Aleuts

The Aleuts, also called Unangan, are an indigenous people who inhabit the Aleutian Islands, the Pribilof Islands, and parts of the northern Pacific Coast, including the Alaska Peninsula. Their traditional territory stretches from the southeastern tip of the Alaska Peninsula to the western end of the Aleutian chain, and historically their hunting grounds extended across the Bering Sea. The name “Aleut” originates from the Russian word for “Alaska,” though it has been used by outsiders since the 18th century; the people themselves use the term Unangan, meaning “people.”

The Aleut language, part of the Eskimo–Aleut family, is polysynthetic and was traditionally spoken in several distinct dialects across the archipelago. Although the language remains endangered, revitalization efforts by community groups and Alaska Native institutions aim to preserve its use in education and cultural practice.

Traditional Aleut culture is anchored in maritime subsistence, with sea otter, seal, walrus, and fish species forming the core of their diet and economy. The people were skilled seafarers and navigators, using double-hulled boats called juuit. They hammered copper into intricate tools and ornaments, and their mythology features a pantheon of spirits tied to the sea, weather, and animal world.

European contact in the 18th century began a period of dramatic change. Russian fur traders introduced new goods and disease, while later American annexation disrupted traditional lifestyles. In the 20th century, the Aleuts were forcibly relocated to the Pribilofs during World War II, leading to loss of land and cultural dislocation. In recent decades, the Unangan have pursued self-determination through the Unangan Regional Corporation and the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, striving to protect their lands, language, and cultural heritage.