Alien species often threaten biodiversity, prompting the international community to focus on countermeasures. However, these species do not always form purely negative relationships with local communities. Particularly in Arctic Indigenous communities, where animal relationships are central, new species can support autonomous community development. This study aims to clarify the conditions of alien species (Pfeiffer and Voeks 2008) that foster positive connections with Indigenous societies, using the case of muskoxen, which were brought to Nunivak Island, Alaska, in the 1930s. First, the study examines the history of muskox extinction and reintroduction in Alaska, highlighting anthropologist John Teal Jr.’s projects, which sought to alleviate poverty in Indigenous communities through muskox domestication. Here, I underscore Nunivak Island’s pivotal role in reviving the muskox population in Alaska, despite the species not being native to the island. Next, based on field research, this study clarifies that muskoxen are now an economically and culturally important resource on Nunivak Island. In addition, it examines the historical shift in perception, showing how muskoxen, once seen as a threat, became a valued resource. It also highlights the significant role that lifting the hunting ban played in transforming these relationships. Thus, by examining the social and cultural contexts under which muskoxen are used, I propose that, for an alien species to be considered “culturally enriching,” it should address gaps within the local society and culture while also coexisting harmoniously with them.
Hiroya Noguchi (Thu,) studied this question.