The Chugach People of the Valdez Region
Long before it became a modern port town, Valdez, Alaska, was part of the traditional homelands of the Chugach people, an Alutiiq/Sugpiaq-speaking group with deep roots in the coastal and interior regions of Southcentral Alaska. For thousands of years, the Chugach lived in harmony with the rich marine and terrestrial environments surrounding Prince William Sound, including the area now known as Valdez. The region’s abundant fish, game, and plant life supported a thriving subsistence lifestyle, and the Chugach people developed extensive knowledge of seasonal cycles, navigation, and trade.
Valdez was historically part of a vast network of coastal and inland trails used by Indigenous peoples for travel, trade, and cultural exchange. The Chugach maintained relationships with neighboring Dena’ina Athabaskan communities to the west and Ahtna Athabaskans of the Copper River Valley to the north, facilitating interregional trade of marine and inland resources.
The arrival of Russian explorers in the 18th century marked a period of profound disruption. Colonization, forced labor in the sea otter fur trade, and introduced diseases had devastating effects on Indigenous populations. Later, American expansion, including the Gold Rush era and military developments, continued to alter traditional lifeways.
Despite these challenges, Chugach people have remained deeply connected to their ancestral lands and waters. Today, they are active stewards of cultural preservation and environmental protection, playing key roles in regional governance, resource management, and heritage revitalization.
Valdez stands as both a historic and living testament to the resilience and enduring presence of Alaska’s Indigenous peoples.
