"The Lord Will Provide": The History and Role of Episcopalian Christianity in Nets'aii Gwich'in Social Development--Arctic Village, Alaska

Abstract

This paper addresses the history and development of Episcopalianism in the Nets'aii Gwich'in community of Arctic Village, Alaska. It is argued that Christianity in the village well represents communal resistance to colonial domination, as well as the ability to blend past and present traditions. This development is due largely to the role played by the Gwich'in Reverend Albert E. Tritt, whose efforts, including his building of the community's first church, were central to the community's embracing of Christianity. The paper concludes with a discussion of Gwich'in Episcopalianism in the twenty-first century, and its role in the battle against oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.