ILATKA: The Inuit Word For My Relatives - Arctic Coast

Arctic communities are faced with powerful forces bringing pressures on Indigenous land and people. Climate change affects lifeways in Alaska and has a profound impact on the international Arctic, its sensitive ecosystems, and the communities that rely upon the region’s natural resources. The issues related to the future of Alaska are many and diverse.  The Inuit and other Indigenous people of Alaska are at the forefront of these issues. In his series ILATKA - The Inuit Word for My Relatives, Brian Adams photographs the landscapes and the people of Alaska and documents change, adaptation and resilience. The stories embedded in the images and the voices that accompany them help portray a compelling and relevant story of place.

“My name is Rhoda Ahgook. My Inupiaq name is Tatkavina. I was born on the Siksik River on February 20, 1930, in the trees somewhere. It was so far to the east, people would go to Fort Yukon and go to the general store there. From the Siksik River we moved to Killik River, from the Killik River we moved here, we did 'the long walk,' the 100 mile walk. In the summer we all moved here and settled here. We were very poor growing up, my dad had hardly any shells for the gun, now look at us.” — Rhoda Ahgook is Inupiaq and lives in Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska.

“Growing up in Anaktuvuk Pass, I grew up with no electricity, none of the technology we have today. Not until I was 12 years old. I grew up in a sod house. Right now I am the Oral Historian for the Nunamiut. I try and figure out everything about the Nunamiut history for the IHLC [Inupiat History, Language, and Culture]. I speak to a lot of the elders here. I speak to them mostly in our language; I understand them. When I was forced to go to school, when I was seven years old, that’s when I learned to speak English. We had a BIA [Bureau of Indian Affairs] school here; so I got to go to school here. It’s fun being a Nunamiut. We are people of the land.” — Nancy Ahgook is Inupiaq and lives in Anaktuvuk Pass.

"I was born in Utqiagvik in 1958, and I was adopted and raised here all my life. I was a harpooner on my uncle’s crew until he retired and then I took over. I don’t know how many whales I caught—maybe five with his crew. State biologists keep track of how many whales we have caught. In our culture, we don’t boast. We were taught that the whales know; they know who has a clean ice cellar and who is preparing. There are stories that the whales already know who is good and bad. I still have an ice cellar, probably the only one in Barter Island that has survived. We are trying to build a community ice cellar too with modern technology. We hunt bowhead whales, and beluga too. Our quota is stuck at three it depends on the size of the village, it’s not quit enough for the village. I think Utqiagvik has 16, it must be some kind of whaling out there, combat whaling. [Laughs]   In the old days, there was no size limit, we would go after big, huge ones and would have to learn the hard way, it takes forever to butcher and everyone would quit helping. So we quit hunting big ones. The biggest we got was 59 feet (it took three days of butchering), long ago when there was ice, now days there is no ice when we go hunting. We noticed it start changing in the late '90s. There used to be a lot of ice, where you could park and look out, have lunch. Not anymore. The good old days are gone. They were drilling one year, it deflected the whales way out. We had to go a long ways to get whales then, 18 hours of towing the whale back. Now we wish for the ice. — Edward Rexford Sr. is Inupiaq from Kaktovik, Alaska.

“I am originally from Aklavik in Canada. I moved here 20 years ago. I am a homemaker here for the elders. We go clean the elders’ housing everyday from 1pm-5pm. Do their dishes, sweep and mop, do their bathrooms, their beddings if they need them done, and sometimes I prepare their lunch. We have about 10 homes we take care of everyday. I enjoy my work. I like working with the elders, I have been doing it for about a year.” — Lisa Sittichinli is half Inupiaq and half Gwich’in from Kaktovik, Alaska.

“It’s $8.99 a gallon right now. It’s not the highest prices I have seen, sometimes it gets up to $10.99. I think this has a four-gallon tank. This is my daughter ride—it’s almost out. She always lets me use it when it’s almost out. [Laughs]  I am born and raised here. I used to be a health aide (community health aides are frontline health care providers throughout rural Alaska). I started in ‘99, and I just retired. It’s challenging at times living here because of the cold, but we live with it. We go along with each season, and try to go along with our traditional life style.”  –Della Luther is Inupiaq and lives in Noatak, Alaska.

“In the middle of June, the ice started really melting quick. Usually, it wouldn’t be until about the end of July. It hasn’t been a huge problem and people are still fishing all year, but it was surprising. The salmon started running early, maybe the middle of June. Even the berries came early. It’s been raining all year too, even in the winter.  I grew up here, I live right over there behind the willows. I built my own log house in the early '80s. The community was going to help me build my house, but all they did is talk. [laughs] I was hoping for help when I started building the house. They said they were going to help, but no one did. I had an older brother though; he helped me. I finished my house in October or November, just beat the winter. In 1982 after I graduated, I lived in a tent for about a year. Then I started building my house.” — Richard Mouse is Inupiaq and lives in Noorvik, Alaska.

“I was born around here, in the old town site. I am 84 now. I still make parkas (traditional fur coats). I have made lots of jackets for my husband, he is in heaven. I would make him jackets, everything. I always worked. When I was a single teenager, I always help my mom and dad when they would catch a ugruk (bearded seal). My mom always worked, I tried to be like that.” — Delia Stone is an Inupiaq elder who lives in Point Hope, Alaska.

"It’s pretty warm out there for this time of the year. I tried to go to my friend’s funeral in Kobuk [on snow machine], but there wasn’t enough snow. It has changed 100% here." — Grover Cleveland is Inupiaq from Shungnak, Alaska.

“I am the captain of the skin sewers for the Inupiaq boats. I oversee everything. I have been on it since 1971. We use bearded seal skin. We use the same skin for the blanket toss blanket. It takes us 16 hours in one day to make one boat. We don’t quit until we are done. I learned from my mom and my aunt, when I was young-the ripe old age of 21. Now I am 72. They call me head seamstress. — Priscilla Sage is Inupiaq and lives in Utqiagvik, Alaska.

“I am on the Patkotak Whaling Crew. I am mainly their support. Basically when they first catch a whale, I help them cut, prep and cook, and sew. And we cook some more just before we come to Nalukataq. It takes at least a month to prepare for Nalukataq. Maybe six weeks. I was born into the crew. In fact, the day I was born, my grandfather who was the original Patkotak whaling crew captain, caught a whale. I love coming together with family and celebrating. And the assurance that there is more than enough food to be generous. It’s the best feeling. Or when people ask for food, we don’t have to say no. We can say yes, I have enough, come get some." — Susan Hope is Inupiaq and lives in Utqiagvik, Alaska.