Gwich’in

The Gwich’in are an Athabascan people of northeastern Alaska and northwestern Canada, numbering about 7,000. Only a few hundred live in traditional communities such as Arctic Village and Venetie in Alaska and Old Crow in Canada, and the Porcupine caribou herd is central to their way of life.[1]

People and places

The Gwich’in number about 7,000, and most have moved to larger towns and cities in Alaska, northern Canada and elsewhere. Arctic Village, home to about 180 people in the southern Brooks Range foothills, is bounded by the Chandalar River.[1]

Caribou and subsistence

The Porcupine caribou herd, numbering over 200,000, is central to Gwich’in life, and its primary calving ground is on the Arctic coastal plain, which the Gwich’in language names Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit, the sacred place where life begins. Caribou traditionally provided food and materials such as hide clothing, antler arrow points, bone awls and sinew fishnets, and it remains a staple of the diet today. Hunting is still central to daily life, boys often make their first kill at age 11 or 12, and skilled hunters often provide for the wider community.[1]

Change

Villages represent a major shift from the nomadic lifestyle of a few generations ago, though many residents still live largely off the land.[1]

FAQs

Who are the Gwich’in? An Athabascan people of northeastern Alaska and northwestern Canada.

Where do they live in Alaska? Communities such as Arctic Village and Venetie.

Why is caribou important? It provides food and materials and is central to their culture.

Sources

1. Smithsonian Magazine: The Gwich’in people and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 13, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue