Arctic Village, AK
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Arctic Village (''Vashrąįį K'ǫǫ'' in Gwich'in) is an unincorporated Native American village and a
census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP) in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area,
Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...
, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of the CDP was 152. This was unchanged from 2000. The village is located in the large Gwitch'in speaking region of Alaska, and the local dialect is known as Di'haii Gwich’in or shahanh. As of 1999, over 95% of the community speaks and understands the language. (Kraus, 1999) As of 2019, the second village chief was against oil drilling because of the impact on caribou.


History

Evidence from archaeological investigations indicate that the Arctic Village area may have been settled as early as 4500 BC. Around 500 AD the
Athabascan Athabaskan ( ; also spelled ''Athabascan'', ''Athapaskan'' or ''Athapascan'', and also known as Dene) is a large branch of the Na-Dene language family of North America, located in western North America in three areal language groups: Northern, ...
speaking Gwich'in people (often called Neets'aii Gwich'in or "those who dwell to the north") came into the area with seasonal hunting and fishing camps. About 1900, the village became a permanent settlement.


Geography

Arctic Village is located at (68.121828, -145.527686), on the east fork of the Chandalar River, about a hundred miles north of
Fort Yukon Fort Yukon (''Gwichyaa Zheh'' in Gwich'in language, Gwich'in) is a city in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area in the U.S. state of Alaska, straddling the Arctic Circle. The population, predominantly Gwich'in Alaska ...
.Tiller, Veronica E. Velarde (2005) "Venetie" ''Tiller's Guide to Indian Country'' BowArrow Publishing Co., Albuquerque, NM, p. 278, The area consists of flat floodlands near the river, but is mostly wooded hills. The CDP has a total area of , of which, is land and (11.63%) is water.


Climate

Arctic Village has a
subarctic climate The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Dfc''). On September 30, 1970, Arctic Village recorded a low temperature of , which is the lowest recorded temperature in Alaska in the month of September. Arctic village heats up very quickly during the months of May and June, peaking in July at an average daily high at , while temperatures start to fall rapidly by the end of July, and even more so during the months of August and September. Summer temperatures are surprisingly mild considering its location North of 68 degrees latitude.


Demographics

Arctic Village first appeared on the 1910 U.S. Census as the unincorporated village of "Arctic." It did not appear on the 1920 census. It returned as "Arctic" from 1930 through 1960. In 1970, it then returned under its present name of Arctic Village. It was made a census-designated place (CDP) in 1980. Curiously, it reported the same population in 1910 and 1930 (40 residents), and in 2000 and 2010 it reported the same population of 152. As of the
census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...
of 2000, there were 152 people, 52 households, and 30 families residing in the CDP. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...
was . There were 67 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the CDP was 7.89%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 86.18% Native American, and 5.92% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race. There were 52 households, out of which 44.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.0% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...
living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92 and the average family size was 3.58. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 41.4% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.8% from 45 to 64, and 2.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females, there were 114.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 128.2 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $20,250, and the median income for a family was $19,000. Males had a median income of $21,875 versus $10,000 for females. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...
for the CDP was $10,761. About 30.8% of families and 46.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 53.1% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.


Education

Yukon Flats School District Yukon Flats School District (YFSD) is a school district headquartered in Fort Yukon, Alaska. Schools They are: * Arctic Village School ( Arctic Village) * Cruikshank School (Beaver) * John Fredson School (Venetie) * Fort Yukon School ( Fort Y ...
operates the Arctic Village School.Mailing Addresses and Contact Information
."
Yukon Flats School District Yukon Flats School District (YFSD) is a school district headquartered in Fort Yukon, Alaska. Schools They are: * Arctic Village School ( Arctic Village) * Cruikshank School (Beaver) * John Fredson School (Venetie) * Fort Yukon School ( Fort Y ...
. Retrieved on December 4, 2016.


Politics

As of 2019, David Smith Jr. was the second tribal chief of Arctic Village; he opposes oil drilling because of the impact on caribou.


In popular culture


Literature

* J. C. Hutchins' ''7th Son, Book 2, Deceit'' features Arctic Village as a location containing a clue concerning the antagonist's plans. * Erin Hunter's book '' Seekers: The Last Wilderness ''features Arctic Village as a setting in the book. This is where Ujurak is healed by a native and is also captured by a senator.


References


External links


Arctic Village
at the Community Database Online from the Alaska Division of Community and Regional Affairs
Chandalar River Valley Mountain, north of Arctic Village
{{authority control Census-designated places in Alaska Census-designated places in Unorganized Borough, Alaska Census-designated places in Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Gwich'in Populated places of the Arctic United States Road-inaccessible communities of Alaska