Women in Alaska's History - Native Alaskans

The Eskimo Woman
The Aleut Woman
The Athabascan Woman
The Tlingit Woman

Some common misconceptions:

Eskimos were not the only Natives in Alaska.
There are no penguins in Alaska.
Natives did not live permanently in igloos.

The similarities and differences in lifestyle between the various types of Alaskan native groups revolves around their adaptation to their environment. The food, tools, homes and clothing of the cultures reflect the geography and climate of the area their tribe lived in.There was, and still is today, a variety of languages spoken. This is a consequence of living among the many mountains that are in Alaska. The mountains separated the tribes and so different languages developed.

A few groups of natives shared similar geographic areas and cultures; the Coastal Indians, Tlingits, Haidas, and Tsimshians. They were able to build permanent villages because the weather around the coast was more temperate. There was more food and building materials were easier to obtain. Tribal fighting was common and a major part of most native cultures.

There are a few other groups of Native Alaskans as well. On this page you will be able to learn about several groups of Natives.