Tribal Directory Locations: Alaska

<p>Alaska Natives are separated into six major groups: Inupiat, Aleuts, Yuit, Tlingit, Haida, and Athabascans. Of these groups, the Inupiat and Athabascan tribes controlled most of Alaska’s land. However, all Alaskan tribes relied on the same foods to survive, including fish, moose, bear, rabbit, and wild berries. The Athabascans, who lived in the interior part of the state, were migratory people, following fish and other game to survive. Traditionally, this tribe would construct their villages, consisting of 20 to 40 people, near Alaskan rivers. Residing in northern Alaska, the Inupiat tended to practice a more sedentary lifestyle than other Alaskan tribes. Because the Inupiat lived closer to the coast, they relied heavily on (and had rituals for) whales for food and clothing. Today, more than 180,000 Native Americans make up the 229 federally recognized tribes in Alaska. </p>