WHAT: "Survey of Living Conditions in the Arctic," an extensive quality-of-life survey of Natives primarily in Arctic Inuit and Inupiat communities of Alaska, Russia's Chukotka region, Canada and Greenland.
WHY: To understand why indigenous people stay in villages where jobs are scarce, wages are low and life is hard.
FINDINGS: Survey respondents reported widespread problems in Arctic communities, especially alcohol abuse and unemployment. But strong family ties, extensive social networks, and hunting, fishing and whaling explain why most indigenous people, including eight of 10 Alaska Inupiat, are somewhat or very satisfied with the quality of life in their communities.
Wage-paying jobs haven't reduced the importance of subsistence lifestyles. In fact, people who earned more generally participated in more subsistence activities.
Natives on the oil-rich North Slope, with relatively good access to jobs, a voice in local affairs, and family traditions rooted in hunting and fishing, did particularly well on key quality- of-life indicators. For example, two-thirds of the Natives there are somewhat or very satisfied with their influence over petroleum and wildlife management, far more than any other region.
THE SURVEY: Researchers worked with more than 300 indigenous contributors who shaped questions and interviewed 7,250 residents 16 or older. In Alaska, the state university's Institute of Social and Economic Research coordinated the study. Some 700 people in Inupiat communities from Northwest Alaska to the North Slope were interviewed in 2002 and 2003.
To measure satisfaction, questions went beyond common indicators such as income and job availability to explore cultural and spiritual values. For example, participants were asked questions related to family ties and subsistence, such as whether they had hunted walrus or seal in the last 12 months.
Native languages
Alaska Inupiat report being significantly less fluent in their own Native language, especially youth. Below is the percentage of groups who are fluent in their Native language. Health
Most Alaska Inupiat rate their health as excellent or good. Figures below show how the different regions compare on this question. Jobs and subsistence
Alaska Inupiat are likely to practice subsistence and hold down a job. Here's the percentage of households that do both.
