Exploring Alaska’s Indigenous Aurora Borealis

The Native Alaskans, including the Inupiat, Yupik, Athabaskan, and others, have rich and diverse cultural beliefs and stories surrounding the northenr lights. These beliefs often reflect deep respect for nature and are steeped in spiritual or mystical interpretations. Here are some traditional perspectives:

Many Native Alaskan groups saw the northern lights as a connection between the physical and spiritual worlds. They believed the lights were manifestations of spirits, including those of ancestors or animals, communicating with the living. Inupiat and Yupik legends describe the auroras as spirits of the deceased playing games in the sky. The lights were thought to be souls dancing or even playing ball games with a walrus skull.

Some communities believed the lights carried warnings or omens. They might foretell good fortune, bad luck, or even natural events. For example, the Yupik people sometimes saw the aurora as a sign of impending danger or hardship. Athabaskan stories warned children not to whistle at the aurora, as doing so might invite spirits to come down and take them away.

In certain traditions, the northern lights were thought to be the spirits of animals, such as whales, deer, or salmon, that provided sustenance to the people. Their presence in the sky symbolized the balance between humans and nature.

Across many Native Alaskan groups, there was a sense of reverence and awe for the auroras. They were seen as powerful and mysterious phenomena that commanded respect.

From a functional perspective, indigenous communities used the auroras to predict the approach of a storm, wayfinding and hunters might use the brightness of the auroras as extra light during winter nights.

As you dig deeper, you’ll find that the beliefs about the aurora vary between different Native Alaskan groups, each with its own unique cultural context. These interpretations reflect the deep relationship Native Alaskan peoples have with the natural world and their cultural heritage of storytelling and spirituality.

CREDIT: University of Alaska Fairbanks documentary on the northern lights told by the people of the Kiuguyat peoples.