The Aleut or the Unangan, as they call themselves,live on the Aleutian archipelago. It is a string of volcanic islands extending 1,300 miles from the Alaska Peninsula west nearly to the Kamchatka Peninsula.

The Aleut settlements were located on bays where there was a good gravel beach for landing skin-covered watercrafts. Village locations on necks between two bays were preferred. The locations provided at least one protected landing for any given wind direction and it served as an escape route in the event of an enemy attack or invasion. A good supply of fresh water nearby was a necessity, as a good salmon stream was indispensable. The other considerations were the availability of driftwood and access to stone materials suitable for tool and weapon-making and mineral paints, sea mammels hauling grounds, and an elevated lookout post from which one person could watch for enemies and whales.

The Aleut society was ranked by heredity into classes of high nobles, commoners, and the slaves. The leaders were recruited from the high nobles or the cheifly elite. This ranking was reflected in allocation of living space within the longhouse and in burials. The "east" and the " above" were the sacred dimensions associated with the creator: Agugux.

 

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