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A Pop Cultural History of Alaska
Yes, it’s a U.S. state.
Alaska has gained somewhat mystical status among many of us continental Americans, some of whom show an embarrassing lack of knowledge about one of our greatest states. For example, did you know that Alaska is the largest state geographically? It’s damn huge, in fact. And did you know that people regularly go to work and school via dogsled?
No, that’s not true. (Although that would be awesome.)
Alaska has been portrayed in pop culture as both an astounding winter wonderland awash in the Northern Lights and flocked by dancing polar bears, and a desolate, dangerous wasteland plagued with frostbite and potentially vampires. As continental Americans tend to gleefully exoticize anything with a markedly different climate, this isn’t surprising. Let’s take a look at some of Alaska’s biggest pop culture moments.
The People with the Snowshoes
In the early 1930s, MGM Studios co-founder Louis B. Mayer launched a spared-no-expense film production in Alaska, focusing on Inupiat culture. The film, titled Eskimo/Mala the Magnificent, made its lead, Ray Mala, a star, and the…
