Arctic Mood - A Narrative of Arctic Adventures

by Eva Alvey Richards

A brave little company of men and women are the government school teachers of Alaska, who in isolated posts teach Eskimo and Indian children their ABCs. Their jobs extend far beyond the hours in the classroom, for they administer to the sick, give counsel to the village government, lead in holiday festivities and sometimes conduct religious services.

Few teachers have met the rigors of life in the snowy wilderness with the zest and exuberance Eva Alvey Richards reveals in her book, Arctic Mood. This intensely interesting account of a schoolteachers experience in Wainwright, Alaska, during 1924-26, has a highly original flavor. One of the reasons for this may be attributed to her honesty in describing life in the Arctic as she sees it, not as she might be expected to see it. Thus her womanly point of view in her description of a walrus hunt, and a whale kill reaches reality because she makes comparisons with familiar things. "Walking on a whale," she writes, "was like walking on a wet rubber mattress with very pliant springs."

Eva Alvey Richards' view of the Arctic answers many questions the imaginative mind is constantly asking about the Eskimo personality. This stimulating and lively quality of hr prose enhances the reality of the experience and adds enjoyment to the reading of the book.

A further acquaintance with the village of Wainwright is gained by examining the beautiful photographs which illustrate many scenes mentioned in the book.

Genres: Adventure

282 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1949

Reviews

[Troy James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does show it's age in many ways while offering a glimpse into native life in the artic in 1925, or thereabouts.

Not an ethnography, but definitely an example of early participant observation (with some clear biased missionary work on the side). Nearing the end of the book I was struck by an interaction with a man named Utchik (sp) who is explained to be very rooted in his way of life, away from towns/communes, preferring the traditions and utilities of his ancestral ways to that off the colliding, changing worlds that is the focus of the book. That said: there is some wonderful descriptions of customs, language, and Richards is a wonderful artist whose works add so much to the book.

What's wild about this book, though, is Richards somehow is there rubbing shoulders with some very well known anglo individuals who are in the artic at this time. The interaction with Hrdlicka who is using a Barrow gravesite for his studies seems quaint to Richards, but modern perspective is incredibly haunting. Other interactions, like one with a Missionary School Teacher who is studying "mixed" peoples, and Richards describing a young girl who grapples with what that means, coming to the conclusion the white man who was her biological father couldn't actually be her dad because he was never in her life.

If Richards had left out some mention of "Primitive" people or "savages", and the exasperation of her culture shock, it's *almost* a 5/5 book. Very, very interesting look at a time and place, very raw and uncensored. You can tell she loves these people and the work she did, she's just a woman of her time.

Slur warnings in the book: had to "love" how one of her companions, Tooruk, named one of his dogs the n-word. Nautical term for a large rubber rope/wire spool is know as an "n-word head".

This is a fantastic primary source.

[Barbara Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book about Eskimo life in the mid 1920's

[Hans Guttmann · Rating 3 out of 5]

1949, first person account of living with the eskimos way up North.

[Josephine · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting though somewhat dated tale of a teacher in the Alaskan Wilderness.