The Iñupiat, also spelled Iñupiaq, are Alaska Natives whose traditional homelands reach from Norton Sound on the Bering Sea to the northernmost part of the Canada-United States border.
They are part of the larger Inuit group that extends across Alaska, Northern Canada, and Greenland.
The Iñupiat are divided into five ethnic groups and more than thirty communities represented by four regional corporations.
Its five ethnic groups are the Bering Strait Inupiat (Sivunmiut), the South Seward Peninsula Inupiat (Qawiaraq Inupiat), the Nunamiut, the Northwest Arctic Iñupiat (Malimiut), and the North Alaska Coast Inupiat (Taġiuġmiut, people of the sea, or Siḷaliñiġmiut).
The three main regional corporations are the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, Bering Straits Native Corporation, and NANA Regional Corporation, although one Iñupiat community (Alatna) is represented by Doyon, Limited.
Iñupiat tribal entities, as recognized by the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, are as follows: Alatna ((Alaasuq) at Alatna Village, Ambler (Ivisaappaat) at the Native Village of Ambler, Anaktuvuk Pass (Anaqtuuvak/Naqsraq) at the Village of Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk (Atqasuk) at Atqasuk Village, Utqiaġvik at the Native Village of Barrow, Buckland (Nunatchiaq/Kaŋiq) at the Native Village of Buckland, Brevig Mission (Sitaisaq/Sinauraq) at the Native Village of Brevig Misson, Council (Akauchak/Kaułiq) at the Native Village of Council, Deering (Ipnatchiaq) at the Native Village of Deering, Diomede (Iŋaliq) at the Native Village of Diomede, Kaktovik (Qaaktuġvik) at Kaktovik Village, Kiana (Katyaaq) at the Native Village of Kiana, King Island (Ugiuvak) at the King Island Native Community, Kivalina (Kivalliñiq) at the Native Village of Kivalina, Kotzebue (Qikiqtaġruk) at the Native Village of Kotzebue, Kobuk (Laugviik) at the Native Village of Kobuk, Koyuk (Kuuyuk) at the Native Village of Koyuk, Mary's Igloo (Qawiaraq/Iglu) at the Native Village of Mary's Igloo, Nuiqsut (Nuiqsat) at the Native Village of Nuiqsut, Noatak (Nuataaq) at the Native Village of Noatak, Noorvik (Nuurvik) at the Noorvik Native Community, Point Hope (Tikiġaq) at the Native Village of Point Hope, Point Lay (Kali) at the Native Village of Point Lay, Selawik (Akuliġaq/Siiḷivik) at the Native Village of Selawik, Shaktoolik (Saqtuliq) at the Native Village of Shaktoolik, Shishmaref (Qigiqtaq) at the Native Village of Shishmaref, Shungnak (Isiŋnaq) at the Native Village of Shungnak, Solomon (Aaŋuutaq) at the Village of Solomon, Teller (Tala/Iġaluŋniaġvik) at the Native Village of Teller, Unalakleet (Uŋalaqłiq) at the Native Village of Unalakleet, Wainwright Ulġuniq) at the Village of Wainwright, Wales (Kiŋigin) at the Native Village of Wales, White Mountain (Nachizrvik) at the Native Village of White Mountain, Golovin (Siŋik/Chiŋik) at the Chinik Eskimo Community, Nome (Sitnasuaq) at the Nome Eskimo Community, and Elim (Nivviaqhchauġluq) at the Native Village of Elim.
The Iñupiat language is called Iñupiatun or Iñupiaq, which shares similarities with other Inuit languages. Prior to European contact, the Iñupiaq dialects flourished, but, due to harsh assimilation efforts in Native Alaskan boarding schools, Indigenous people were punished for speaking their language. Today, about 2,000 people are able to speak the traditional language. Established in 1998, an Iñupiaq language immersion school called Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat seeks to regenerate the language and culture of the Iñupiat people.
Traditionally, and even today, to some extent, the Iñupiat are hunter-gatherers, as they continue to rely heavily on subsistence hunting and fishing, harvesting walrus, seal, whale, polar bears, caribou, and fish, as well as ducks, geese rabbits, berries, roots, and shoots, while in season. Inland Iñupiat also hunt caribou, Dali sheep, grizzly bear, and moose.
Traditionally, some Iñupiat lived in sedentary communities, while others were nomadic, with some Iñupiat villages having been continuously occupied for over 10,000 years.
The North Slope Borough has the following cities: Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Utqiaġvik, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, Point Lay, and Wainwright. The Northwest Arctic Borough has the following cities: Ambler, Buckland, Deering, Kiana, Kivalina, Kobuk, Kotzebue, Noatak, Noorvik, Selawik, and Shungnak. The Nome Census Area has the following cities: Brevig Mission, Diomede, Golovin, Koyuk, Nome, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, Teller, Wales, White Mountain, and Unalakleet.
The focus of this portion of our web guide is on the Iñupiat people, Iñupiat governments, businesses, schools, medical facilities, organizations, and events.
Recommended Resources
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
The ASRC is one of thirteen Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. Incorporated in 1972 and headquartered in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, ASRC is a for-profit corporation with nearly 1,000 Alaska Native shareholders, primarily of Inupiat Eskimo descent. The site publishes its history, communities, lands, and job opportunities, as well as its operations, leadership, resources, shareholder news, and contact data.
https://www.asrc.com/
Bering Straits Native Corporation
BSNC was formed in 1972 as the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act regional corporation for the Bering Straits and Norton Sound region. Headquartered in Nome, Alaska, the BSNC region is in Northwest Alaska, and home to three culturally distinct people: Inupiat, Siberian Yupik, and Central Yup'ik. The Corporation owns and manages a subsurface estate of about 2.1 million acres. Its businesses, shareholders, lands, and career opportunities are featured, and contacts are included.
https://beringstraits.com/
Also known as Qikiqtaġruk, Kotzebue is a Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska city. It is the borough's seat and largest community, as well as the economic and transportation hub of the subregion. Kotzebue is home to the NANA Regional Corporation and the Maniilaq Association, a tribally operated health and social services organization. Also in Kotzebue is Nikaitchuat Iḷisaġviat, an Inupiaq language immersion school run by the Native Village of Kotzebue.
https://www.cityofkotzebue.com/
Nuiqsut is a city in the North Slope Borough of Alaska. It is situated on the Colville River, about five miles from its confluence with the Itkillik River. Year-round access is available only by air, although an ice road provides access during the winter. The city, which primarily consists of Iñupiat people, is in the midst of many oil reserves and is the closest community to ConocoPhillips's oil drilling project, the Willow Project. Its departments, contacts, and job openings are posted.
https://cityofnuiqsut.org/
Settled in 1899, Shungnak is a Northwest Arctic Borough of Alaska city. In the 1920s, erosion caused many residents to abandon the old townsite, resettling at a site originally known as Kochuk. Residents later renamed Kochuk as Shungnak, while the old Shungnak village, where some residents remained, became Kobuk in 1928. Most residents are Alaska Natives, primarily Iñupiat Inuits. The city's mayor and council are introduced, and resolutions are posted, along with various information.
https://shungnak.org/
Previously known as Barrow, Utqiagvik, Alaska is the borough seat and largest city of the North Slope Borough, which has been home to the Iñupiat, an Inuit ethnic group, for more than a thousand years. The municipal website introduces the city council, mayor, city clerk, and municipal departments. The city's municipal code, a list of local businesses, a form for obtaining a business license, and information and resources for local residents are provided, along with contacts.
https://www.utqiagvik.us/
Also known as Ulguniq or Kuuk, the City of Wainwright is in the North Slope Borough of Alaska. Founded as an incorporated municipality in 1904, Wainwright is on the Chukchi Sea, about seventy miles southwest of Utqiagvik. More than 90% of its population is Native American, primarily Iñupiaq. The municipal government retains responsibilities over the municipal administration, recreation, boat harbors, and cemeteries and operates several services for residents and visitors.
https://cityofwainwright.org/
Diomede School is a public school in Little Diomede, Alaska, and is part of the Bering Strait School District. It serves students in pre-kindergarten through the twelfth grade and has a small student population. Its location, academic programs, athletics programs, and activities are set forth, along with a staff directory, a calendar of events, information about its school dining facilities, and access to various documents and reports. The address, telephone, and fax numbers are provided.
https://diomede.bssd.org/
Founded to serve the North Slope Borough of Alaska residents, the basis for its educational programs is based on the Iñupiaq cultural heritage. As an institution, the college is Iñupiaq. The public tribal land-grant community college is in Utqiaġvik, formerly Barrow, Alaska, and is the only tribally-controlled college in the state. A member of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium, it offers a bachelor's degree in business, associate's degrees, and one-year certificates.
https://www.ilisagvik.edu/
Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope
ICAS is a federally recognized Iñupiat Alaska Native tribal entity that acts as an umbrella government for Native villages in the North Slope Borough, including Point Lay, Point Hope, Wainwright, Anaktuvuk Pass, Utqiagvik, Atqasuk, Kaktovik, and Nuiqsut. The site introduces ICAS and its location, including tribal operations, scholarships and vocational training programs, member services, and departmental contacts. Notices and announcements are posted on the site.
https://icas-nsn.gov/
The King Island Native Community is federally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs as an Alaska Native community. Located in the Bering Straits, the village site is on the island's south side, facing Russia, and is known as Ugiuvak. Today, the island is vacant most of the year but recognized as a distinct village corporation under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. The island and village profiles are provided, and a telephone number and fax number are provided.
https://www.kingislandnativecommunity.org/
Serving students from pre-kindergarten through the twelfth grade, Koyuk Malimiut School enrolls under one hundred students and currently offers a student-teacher ratio of 9 to 1. The site highlights its academic and athletic programs, as well as announcements of school activities and events, a staff directory, departmental contacts, school dining information, and access to various documents and reports. Announcements and notices are posted on the site.
https://koyuk.bssd.org/
NANA is one of thirteen Alaska Native Regional Corporations created under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971. The for-profit corporation's corporate office is in Kotzebue, Alaska, and its Alaska Native shareholders are of Inupiat descent. Its mission, values, lands, businesses, natural resources, leadership, and an overview of Iñupiaq culture are set forth, along with media resources, press releases, career opportunities, notices, and contacts.
https://www.nana.com/
The Native Village of Barrow is the Traditional Government of the Iñupiat people. Located in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, it is part of the North Slope Borough. Administrative contacts, the tribal council, and an employee directory are set forth, along with its departments, educational, child care, elder services, general assistance, and community giving programs. Information about the Cares Act, news, announcements, employment information, and contacts are also set forth.
https://nvb-nsn.gov/
The Native Village of Unalakleet is a rural northwestern Alaskan community situated on the coast of Norton Sound at the mouth of the Unalakleet River. In Iñupiaq, the name means "from the southern side," as it is the furthest south Iñupiat village in Alaska. The village's history, mission, and vision are outlined, and its council members, advisory members, and staff are introduced, along with upcoming events, contacts, services, and employment opportunities.
https://www.nativevillageofunalakleet.org/
The North Slope Borough is Alaska's northernmost borough. Its seat and largest city is Utqiaġvik, which was known as Barrow from 1901 to 2016. Cities within the borough include Anaktuvuk Pass, Atqasuk, Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, Point Hope, Utqiaġvik, and Wainwright, while unincorporated places include Point Lay, Prudhoe Bay, Alpine, Deadhorse, Sagwon, and Umiat. Governmental contacts, resident services, employment, departments, and business information are provided.
https://www.north-slope.org/
Headquartered in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, UIC is an Alaska Native Corporation whose shareholders are Alaska Natives of primarily Iñupiat Eskimo descent. A listing of its officers and directors is provided on the website, along with a statement of the corporation's business ethics and conduct, corporate giving, Utqiaġvik information, and Iñupiat heritage. Land access and use policies, an overview of its companies, shareholder information, and career opportunities are posted.
https://uicalaska.com/
Solomon, Alaska, is an unincorporated community in the Nome Census Area. Originally settled by the Fish River tribe, Solomon became a mining camp and then a town in the early 1900s. In 1980, it was designated an Alaskan Native Village Statistical Area. Reported as uninhabited in 2010, several private seasonal cabins, including a summer bed and breakfast facility, are there. The village is associated with the Iñupiat people. Several photos are provided.
https://www.villageofsolomon.org/
