Accomplishments

In 1950, the Institute of Northern Agricultural Research (INAR), led by John J. Teal, Jr.,  began a bold project to domesticate the musk ox.  The driving philosophy was to develop a gentle agriculture based on the perennial harvest of its fine underwool, in order to create a fiber-based cottage industry in arctic villages.  This approach was ahead of its time:  an early proponent of what is now widely known as sustainable agriculture.

Over time, INAR evolved into the non-profit Musk Ox Development Corporation.  Its accomplishments to date are many:

1.  Protection of the species.  Advocacy for the musk ox has resulted in its re-introduction to the wilds of Alaska, areas of Canada, Scandinavia, and Russia,  where federal governments monitor their populations.

2.  The development of a worldwide qiviut industry.  While still rare, it is a highly sought after fiber.

3.  The establishment of Oomingmak, now the nation’s second oldest producer’s cooperative, owned by Alaska native villagers, who incorporate knitting qiviut  garments into their subsistence economic lifestyles.

4.  Established the Musk Ox Farm in Alaska’s primary agricultural region, the Matanuska Valley.  Here, the process of increasing knowledge about musk ox husbandry and qiviut production is on display to the public, with guided tours and an educational and interpretive exhibit.  Hundreds of thousands of visitors –   Alaskans, school groups, and travelers from all over the world – have had the opportunity to view the musk ox close up and be introduced to their natural history and to the principles of ecological agriculture.