Eskimos of Alaska
by Sara Boyer
Alaskan Eskimo Woman and her child
(Scanned photo from the archives of the
Anchorage Museum of History and Art, B73.96.29)
Most people believe that Eskimos live in igloos. It's not true, though.
Some Eskimos who live in rural villages do live in houses that are constructed
of drift wood and sod. This type of igloo is used frequently today by Eskimos
in Alaska.
Some native Eskimos wear shoes called mukluks, or Kamuks. They are made
of seal skin and some leg skins from caribou or reindeer. Their socks in
the winter are made of caribou and reindeer skin. Their mittens are made
of reindeer heid. The parka is created from reindeer or caribou skins, trimmed
with wolverine fur.
Seal is among the chief diet of the Eskimos living in the north. When the
meat isn't used immediately it is dried. When preparing it, the women boil
it with salt and add willow leaves. Blackberries, salmon berries, or cranberries
top off the meal.
In the family, the children are rarely punished. They are given affection
adn freedom by their parents. Childhood was a time when young Eskimos learned
many of the skils they needed to know in order to survive when they grew
up. The likfe of an Eskimo child could be hard, but they always had time
to relax.
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