article

A demographic study of Karluk, Kodiak Island, Alaska, 1962-1964

Arctic anthropology3 (2) • Published In 1966 • Pages: 211-240

By: Taylor, Kenneth I..

Abstract
Combining information from family histories, pregnancy records, and histories of the population structure, with an analysis of the economy, religion, and marriage and kinship patterns, Taylor attempts to explain the present demographic structure of a small Kodiak village, Karluk. While fertility rates are extremely high, and overall mortality is not especially high, the population has continued to decline since the early 1920's or 1930's. This decline, plus a statistically significant imbalance in the sex ratio, 90 males to 58 females, seems to be due principally to lack of economic opportunity in the village (salmon fishing from June to August is the only full-time employment). Emigration is higher for women who often marry Whites and move away or who can get jobs in the canneries in Kodiak town. Marriage patterns which tend to encourage migration around the island in order to obey religiously defined rules of exogamy also cause instability in the small population. Taylor is explicit in describing his analytical methods. A complete geneaoogy of the village is presented in an appendix.
Subjects
Population
Composition of population
Birth statistics
Mortality
Internal migration
Conception
culture
Alutiiq
HRAF PubDate
2005
Region
North America
Sub Region
Arctic and Subarctic
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Physical Anthropologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Marlene Martin ; 1976
Field Date
summers, 1962-1964
Coverage Date
ca. 1860s-1964
Coverage Place
Karluk village, Kodiak Island, Alaska, United States
Notes
Kenneth I. Taylor
Includes bibliographical references (p. 236-239)
LCCN
sf 78000711
LCSH
Koniagmiut Eskimos