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Flag of Alaska

Map of the United States with Alaska highlighted

Alaskans are the citizens and nationals of the U.S. state of Alaska. The majority of immigrants in Alaska are of Filipino, Mexican, Thai, Korean, and Canadian origins.

It is believed that ancient humans crossed the Beringia land bridge, which connected northeastern Siberia and western Alaska, during the Last Glacial Maximum. This migration continued until rising sea levels during the Holocene submerged the land bridge, making further migration by this route impossible.

Racial and ethnic groups

Aleuts

The Aleuts, also known as Unangan, Unangas, or Unangax̂, are the Indigenous people of the Aleutian Islands, an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean. Today, there are approximately 6,752 Aleuts in the United States, and around 482 in Russia.

Language

Aleut people speak Unangam Tunuu, along with English in the U.S. and Russian in Russia. Around 150 people in the U.S. and five in Russia speak Aleut. The language, part of the Eskaleut family, has three dialects: Eastern Aleut, Atkan, and the extinct Attuan. The Pribilof Islands have the most active speakers. While most native elders speak Aleut, fluency is rare among younger generations. Aleut was written in Cyrillic from 1829 and switched to Latin script in 1870. A dictionary, grammar, and portions of the Bible have been published in Aleut.

Population and distribution

Map of Aleut tribes and dialects

Aleuts historically inhabited the Aleutian Islands, the Shumagin Islands, and the far western part of the Alaska Peninsula, with an estimated population of around 25,000 before European contact. In the 1820s, during a period of Russian-led expansion of the fur trade, the Russian-American Company took control of a large portion of the North Pacific. They forcibly resettled many Aleut families to the Commander Islands, located within the Aleutsky District of Russia's Kamchatka Krai, and to the Pribilof Islands in Alaska. These areas continue to have communities with a majority-Aleut population.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, 11,941 people identified as Aleut, while an additional 17,000 individuals reported having partial Aleut ancestry. Before European contact, the Aleut population in the archipelago was estimated at around 25,000. In the early 21st century, the Encyclopædia Britannica noted that more than 15,000 people had Aleut ancestry.

The Aleut population experienced severe declines in the 19th and early 20th centuries due to the introduction of Eurasian infectious diseases, to which they had no immunity. This decline was further exacerbated by the disruption of their traditional lifestyles. Russian traders, and later Europeans, often married Aleut women, establishing families and further impacting the community's cultural dynamics.

History

Russian Empire's colonization of North America

Main article: Aleuts § History

During the Russian Empire's colonization of North America from 1741 to 1867, various native tribes in Alaska were encountered, particularly the Aleuts. During Russia's expansion into North America, Russian traders pressured the Aleuts to provide pelts from beavers, foxes, and sea otters, which were highly valuable due to the decline of fur in Siberia. Aleutian men, women, and children were held hostage to ensure compliance with these demands. If Aleutian men failed to deliver the required furs, the hostages were executed. Around 3,000 Aleutian natives were killed during this period of Russian colonization and exploitation.

After the arrival of Russian Orthodox missionaries in the late 18th century, many Aleuts converted to Christianity. Today, numerous Russian Orthodox congregations in Alaska have a majority of Alaska Native or Native Alaskan members. One of the earliest Christian martyrs in North America was Saint Peter the Aleut.

Uprising against the Russians

In the 18th century, Russian promyshlenniki traders established settlements on the Aleutian Islands, driven by high demand for the furs that the Aleuts provided through hunting. However, by 1784, otter populations had significantly decreased, and the Russians began offering fewer goods in exchange for the furs. This situation led to tensions on Amchitka Island, where local Aleuts revolted against the Russian traders stationed at a small trading post. The Aleut leaders attempted to negotiate, citing the Russians' failure to deliver adequate supplies. In response, Nezimov, the leader of the Russian traders, ordered the killing of his Aleut mistress, Oniishin, who was also the chief's daughter, suspecting her of discouraging her father from making demands.

After the deaths of four Aleut leaders, the Aleuts began relocating from Amchitka to nearby islands. Following these events, Nezimov was jailed when the incident was reported to Russian officials, as documented by Japanese castaways who had recorded Aleut accounts of the situation.