Aleuts << AL ee ootz or uh LOOTZ >> are people who have traditionally lived on the harsh, windswept Aleutian Islands, which lie off the mainland of Alaska. The Aleuts call themselves Unangan, meaning we the people. They descended from Inuit who settled on the islands thousands of years ago. But the Aleut language differs from that of the Inuit.
The early Aleuts lived off the rich sea environment. Aleut hunters harpooned whales, seals, and other sea mammals from seagoing kayaks. They caught fish with spears and on fishhooks and also hunted birds. The Aleuts wore parkas made of furs, bird skins, or other parts of animals. Several Aleut families lived together in large homes sunk 3 to 4 feet (91 to 122 centimeters) into the ground. The frames consisted of drift logs or whale bones. The homes were covered with a layer of dry grass or skins and a layer of sod.
Russian explorers discovered the Aleutian Islands in 1741. Russian traders and fur hunters later forced the Aleuts into labor and killed many of them. Many other Aleuts died from diseases brought by the Russians. The Aleut population once numbered between 12,000 and 15,000 people. But by the mid-1800’s, fewer than 2,000 remained.
In 1867, the United States bought the islands, along with the rest of Alaska. Japanese forces attacked the islands during World War II (1939-1945). They captured the Aleut villagers of Attu and later sent them to a prison camp in Japan. There, about half the Aleuts died of tuberculosis and malnutrition. The United States government evacuated other Aleuts to Alaska. The Aleuts returned to the islands in 1945.
In 1971, the United States Congress passed the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, and the Aleuts regained control of much of their homeland. Today, there are about 7,000 Aleuts in Alaska. They follow a modern way of life, but many still hunt and fish for food.
