Like the American Aleuts, the inhabitants of the Commander Islands call themselves unangan/unangas, which means “the coastal people” or “those living by the sea.” They often use the Russian word “Aleuts,” changing it to the plural according to the grammar rules of their language. Thus, the inhabitants of Medny Island of the Commander Islands (Mednovtsy) say Aleuuta-n, those of the Bering Strait – Aleuutas.
The isolation of the Commander Islands determined the life of Commander Aleuts and their main economic activity, sea hunting. Uncontrolled coastal and sea fishing, as well as poaching, led to a decrease in the number of the Northern fur seal and an almost complete extermination of the sea cow. At present, the Commander Islands are part of the territory of the Southern Kamchatka and Commander Nature Reserves. The marine fauna and unique ecosystems of the islands are under protection, and any anthropogenic activity there is limited.
In the mythological worldview of the Aleuts, “east” and “up/top” were the sacred directions associated with the creator Agugukh. At dawn, Aleut men would go up on the roofs of their houses and face east to greet the day and “take a sip of the light,” as they would call it. The Aleuts were not afraid of water and worshipped it, considering it the source of life. Prior to any important task, they would always plunge into the ocean.