Unalaska Island: Remote hub where history, culture, and strategy meet

Proceeding from a fresh article, BBC unveils that Unalaska Island, nestled in the remote Aleutian archipelago, is a place where history, culture, and strategic importance converge. 

The island was a key player in a largely forgotten yet dramatic chapter of World War II history. Positioned at the crossroads of the northern Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, Unalaska sits at the very edge of North America, closer to Siberia than the US mainland, making it one of Alaska's most remote and distinctive communities.

As part of the Aleutian Islands, a vast 1,100-mile volcanic chain curving toward Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, Unalaska is known for its extreme environment, characterized by steep, rugged coastlines and a lack of trees. The Aleutians' location in the Pacific Ring of Fire makes earthquakes a common occurrence, with half of the archipelago's 70 volcanoes having erupted in the last 250 years. Locals often refer to the area as the "Cradle of Storms" or the "Birthplace of Winds," thanks to the intense weather patterns resulting from conflicting systems in nearby seas, producing cyclonic storms, hurricane-force winds, and dense fog. These weather phenomena have significant impacts on Canada and the continental US.

Home to about 4,200 people today, Unalaska is inhabited by a mix of fishermen and the Indigenous Unangax̂ people (pronounced Oo-Nung-akhh). The Unangax̂, also known as the Aleuts, have lived in the Aleutian Islands and parts of the Alaska Peninsula for over 9,000 years, relying on the land and sea for a subsistence-based lifestyle. Over the centuries, however, the Unangax̂ population has faced a steep decline due to diseases and the cultural impacts of colonialism, leaving approximately 2,000 Unangax̂ people in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands today.

In addition to the Unangax̂, Russian settlers also left their mark on Unalaska. Following the 1741 voyages of Danish explorer Vitus Bering and Russian explorer Alexei Chirikov, Russian fur traders flocked to the Aleutian Islands to hunt sea otters and fur seals. A Russian settlement was established on Unalaska in 1759, and by the late 1700s, the islands became part of the Russian Empire. Today, many locals still carry Russian surnames, and the Russian Orthodox Church's influence remains strong. Churches were built across the islands, and many Unangax̂ people converted to Christianity.

Although the US took control of the Aleutian Islands in 1867 after purchasing Alaska from Russia, the Russian Orthodox legacy persists, particularly in Unalaska’s Church of the Holy Ascension. Rebuilt in 1896 atop its original 1824 site, it is the oldest cruciform-style Russian Orthodox cathedral in North America. The church houses one of the most significant collections of Russian artifacts, icons, and religious artworks in Alaska, including pieces donated by Catherine the Great herself.

Unalaska, once a key military and cultural nexus, continues to carry the weight of its diverse history while contributing to modern Alaska's distinctive character.

By Naila Huseynova