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Aleut IdentitiesTradition and Modernity in an Indigenous Fishery |
eBook Available
A contemporary portrait of an Indigenous commercial fishing society in the Arctic.
Anthropologists, looking at the traditional practices of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic from a western perspective, have often presented them as rigid and unchanging. Presenting a decade of ethnographic research on the Eastern Aleut of the western Alaska Peninsula and Eastern Aleutian Islands, Katherine Reedy-Maschner shows that "traditional" can denote many things and can expand to include full participation in a modern, commercial fishing economy as well as participation in the global politics of the volatile fishing industry.
The first Aleut ethnography in over three decades, Aleut Identities provides a contemporary view of indigenous Alaskans and is the first major work to emphasize the importance of commercial labour and economies to maintain traditional means of survival. Examining the ways in which social relations and the status formation are affected by environmental concerns, government policies, and market forces, the author highlights how communities have responded to worldwide pressures. An informative work that challenges conventional notions of "traditional," Aleut Identities demonstrates possible methods by which Indigenous communities can maintain and adapt their identity in the face of unrelenting change.
The first Aleut ethnography in over three decades, Aleut Identities provides a contemporary view of indigenous Alaskans and is the first major work to emphasize the importance of commercial labour and economies to maintain traditional means of survival. Examining the ways in which social relations and the status formation are affected by environmental concerns, government policies, and market forces, the author highlights how communities have responded to worldwide pressures. An informative work that challenges conventional notions of "traditional," Aleut Identities demonstrates possible methods by which Indigenous communities can maintain and adapt their identity in the face of unrelenting change.
Details
Part of the McGill-Queen's Indigenous and Northern Studies (number 61 in series)
314 Pages, 6 x 9
ISBN 9780773537484
April 2010
Formats: Cloth, Paperback, eBook
"Aleut Identities is a refreshing work in the field of indigenous studies, because it is one of a few works that is respectful enough of first peoples to place their lives within the reality of the world within which we live. This book - and the author - should be commended!" Charles Menzies, Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia
"Katherine Reedy-Maschner approaches controversial and difficult topics with particular compassion. In describing an indigenous identity drawn from commercial fishing and placing it in historical context, Reedy-Maschner has captured the essence of King Cove." Rachel Mason, Alaska History
"...this deftly-written and moving ethnography should become standard for those seeking to understand Alaskan Aleut communities, fisheries, and identities today." Thomas F. Thornton, Nothern Review
"Aleut Identities is thoughtful and engaging, reflexive and gendered, authoritative and straightforward. It leaves us better equipped to contemplate these questions of identity and cultural continuity in context. Reedy-Maschner has brought us to the Aleutian communities, expertly interweaving narrative with explorations of theory and diverse presentations of data, producing an exemplary Alaska ethnography... Aleut Identities enables us to more fully grasp the emergent futures developing within Aleut fishing communities, fisheries policy processes, Alaska and fisheries anthropology, and indigenous political struggles within the state and beyond." Alaska Journal of Anthropology
"Katherine Reedy-Maschner approaches controversial and difficult topics with particular compassion. In describing an indigenous identity drawn from commercial fishing and placing it in historical context, Reedy-Maschner has captured the essence of King Cove." Rachel Mason, Alaska History
"...this deftly-written and moving ethnography should become standard for those seeking to understand Alaskan Aleut communities, fisheries, and identities today." Thomas F. Thornton, Nothern Review
"Aleut Identities is thoughtful and engaging, reflexive and gendered, authoritative and straightforward. It leaves us better equipped to contemplate these questions of identity and cultural continuity in context. Reedy-Maschner has brought us to the Aleutian communities, expertly interweaving narrative with explorations of theory and diverse presentations of data, producing an exemplary Alaska ethnography... Aleut Identities enables us to more fully grasp the emergent futures developing within Aleut fishing communities, fisheries policy processes, Alaska and fisheries anthropology, and indigenous political struggles within the state and beyond." Alaska Journal of Anthropology
Katherine L. Reedy-Maschner is an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Idaho State University.
Table of Contents
Figures and Tables ix
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction 3
1 Nautical Nation: Indigenous Commercial Fishing in an Eastern Aleut Community 8
2 Identity, Status, and the Structure of Traditional Aleutian Society 38
3 Anthropology in the Pelagic Zone 71
4 Limited Entry Systems in an Eastern Aleut Community 129
5 Fish Wars, Identity, and Dehumanization 167
6 Disenfranchised Aleuts 206
7 Identity in Context 241
Appendix: Subsistence Tables 251
Abbreviations 253
Notes 257
References 269
Index 305
FIGURES
1.1 Map of the Eastern Aleutian region 13
1.2 King Cove, Alaska, summer 2002 14
1.3 Aleut Dancers with abc’s Good Morning America camera crew, June 2002 22
1.4 f/v Aleutian Star makes a set in rough seas 33
2.1 Historic place names 43
2.2 Political timeline 60
2.3 A fi sh trap in operation 63
2.4 Early twenty-fi rst-century King Cove and cannery 64
2.5 Fisheries timeline 67
2.6 “Jesus was a Gillnetter” bumper sticker 68
3.1 Map of waters and lands 77
3.2 Annual cycle of harvesting in King Cove 89
3.3 Example of salmon from catch to stomach from a single fi sherman 90
3.4 Example of one crewman who must supply two main households, including his own 91
3.5 Subsistence salmon harvests (numbers of fi sh) in King Cove per year, 1985-2008 96
3.6 f/v Catherine J, Ernest Mack’s boat in the 1960s 99
3.7 f/v Ocean Pride 100
3.8 Boat model made by Paul Tcheripanoff, King Cove 101
3.9 Relationship of permit transferors to transferees for all salmon permit types, cumulative 1980 2006 107
3.10 Area m permit holders’ residence, 2007 108
3.11 Example of a purse seine crew, 2000-01, King Cove salmon fl eet 111
3.12 Example of set gillnetting crew, 2000-02, King Cove salmon fl eet 112
3.13 Example of drift gillnetting crew, 2002-03, King Cove salmon fl eet 112
3.14 Contrasted crab boats heading for the Bering Sea king crab fi sherry October 2000 122
3.15 Pounds landed for crab, groundfi sh, and salmon in King Cove,
1981-2006 125
3.16 Ex-vessel value to King Cove fi shermen for crab, groundfi sh, and salmon, 1981-2006 126
3.17 Number of permits fi shed by King Cove fi shermen, 1981-2006 127
4.1 Age/sex distribution, King Cove, Alaska, 2000 134
4.2 Children’s boat model contest, 4 July 2002 136
4.3 Frances Larsen holds up a piece of ulla, or whale skin with blubber 142
4.4 Jarred salmon, 2002 144
4.5 Sociogram of a sorority family indicating fi shing assets and sharing, winter 2002-03 152
4.6 Partial genealogy of a corporately organized lineage in which the sons own and fi sh two seine permits while the father owns the boats 154
4.7. Partial genealogy of a corporately organized lineage 154
4.8 King Cove harbour, spring 2002 161
5.1 Map of Areas m and ayk, with ayk’s 2000 designated disaster area 170
5.2 Steps to conserve chums in the Area m salmon fi shery 172
5.3 Bumper sticker distributed by the Aleutians East Borough, 2000 175
5.4 “Don’t shoot sea lions” sticker 189
6.1 Three-year activity report, King Cove Police Department, 1999-2001 224
6.2 Monthly breakdown of calls/incidents to the King Cove Police Department, 1997-2000 225
6.3 Offender sex and age data for number of crimes between 1990 and 2002, King Cove 228
6.4 Civil and criminal cases of domestic violence fi led by King Cove residents, 1990-2002 229
6.5 Number of domestic violence cases involving King Cove residents
fi led by court location, 1990-2002 231
6.6 Total reported crimes versus number of fi shing vessels 232
6.7 Relationship between amount of groundfi sh harvested by the King Cove fl eet and crimes found in the Alaska Court System 233
TABLES
2.1 Village populations 65
3.1 Partial list of cost estimates of subsistence activities, 2002 93
3.2 Partial cost estimates for entering Area m’s commercial salmon fi sheries, 2002 118
4.1 Frequency of marriages in the Aleutians East Borough, 1995-2007 146
4.2 Frequency of divorces in the Aleutians East Borough, 1995-2007 147
4.3 Comparison of number of descendants in 2003 for twenty fi shermen issued permits in 1973 versus twenty men who were not 155
5.1 Subsistence regulations from Areas ayk and m 178
6.1 Survey results regarding community concerns for youth 213
6.2 Number of male and female plaintiffs/petitioners in domestic violence cases fi led, 1990-2002 229
Figures and Tables ix
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xxi
Introduction 3
1 Nautical Nation: Indigenous Commercial Fishing in an Eastern Aleut Community 8
2 Identity, Status, and the Structure of Traditional Aleutian Society 38
3 Anthropology in the Pelagic Zone 71
4 Limited Entry Systems in an Eastern Aleut Community 129
5 Fish Wars, Identity, and Dehumanization 167
6 Disenfranchised Aleuts 206
7 Identity in Context 241
Appendix: Subsistence Tables 251
Abbreviations 253
Notes 257
References 269
Index 305
FIGURES
1.1 Map of the Eastern Aleutian region 13
1.2 King Cove, Alaska, summer 2002 14
1.3 Aleut Dancers with abc’s Good Morning America camera crew, June 2002 22
1.4 f/v Aleutian Star makes a set in rough seas 33
2.1 Historic place names 43
2.2 Political timeline 60
2.3 A fi sh trap in operation 63
2.4 Early twenty-fi rst-century King Cove and cannery 64
2.5 Fisheries timeline 67
2.6 “Jesus was a Gillnetter” bumper sticker 68
3.1 Map of waters and lands 77
3.2 Annual cycle of harvesting in King Cove 89
3.3 Example of salmon from catch to stomach from a single fi sherman 90
3.4 Example of one crewman who must supply two main households, including his own 91
3.5 Subsistence salmon harvests (numbers of fi sh) in King Cove per year, 1985-2008 96
3.6 f/v Catherine J, Ernest Mack’s boat in the 1960s 99
3.7 f/v Ocean Pride 100
3.8 Boat model made by Paul Tcheripanoff, King Cove 101
3.9 Relationship of permit transferors to transferees for all salmon permit types, cumulative 1980 2006 107
3.10 Area m permit holders’ residence, 2007 108
3.11 Example of a purse seine crew, 2000-01, King Cove salmon fl eet 111
3.12 Example of set gillnetting crew, 2000-02, King Cove salmon fl eet 112
3.13 Example of drift gillnetting crew, 2002-03, King Cove salmon fl eet 112
3.14 Contrasted crab boats heading for the Bering Sea king crab fi sherry October 2000 122
3.15 Pounds landed for crab, groundfi sh, and salmon in King Cove,
1981-2006 125
3.16 Ex-vessel value to King Cove fi shermen for crab, groundfi sh, and salmon, 1981-2006 126
3.17 Number of permits fi shed by King Cove fi shermen, 1981-2006 127
4.1 Age/sex distribution, King Cove, Alaska, 2000 134
4.2 Children’s boat model contest, 4 July 2002 136
4.3 Frances Larsen holds up a piece of ulla, or whale skin with blubber 142
4.4 Jarred salmon, 2002 144
4.5 Sociogram of a sorority family indicating fi shing assets and sharing, winter 2002-03 152
4.6 Partial genealogy of a corporately organized lineage in which the sons own and fi sh two seine permits while the father owns the boats 154
4.7. Partial genealogy of a corporately organized lineage 154
4.8 King Cove harbour, spring 2002 161
5.1 Map of Areas m and ayk, with ayk’s 2000 designated disaster area 170
5.2 Steps to conserve chums in the Area m salmon fi shery 172
5.3 Bumper sticker distributed by the Aleutians East Borough, 2000 175
5.4 “Don’t shoot sea lions” sticker 189
6.1 Three-year activity report, King Cove Police Department, 1999-2001 224
6.2 Monthly breakdown of calls/incidents to the King Cove Police Department, 1997-2000 225
6.3 Offender sex and age data for number of crimes between 1990 and 2002, King Cove 228
6.4 Civil and criminal cases of domestic violence fi led by King Cove residents, 1990-2002 229
6.5 Number of domestic violence cases involving King Cove residents
fi led by court location, 1990-2002 231
6.6 Total reported crimes versus number of fi shing vessels 232
6.7 Relationship between amount of groundfi sh harvested by the King Cove fl eet and crimes found in the Alaska Court System 233
TABLES
2.1 Village populations 65
3.1 Partial list of cost estimates of subsistence activities, 2002 93
3.2 Partial cost estimates for entering Area m’s commercial salmon fi sheries, 2002 118
4.1 Frequency of marriages in the Aleutians East Borough, 1995-2007 146
4.2 Frequency of divorces in the Aleutians East Borough, 1995-2007 147
4.3 Comparison of number of descendants in 2003 for twenty fi shermen issued permits in 1973 versus twenty men who were not 155
5.1 Subsistence regulations from Areas ayk and m 178
6.1 Survey results regarding community concerns for youth 213
6.2 Number of male and female plaintiffs/petitioners in domestic violence cases fi led, 1990-2002 229
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