Exhibits
Exhibits: Archaeological, anthropological and ethnographic data covering the Inuit occupation of the Arctic region over the centuries serve as the basic foundation for developing exhibits. Exhibits are developed with hands-on, minds-on experiences, where applicable, applying different themes that present Inupiat philosophy and world view in the form of ethnographic objects, artifacts, crafts, replications, photographs, paintings, textiles, maps, illustrative kiosks, dioramas, and other devices that enhance exhibit presentation.
Village exhibits were developed taking into account village interests and other interpretive programs that draw on village knowledge to enhance historical and cultural awareness. Village exhibits may be displayed within the schools or other facilities designated by each community.
Exhibits presenting other cultures and traditional knowledge that would bring better understanding and inspiration to the way of life in the Arctic may be presented as enhancement activities linking the North Slope to other cultures, and the world around us.
Permanent Exhibits: The Inupiat Heritage Center will not develop any permanent exhibits until community input has been received and an agreement has been reached as to hat IHC's permanent collection should consist of. Currently IHC is aiming for whaling for it's permanent collection. IHC covers in its exhibits precontact times to modern times.
Traveling Exhibits: Exhibits and kits will be developed and sent to the schools and communities of the North Slope region. Themes specific to the region and cultures of the circumpolar North will present to the villages a variety of topics. Each traveling exhibit developed in coordination with villages may also be shared with other museums and institutions. Exhibits developed by local schools or from other facilities and museums may also be displayed at the Inupiat Heritage Center.
Temporary Exhibits: Changing exhibits periodically encourage local people to visit and may be centered on different themes including animals, clothing, hunting, food preparation, Arctic lifestyles, relationship to other people, relationship to the environment, and Inuit lifestyle then and now. These types of exhibits may be developed in coordination with village schools and members of the North Slope communities.
Beringia: Archaeologists are confident that the Bering Sea region was the birthplace of Eskimo culture, although it is unclear where exactly it began. Archaeologists investigating the history of cultures around Bering Strait have found clear evidence of the movement of Asian peoples into northeastern Siberia and their subsequent migration into Alaska and the Americas; dates from stratified cave sites begin as early as 35,000 years ago. CA 12,000 ago, the first well-dated stratified sites appear in Alaska, on the Nenana River. The Inupiat people have been living in Barrow for CA 4,000 years.
The Pleistocene, or Glacial era, characterized by a series of northern glaciations and the appearance of human beings, took place about 2 million years ago, ending about 11,000 years ago. Many of the animals represented in the painting were living up here about 10,000 years ago. Not all the animals are extinct. One of the species that survived the Pleistocene era is the Musk Ox. The mastodon was living in the Arctic as late as 3,800 years ago, alongside of the Inuit. Displayed bones were found at the Ikpikpak River 60 miles up inland from Barrow. Inupiat elders were instrumental in identifying the Inupiaq names for these animals.
Mesa Site: The Mesa Site is located on the Colville River where both Eskimo and Indian communities coexisted. Different groups of people have crossed from Siberia into Alaska, and the Inuit are probably one of the last groups of people to crossed. Uncovered artifacts, about 14,000 years old, and are similar to those found at other sites throughout North America and South America.
The Inuit have stories about hunting the mammoth, other large game animals and small game animals such as the Musk Ox, Caribou, Wolves and other Arctic species Native to the region at the time.
Storytelling is an important aspect of oral history. Included in this exhibit are stories by Simon Paneak and Elijah Kakinya, who told about the time when Inuit hunted the woolly mammoth in the Brooks Range - Colville River Delta. The mammoth was thought to have been extinct about 10,000 years ago, though recently Arctic archaeologists are finding out that the woolly mammoth were still present and hunted until about 3,800 years ago.
See the display of sod houses, illustrating the study which took place of the whale bone and sod houses the Inuit built across the Arctic, from Siberia to Greenland. Greenland sod houses are approximately 2,000 years old. Radio carbon dating of bones shows that some communities there are as old as 8,000 years old. In Alaska the sod houses are about 4,800 years old.
With the Arctic Whalers - Photographs by Herbert L. Aldrich: New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park collaborates with its Affiliated Area, the Inupiat Heritage Center, to commemorate the more than 2000 whaling voyages from New Bedford to the Western Arctic in the 19th century. This partnership seeks to recognize the contributions of Alaska Natives to the history of whaling in the United States.
This exhibit is based on photographs made in 1887 by Aldrich, a 25-year old reporter for the New Bedford Evening Standard, who sailed with the arctic whaling fleet for the better part of a year. Having been diagnosed with tuberculosis, Aldrich was told he would probably die within a year. Tempting fate, or possibly to spare his family the burial expenses, he decided to go to sea. Sailing from San Francisco on the bark Young Phoenix, he would later join nine more vessels as they cruised the Bering Sea and Arctic Ocean. One of these, the Wanderers, was the last whaling ship to be built in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, which produced many of the great whaling ships for the nearby port of New Bedford. The Aldrich photographs were among the first ever taken on a whaleship at sea or of the Native peoples of coastal Siberia and Alaska. Aldrich died at age 87.
Until the discovery of petroleum in 1859 that introduced an inexpensive fuel - kerosene - whale oil for lamps was the most important item driving economists of the time. On the wall you see the kind of harpoons Massachusetts whalers used to hunt whales. The Inuit had a different kind of whaling tool with a hallow point. Today a combination of hallow and metal is used. The exhibit gives us an understanding of what it was like in the late 1800s and early 1900s when Inuit were involved in commercial whaling, trading and bartering with the early whalers. Eskimo women made clothing for the crews and all the whalers who came into the Arctic.
Inua - The Spirit World of the Bering Sea (and Utkeavik Excavation): This is an exhibit on loan from the Smithsonian Institute, displaying ethnographic collections from western and northern Alaska. In Alaska there are 2 main groups of Inuit, the Inupiat and the Yup'ik.
Examples of artifacts:
Death pill:a piece of baleen wrapped in sinew, blubber, or meat. When thawed in an animal's stomach it would spring out and pierce the stomach. The animal, such as the polar bear or wolf, would bleed to death internally.
Baleen net: used for carrying various items like fish or personal items. Strands of baleen are used for making baskets, nets, boats and other items that are primarily used for fishing. In the old days they used stone, wood floats, drifters and boat sinkers for most of the nets.
Blue beads: important part of the economy in the Arctic. A pair of blue beads had a value of one umiak, or a dozen skins in a brand new sled. Blue is special color, it reflects the sky and therefore Sila, the supreme being. People though that whoever had these blue beads was kept safe by Sila.
Baleen sled: found in one of the sod houses in Barrow. Owned by a 12 year old girl who had been buried with her belongings such as her doll and other personal items. She was wrapped in caribou skin. This toboggan was placed over her. She was reburied with the other people who were found, in the new cemetery site.
Traditional baleen sled: commonly used in the earlier days. Wood was scarce, so baleen was used instead. Baleen is a natural plastic, one of the few in the world.
Caribou clothing: Caribou have been the main source of clothing, and sinew has played an important economic role. People would not have survived the harsh environment of the Arctic without caribou clothing and meat. When caribou were scarce many people starved.
Artifacts from the Utkeavik site have been radio carbon dated and the community was found to be about 2,500 years old. The site has lost a large portion of its beach over a period of time. In the last 50 years we have lost over 300 feet of beach which means the older portion of the community has washed into the sea. The artifacts tell a story through time in which Inuit or Utkeavikmiut have occupied Barrow. People developed high skills in hunting sea mammals with kayaks, umiaks and stone implements. Armor in the middle case shows that there is evidence of peace and war with the Siberian people. There are also Inupiaq stories from Point Hope, Kotzebue and Barrow telling of warfare between Barrow and Point Hope that took place 40 miles south of Barrow. Some of the early metal in the cases was obtained through trade with Siberian people. In those days metal was a rare item and was being traded from Siberia into Alaska and then into Canada. To own an ulu made of iron meant that you were a rich person.
Traditional Knowledge: Presented are the NSB Department of Wildlife Management's results on their long term research on the bowhead whale. The research was based on collaboration with Inupiat elders; combining traditional knowledge and western science to understand bowhead whales.
Displayed are harpoons found from 1981-1997 inside captured whales. It was found that these were over 100 years old, proving that whales live that long, even though scientists had disputed this.
Climate Change Exhibit: Possible effects on the Inupiat way of life in the Arctic. 20 years ago the ice was 15-20 feet thick. Today it is only 3-4 feet thick, making spring whaling much more dangerous.
Village Profiles: Each of the eight North Slope Borough villages put together exhibits which represent their community in terms of history, tradition, prominent natural features, families and leaders, etc.
Anaktuvuk Pass - no ocean. Depend on caribou, sheep, fishing. Have a museum, the Simon Paneak Museum
Kaktovik - invented Inupiat numerals; they were recognized by the Circumpolar Conference for their achievement.
Kali - Point Lay; hunt beluga whales.
Point Hope - is the oldest continuously occupied community of the North Slope.
Wainright - resettlement of older community Olgoonik, a museum is being considered for construction by their Native Corporation.
Please come back soon adding more!
Contact Information:
Inupiat Heritage Center
5421 North Star Street
P.O. Box 749
Barrow, Alaska 99723
Phone: (907) 852-4594
Fax: (907) 852-4224
E-mail Address: inupiatheritagecenter@hotmail.com
This site was last updated: 25-Nov-2001