Not so much a religion, more an acceptance that life can only be maintained by respecting and preserving the balance of nature.   This is a balance of nature in all its extremes, animals in their timid scarcity and men in constant state of patience and hope.   And since nature is so extreme, there is a certain knowledge that getting it badly ‘wrong’ was something that a person only did once. Because it killed him.

     A respect for maintaining this equilibrium was essential for human survival because, apart from the ever-present snow, animals are the only source of renewable raw material.   Which in turn meant a great deal of thought went into creating the sort of ritual and magical customs that could reliably maintain this symbiotic relationship.
     Births, marriages and death are obvious times for the shaman, the medicine-man, to do his work but the mark of a really good shaman is to produce enough magic to ensure a successful hunt.

     Every person has a soul and every animal has a soul and even a few of the more prominent topographical anomalies have a soul but the souls themselves consider it unnecessary to distinguish between the species and are quite happy to pass themselves around between animals and men. This of course, ensures a very healthy respect for souls.
     At death a person’s soul is looking for a new host so the coincidental birth of an infant is especially auspicious.   Not only is there new life but there is also a new recipient for the everlasting, but temporarily homeless soul.

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  Recommended reading:

  Orthodox Alaska: A Theology of Mission
  	by Michael Oleska, Michael J. Oleksa Publisher: St Vladimirs Seminary Pr Buy from Amazon.com