Caleb Pungowiyi Collection

Caleb Pungowiyi was a Siberian Yup'ik elder from Savoonga, Alaska, a small community on St. Lawrence Island, where he was raised by his grandmother and uncles in a traditional subsistence lifestyle. He held many leadership roles throughout his career, serving as President of the Inuit Circumpolar Council from 1992-1995, city manager of Kotzebue, Alaska, and as an advisor for the National Science Foundation, the Marine Mammal Commission, and the Alaska Native Science Commission. He worked tirelessly to have Indigenous perspectives, needs, and knowledges included as part of major policy discussions about conservation of the land and wildlife in the Arctic. 

A collection of his papers and photographs was digitized in 2022. Pungowiyi's collection is a strong example of the kinds of materials and knowledge resources that exist in Inuit communities. This collection is a sample of his work.