diminished the Aleutian population across the Alaskan peninsula. 

Conclusion 

The Aleut community-produced expert hunters, craftsmen, and artists. They lived in peace and harmony by adapting and unifying against the harshest climatic conditions. They had religious views which were inscribed on their bodies in the form of tattoos. Piercings and wearing ornaments were a common norm for the Aleutians. Waterproof stitching, carving, and embroidery are some of the greatest milestones of excellence for the Aleutes.