48 Alaskan Science Conference 



ther of whom have sufficient natural resources of the types 

 needed for modern industry. For example, when the sea-otter 

 disappeared and later the longhaired furs went out of style, the 

 Aleut economy collapsed. Furthermore, the Aleuts could not 

 return to enough of the old hunting and fishing complex to pro- 

 vide even an adequate diet, because they had lost both knowl- 

 edge of the old techniques and satisfaction in using what skills 

 they did have. Tuberculosis and undernourishment have nearly 

 completed the destruction of a formerly numerous and capable 

 people. 



If people understand the Eskimos' experience and interests, 

 which stress mechanical ingenuity, they can help them adapt 

 to the new occupations and can adapt the occupations to local 

 manpower. Besides raw-material resources and local transpor- 

 tation, we must take account of and use well the local human 

 resources: aptitudes, skills, social organization, and morale. The 

 alternative is a dependent people, whom all of us will have to 

 support. Already, chiefly because north Alaska "just grew," the 

 largest native case-loads of Social Security (Old Age Assistance, 

 Aid to Dependent Children, etc.) are in the 2nd Division 

 (Eskimos) and the 4th Division (Athabascans). 



Eskimos, more than most Indians, were mechanically-oriented 

 before the Whites came. They are a friendly, observant, adapta- 

 ble people who imitate new ways freely, admire ingenuity and 

 self-reliance, and are moderately competitive. Present diffi- 

 culties appear most seriously in personal relations and socio- 

 economic organization. There has been in many areas a loss 

 of individual morale and integrity, a break-up of families, and 

 community disorganization. We already understand some of 

 the causes of the growing dependency of Eskimos, but they 

 need more intensive study immediately to see just what has 

 gone wrong in many Eskimo villages. The explanation cannot 

 be merely economic exploitation and lack of subsistence (al- 

 though that has occurred at times), since there still are enough 

 game animals and fish in most Eskimo territory, if the people 

 are interested in hunting them. It is not merely liquor. Some- 

 thing went wrong in the individual before he took to drinking 



