Kotzebue (Alaska)

Northwest Arctic Borough

02-41830

Kotzebue is a city in Northwest Arctic Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska and as the administrative seat. In 2005, the population was 3600 persons ( 1990: 2751, 2000, 3082 ), of which 70% belong to the indigenous population.

At the beginning of the 21st century Kotzebue is the largest city in Northwest Alaska and one of the largest and oldest Inuit settlements. The city is located at the northwestern tip of the Baldwin Peninsula, 42 km north of the Arctic Circle and 906 km away in a straight line from Anchorage. Here comes the summer sun for 36 days not.

The "City of Kotzebue " got its name from the strait, the Kotzebuesund, on whose coast it lies. The stretch of sea is named after its discoverer, the German Balts Otto von Kotzebue, named the head of the Russian Rurik expedition in 1818 sought there for the Northwest Passage.

History

There is archaeological evidence that the people of the Inupiat lived in this place since the 15th century. Its location made ​​him a trade and Siedlungsgszentrum for the entire region. The rivers Noatak, Selawik and Kobuk lead near the town in the Kotzebue Sound and make it as a center for the transportation into the interior. With the arrival of whalers, traders, prospectors and missionaries, the trading base expanded and took the name Qikiqtagruk (also Kikiktagruk ) at what is on Inupiaq " place that is shaped like a long island " means. The name refers to the nearly 5 -kilometer Baldwin Peninsula, a spit of land, was built at the head of the place in the middle of the tundra. Later the name was changed to Kotzebue. In addition to the people from the surrounding villages, were residents of the Russian Far East to Kotzebue to trade. In 1899, a U.S. Post Office was established.

Economy

Skins, hides, seal oil, weapons and ammunition are some of the goods traded in Kotzebue, and tourism is an important economic activity. The keeping of reindeer was introduced in 1897 in the region. Although there were caribou in Alaska and gives the tame reindeer from Europe were preferred. For the 10 villages of the area, whose residents often still live the traditional way of hunting and berry picking, Kotzebue provides the supply center represents the city has a police station, a hospital, a prison and an airport.

Attractions

People gather here to competitions such as the Olympics of the Eskimos (World Eskimo Olympics). In the village the NANA Museum of the Arctic is showing the culture of the Inupiat in the form of slide shows, storytelling, drumming and dance performances complete the program. The Inupiat Cultural Camp informed about the lifestyle of the Eskimos. It represents their hunting and survival techniques in the wilderness just as before as the typical clothing and traditional cuisine. In the Kotzebue Senior Center many artifacts are on display, plus there is music and dance performances. The University of Alaska Fairbanks operates in the city of the Chukchi campus.

Trivia

The feature film Salmon Berries ( Percy Adlon, with kd lang ) plays in Kotzebue, with the place name has dramatic significance.

Air table

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