New book on inland Eskimo from University of Alaska Press

Submitted by Erica Hill
Phone: (907) 474-5832
07/06/04

The University of Alaska Press announces the publication of In a Hungry Country: Essays by Simon Paneak, edited by John Martin Campbell. This beautiful volume catalogues the extraordinary knowledge of Simon Paneak, a Nunamiut hunter who served as a vital source of information on inland Eskimo history and cultural heritage.

Paneak had an intimate understanding of the natural world--the plants and animals vital to existence as well as of the land itself. Provided with paper and pens by Jack Campbell, Paneak drew a series of pictures documenting Nunamiut life from 1969 until 1971. He also recorded his own earliest memories of life in the Brooks Range before the disastrous dispersal of his people to the coast in the early 1900s. Paneakäó»s narratives include legends of flying whales as well as grim stories of warfare and hunger.

Simon Paneak (1900-1975) was highly regarded by his own people and by Arctic scientists for his intellectual curiosity, skill as an Ií±upiat craftsman and his comprehensive understanding of the plant and animal life of northern Alaska.

John Martin Campbell has published widely in anthropology and related fields. His most recent books include North Alaska Chronicle: Notes From the End of Time (1998) and Magnificent Failure: A Portrait of the Western Homestead Era (2001).

Contact: Erica Hill at (907) 474-5832 or ffeh@uaf.edu