Alaska is considered to be the center in the world. In fact, it is for James Dommek Jr., who hosts a podcast with the identical name.
In the brand new podcast available on the service of streaming Audible Dommek traveled across the state collecting stories from a variety of Alaska Native cultures, dealing with a mystifying variety of folklore, creatures, and traditional tales.
Dommek explains that the notion behind the name “Alaska is the Center of the Universe” is based on the idea that while a lot of people view Alaska as a destination for the future however, for its Indigenous people the place where they begin their lives is where it all began.
Listen:
The interview was edited lightly to improve clarity.
James Dommek Jr.:Alaska is referred to by non-natives in the name of “The Final Frontier.” It is the wild in the wilderness and the undiscovered. For Alaskans, however the land is not an frontier. It’s home and has been our home for quite a while. So we’re comfortable in the wild. It’s not frontiers and a wilderness for us, it’s our home. It’s the heart in our world. The name came from an Unangax or more commonly Aleut story.
Their story of creation involves two beasts of burden who drop from the sky. Then they are able to land on an island that lie down in the Aleutians and the grass on the beach breaks their fall. They are also the first humans to be mentioned in their creation stories, which are passed down through whomever. In their eyes it’s the center all of creation. This is what I gathered and decided to utilize it because”Alaska” is a word “Alaska” refers to an unangax word. Our state was named after one of their names. So I thought I’ll call this state after one of their stories.
Wesley early:So episode one deals with the Hairy Men, or inuqpisuaq. It’s described as looking similar to Bigfoot and Sasquatch and is found in the north of Utqiagvik. It’s Inupiaq and you were raised in Kotzebue. How was it to basically search for confirmation of stories I’m sure you’ve been hearing for a long time?
James Dommek Jr.:It was really interesting. It’s true that Utqiagvik is just a larger than Kotzebue. It was fascinating to chat with someone I thought was an extremely experienced hunter, is aware of the differences between many things available. It was also interesting to listen to they’re talking about things that they can’t clearly explain. It’s the word is in itself, “inuqpisuaq”, if you translate it into your language “inuq” is a person, and “pisuk” is a word for walk. Therefore, if you turn the word around, it’s “walks as a person.” What is it that you call something you’re aware of? If it were an animal they would have given the animal’s name. It wouldn’t be called, “that one’s name is “walks like a human.'” What does this mean, you ask?
So I was curious to hear what the elders have to tell me. I wanted to know the words of they had to say to these hunters… to hear them recount their tales of living in the wild, in the actual wilderness. They didn’t have microphones on their heads. Many of them felt very relieved to be able to discuss it and to have someone who was interested in the subject.
Wesley early:As someone who is so passionate about the stories of these people, and places an enormous amount of faith on the importance of storytelling, do any of these seem more credible than the myths that are out there?
James Dommek Jr.:Well, you know I’m the great-grandson from one of the greatest Inupiaq storytellers. I was born and was raised in Kotzebue and he came born in Noatak. I grew up reading his stories and recognizing that, in all these tales that have been handed down there’s always a little bit of truth. And I was determined to pull these stories out and go through into consideration and then look them up and figure out “where’s the tiny sliver?” Some of them might be true, but you never know.
I’m talking about those hunters who spend much of their time far out in the desert, where the majority of Alaskans aren’t likely to have a foot. It’s also interesting to listen to them, they’ll talk about their life and experiences and the things they’ve witnessed… what is I? I’m not able to judge their experience. I’m here to listen to their story and to be in awe of it. Then you try to share it. And I’m sure you’ve always been a fan of stories about the undiscovered. Alaska is a vast wild and exciting area. It’s a beautiful, mysterious place today and I’m sure it has always been. The stories we tell reflect this.
Alaska can be described as the Center of the Universe is available exclusively on Audible .
