WAR AND PEACE AMONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF POLAR ALASKA IN PRE-CONTRACT PERIOD

The article refers to the events of the period of Russian America. Owing to that it took place in the polar, completely unexplored, region of Alaska, any historical
certificates on them is not present. The given historical reconstruction is developed by group of the American scientists in last decades ХХ century, and based on the Athabaskan and Eskimos historical legends, archival records and archaeological researches.
In the beginning of XIX century, the Brooks Range and upper Kobuk, upper Noatak, upper Colville rivers were occupied by Atabaskan groups. But in the end of century these territories have already been occupied by Eskimos. Changing the ethnic picture of the region took place simultaneously by two different models interethnic communication. In one case, the overt aggression was the most influential form of contacts between groups of the Arctic and Subarctic cultures. As a result, in the mid-century Dihaii (a regional group of Gwichin Athabaskan, which inhabiting in the western Brooks Range) were almost exterminated. In other case, the contact took positive form. In the same period the local group of Koyukon Athabascan, which occuppied headwaters of Kobuk River, were in relative isolation from other Athabascan, and maintained peaceful relations with Inupiaq Eskimos. Finally, in the end of XIX century, Koyukons were fully assimilated. As a result a new cultural formation with elements of both Arctic, and Subarctic cultures formed.