Not Even in the Dictionary

Material Memory

Iñupiaq dialects—spoken by people in the northernmost parts of Alaska—are considered “severely endangered,” with about 2,000 native speakers of these dialects alive today.

In this episode of Material Memory, we chat with the people who are preserving, transcribing, and translating collections of audio and video recordings of Iñupiaq dialects. They discuss the joys and challenges of preserving the history and culture of the people for the next generation.