National Park Service Grant: Exploring Indigenous Knowledge of the Supernatural Environment in the Bering Strait Region

OVERVIEW

Our project is an examination and documentation of the Bering Strait region indigenous residentsâ¿¿ knowledge and beliefs about, and experiences with, supernatural phenomena. â¿¿Supernaturalâ¿¿ is used here to refer to elements in and aspects of the environment such as little people, unexplained lights, sea monsters, invisible sea birds, animals with transformative powers, a variety of other non-human persons, landscape features with special powers, and other similar phenomena as defined by participants. This project includes collaborations with 17 of the 20 tribes in the Bering Strait region of Alaska.

STATEMENT OF JOINT OBJECTIVES/PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The primary objective of this project is to investigate Bering Strait Inuit residentsâ¿¿ beliefs and knowledge about (and experiences with) the supernatural environment, and to examine the roles these play in guiding interactions with animals, the landscape and the environment in general. Other project goals include: 1) To document as fully as possible from archival and other sources what is known about traditional beliefs, knowledge and experience regarding the supernatural, 2) To document contemporary beliefs, knowledge and experiences regarding the supernatural, 3) To explore the importance of the form, contexts, and significance of knowledge sharing about the supernatural, and 4) To return knowledge that has been previously documented to communities in an accessible format.

RECIPIENT INVOLVEMENT

A. Kawerak, Inc. agrees to:

1. Conduct archival research at the Kawerak Eskimo Heritage Program, Bering Straits Native Corporation and at the Alaska Polar Regions Collection at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to produce a detailed summary of the information pertaining indigenous residentâ¿¿s knowledge about the supernatural environment and how these beliefs guide their interactions with animals, the landscape and the environment in general to make this information accessible to Bering Strait communities.
2. Conduct no less than 80 individual consultations with tribal elders and community members in villages across northwest Alaska including: Brevig Mission, Council, Diomede, Elim, Gambell, Golovon, King Island, Koyuk Maryâ¿¿s Igloo, Nome, Savoonga, Shaktoolik, Shishmaref, Solomon, Stebbins, St. Michael, Teller, Unalakleet, Wales and White Mountain
3. Facilitate community meetings and storytelling nights in the collaborating communities. Community members of all ages will be encouraged to participate. Kawerak, Inc. will document these events through digital recordings.
4. Document community memberâ¿¿s personal experience with the supernatural through focus groups held in at least five communities with approximately five or six participants/group.
5. Record audio and/or video and transcribe the storytelling and consultations and to archive these with the Eskimo Heritage Program files.
6. Analyze archival material, transcripts and notes, participant observation notes, focus group and story-telling notes and other texts.
7. Produce a book manuscript, in addition to the archival summary, detailing the projects findings.
8. Report to Bering Strait communities through conferences and other meetings the results of the project (Year 3).

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE INVOLVEMENT
B. NPS agrees to:

1. Act as liaison with the partner and possible individuals or groups in the Beringia region that may be interested in the Traditional Knowledge of the Native People of Alaska regarding the ⿿Supernatural Environment⿝ and their interactions with the environment and natural world.

2. To the extent possible, assist with organizing workshops and trainings, assist making agreements on using government housing, and other logistical support.

3. Provide technical assistance and safety briefings related to project and geographic location.

4. Utilize the Beringia Programâ¿¿s contacts in Alaska and Russia (especially in Native communities) to inform communities and organizations about the project. Assist with the dissemination of information working with local park units to post information, advertise workshops, and share project activities and outcome on the NPS Shared Beringian Heritage Program website and Alaska National Parks Facebook page.

5. Use the network of contacts, the Shared Beringia Heritage program website, and the Alaska National Parks Facebook page to share information from the final and interim reports with the public, as well as with targeted audiences through the development of a project-specific distribution plan. First and foremost it will be targeted toward the communities in the Bering Strait region.

6. Have the project products translated into Russian.