The Naming of Birds by Nunamiut Eskimo

Abstract

Contains a list of some 115 names of birds in English and Nunamiut, the meaning of the Nunamiut name and status of the species (nesting, migrant, accidental, etc.). This is preceeded by a description of the Anaktuvuk Pass region (68 N, 152 W) of the Brooks Range, Northern Alaska, where the birds were observed and the home of the Nunamiut, a small inland group with strong oral traditions. Some anthropological data on these people, note of earlier studies, etc., are included. This study was made with Simeon Paneak, a native Nunamiut having an exceptional command of English, with whom the author had been associated in field work for five years.