Only Alaska Natives are allowed to possess unworked ivory, which can only be sold after it is handcrafted. Walrus hunting and ivory carving are essential to the survival of the traditional Northern Eskimo cultures. Some carved items are made of fossil or mineralized ivory which comes from the found tusks of both walrus and prehistoric mammoths and mastadons. Other crafts produced by the Eskimos of this region include baleen and birch bark baskets, hide and whale bone masks, carvings of whale bone, intricate dolls, and needlecrafts utilizing local furs. The Yupik Eskimos of Southwestern Alaska specialize in fine quality baskets, made of beach grasses.
Basket weaving reflects a healthy and growing cultural tradition.
The carving of walrus ivory and the creation of imaginative spirit masks are also cornerstones of Yupik Eskimo art. Yupik Eskimos are well known for their beautiful dolls and miniature models depicting Eskimo lifestyles. Tiny kayaks, dog sleds and the like are painstakingly crafted of wood, ivory, skins and other available materials. The beautiful beadwork created by the Athabascan Indian women of interior Alaska is highly prized by collectors of Alaska Native crafts. The traditional use of beads made of carved wood, seeds, quills and shells predates the Athabascans' contact with Europeans who introduced glass trade beads in the mid-nineteenth century Today this handsome beadwork is found on mittens, moccasins, and other items of clothing and jewelry.