How is Utqiagvik pronounce?

The name means a place for gathering wild roots and comes from the word now used for potato, utqiq. Say it this way, with guttural back-of-the-throat sounds for the representative “k” and hard “g” in the middle: oot — kay-ahg — vik.

When did Barrow change to Utqiagvik?

Utqiagvik was incorporated as a 1st Class City under the name Barrow in 1958. Natural gas lines were brought to the town in 1965, eliminating traditional heating sources such as whale blubber.

Who lives in Utqiagvik Alaska?

Utqiagvik is not connected by road to the rest of Alaska, even though it is the economic center of the North Slope Borough. More than 4,000 people live here and survive largely by hunting whales, seals, polar bears, walrus, waterfowl, caribou, and catching fish from the Arctic Ocean or nearby rivers and lakes.

How do you say the new name for Barrow Alaska?

Utqiagvik
Utqiagvik. By a margin of six votes, residents of Barrow have voted to change the name of their city back to its Inupiaq name: Utqiagvik. City council member Qaiyaan Harcharek started the process this summer.

Why did they rename Barrow Alaska?

In October, the people of the Alaskan town formerly known as Barrow, on the edge of the Arctic Ocean, voted to restore its indigenous name, Utqiagvik. Zachariah Hughes of Alaska Public Media reported that the traditional Inupiaq name Utqiagvik refers to a place to gather wild roots.

Can you drive to Barrow AK?

Point Barrow is roughly 12 miles north of Utqiaġvik proper. We can’t stress this enough: do not attempt to drive all the way to Point Barrow. Once the road ends, driving conditions become extremely hazardous.

Can you buy beer in Barrow Alaska?

Alcohol Legality — The sale of alcohol is illegal in Barrow and importation for personal use in your luggage is limited and controlled by a permit system. Without going through the permit process, you can bring in 1 gallon of beer, 1 liter of distilled spirits, or 2 liters of wine.

What language do they speak in Barrow Alaska?

Iñupiaq
Iñupiaq is an official language of the State of Alaska….Iñupiaq language.

Iñupiaq
Ethnicity	20,709 Iñupiat (2015)
Native speakers	2,144, 7% of ethnic population (2007)
Language family	Eskimo–Aleut Eskimo Inuit Iñupiaq

How did Point Barrow in Alaska get its name?

Archaeological evidence dates human habitation (by Inupiaq Eskimo s) in the area from about 500 ce. The headland was explored in 1826 by Frederick W. Beechey and named for Sir John Barrow, British promoter of Arctic exploration; its Inupiaq name is Ukpeagvik, meaning “Place Where Owls Are Hunted.”

When did Barrow Alaska change its name to Utqiagvik?

Barrow, Alaska, Changes Its Name Back To Its Original ‘Utqiagvik’. A resident of the town formerly known as Barrow, Alaska, rides her motorcycle along an Arctic Ocean beach in 2005. The town is now officially called Utqiagvik, its Inupiaq name.

Where do people live in Barrow, Alaska?

I’ve lived in Alaska for over 50 years and worked in outside sales where I traveled to various Bush communities every month, including Barrow, Bethel, Nome, Dutch Harbor, King Salmon, Dillingham…as well as smaller communities that were accessible only by boat, plane, ATV, or vehicle, that were adjacent to larger communities.

What is the economy of Point Barrow Alaska?

Point Barrow. Barrow’s local economy is based on oil but is supplemented by tourism, with visitors arriving during the summer season to enjoy the midnight sun. Bird-watching is a popular activity. Barrow is the site of Iḷisaġvik (community) College (1995), located on the grounds of the former U.S. naval research laboratory.

What was the original name of Barrow Alaska?

A resident of the town formerly known as Barrow, Alaska, rides her motorcycle along an Arctic Ocean beach in 2005. The town is now officially called Utqiagvik, its Inupiaq name. The northernmost community in the United States has officially restored its original name.

When does the sun set in Barrow Alaska?

Utqiagvik (Barrow) Located on the Arctic Ocean, Utqiagvik (Barrow) is one of the largest Eskimo settlements in Alaska. It’s also the farthest-north community in the United States. Its extreme location means Utqiagvik (Barrow) receives 24-hour daylight between sunrise on May 12 and sunset on August 2.

What was the US Navy Research Station at Point Barrow?

Point Barrow was the site of a U.S. Navy Arctic research station from the 1940s to 1980, when the station was closed. The area has vast oil and gas deposits and is the northernmost tip of the massive National Petroleum Reserve. BarrowBarrow, Alaska, on the Arctic Ocean.Andrei Taranchenko.

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