Hi from Alaska

[Mayonaze]

Hello everyone. It just occurred to me that I have been lurking and even participating without introducing my self. How rude!

I am an airport planner working for the State Department of Transportation in Alaska. Most of my work involves rural airports throughout the southern 1/2 of the state, including the Aleutian Islands. Many of the villages I work in are inhabited mainly by Alaska Natives: Aleuts, Yupik Eskimos, Athabascan Indians and others depending on the location. Among other things, I oversee the preparation of environmental documents prepared by consultants in accordance with federal law. One of the components of these documents is an archeological survey. Sometimes these surveys bear fruit (to the annoyance of the project engineers who follow me) and sometimes they don't.

My educational background is in biology and public administration. Archeology, paleontology and astronomy have been lifelong interests. I'm retiring in a couple of years and look forward to spending time broadening and deepening my limited knowledge in these areas.

Thank you for providing this stimulating forum. I look forward to the opportunity to learn from all of you and hope to be able to contribute something of value to the mix.

[Forum Monk]

Hi Mayo-naze

So when you retire, are you going to move to a warmer southern location - say Butte Montana?
(just kidding)

btw - out of curiosity. I lady I knew in alaska, claimed that the natives had a tradition that their ancestors came from north-east asia. It this from a real ancient tradition or is it something they were told later by explorers or missionaries?

[Mayonaze]

Monk;

I'll look into it. I know that the language referred to as Siberian Yupik, spoken by the Native people there, is very similar to the Yupik spoken by the Inuit Natives in SW Alaska. I have also heard that the Inuit (referred to by many as "Eskimos") are relatively recent arrivals in Alaska, and that they took over the productive coastal areas from the Athabascan Indians in prehistoric times and forced them inland. I have also heard that the Apache originated in this country and either migrated or were forced south. I can't cite references at the moment, but I'll look into those topics also.

Mayo

[Beagle]

Hello again Mayo. I gotta ask this question. Is that you with your head in a wood clamp? If so, you've got a good sense of humor.

[Mayonaze]

Beagle: Nope, not me - just an artifact.

[Cognito]

I have also heard that the Apache originated in this country and either migrated or were forced south. I can't cite references at the moment, but I'll look into those topics also.

If you look into it, you will find that the Apache are Athabascan and arrived in the desert southwest of the US about 1450AD. A very interesting migration.