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Jennie Ahkivgak

Jennie Ahkivgak

Jennie Ahkivgak was an Iñupiaq elder born in 1926 to Etta and William Ekolook on Flaxman Island, Alaska  She grew up along the Beaufort Sea Coast near Prudhoe Bay and on the Qalġusiḷik River, and as an adult moved to Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). She remembers living a traditional subsistence lifestyle in the Kuparak, Sagavanirktok River, and Prudhoe Bay area before there was oil development and how the family moved around depending on the season. Jennie married Herbert Ahkivgak, an accomplished hunter and whaling captain, and together they raised a large family and shared the bounty of his hunting and whaling success with the community. Despite moving away, her family continued to own a Native allotment in the Prudhoe Bay area, which was taken over after the establishment of oil production facilities.
Date of Birth:
Apr 3, 1926
Jennie Ahkivgak appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Jennie Ahkivgak

Jennie Ahkivgak was interviewed on February 12, 2009 by Karen Brewster at Jennie's home in Utqaiġvik, Alaska (formerly Barrow). Jennie's daughter, Etta Fournier, translated between English and Iñupiaq. In this interview, Jennie talks about growing up around Qalġusiḷik, Sagavanirktok River, Napaqsralik (Cross Island) and Tigvaġiaq Island off the Beufort Sea coast, and in the area around what is now known as Prudhoe Bay, and living a traditional subsistence lifestyle where they moved to various locations depending on the season. She mentions her father's ice cellar, other families living in the area, places they traveled to, and what the area was like before oil development. She also talks about owning a Native allotment in the Prudhoe Bay area and what happened to it after the establishment of oil production facilities.

 2009-04 Dalton Highway Feb 12, 2009