Synopses & Reviews
Lucien Turner was a pioneering nineteenth-century ethnographer whose study of Aleut communities surpassed the work of all of his contemporaries, and now his rare writings are collected here for the first time. Turners admittedly fragmentary ethnographic notes, which chronicle his complete immersion in three Aleut communities, reveal valuable insights into Aleutian cultures and the outsiders who lived among them in the nineteenth century. Carefully edited by Ray Hudson, An Aleutian Ethnography is an essential resource for scholars of American history and history of anthropology alike.
About the Author
Lucien Turner was a pioneering nineteenth-century ethnographer.
Ray Hudson lived in the Aleutian Islands from 1964 to 1992, and there his heart remains even though he now lives in Middlebury, Vermont, with his wife Shelly. In Vermont, Hudson continues to write on topics related to the islands. Raised in Yakima, Washington, and a graduate of the University of Washington, Hudson studied woodblock printing with Lu Fang at the Zhejiang Fine Arts Academy, Hangzhou. He is the recipient of the National Education Associations Leo Reano Award for his work with First Americans. In 1990, he received the Governors Award for the Arts from the Alaska State Council on the Arts.
Table of Contents
List of Illustrations Acknowledgements A Note on the Term
Aleut Introduction: Lucien M. Turner and Late-Nineteenth-Century Aleutian Ethnography A Note on the Text 1. General Description of hte Aleutian IslandsThe Near Islands 2. Settlements in 1878 3. HousesStone Lamps 4. Boats 5. ClothingGut SewingFootwearPreparation of Bird Skins 6. Weaving 7. Fire Making 8. Hunting--General ConsiderationsHunting Implements 9. MammalsWhalesTools Related to WhalingSea Cows 10. BirdsBolasNotes on Specific Birds 11. Fish, Sea Urchins, and CephalopodsFishing ImplementsNotes on Specific FishSea UrchinsCephalopods 12. PlantsTreesPlants and Berries 13. Origins: Evidence from Language and Folklore 14. Governance 15. Internecine Wars and Slavery 16. Social Relationships 17. The Yearly CycleSeasonsMonths 18. Assorted Beliefs and Traditions 19. Miscellaneous Remarks Appendix 1: Three Charts of the Near IslandsAppendix 2: Gut Bags--A Preliminary SruveyNotesBibliographyIndex