The Yukon Kuskokwim region, a lowland delta the size of Kansas, is our traditional homeland. The region's population of more than 23,000 (the largest Native population in Alaska) lives scattered among 56 villages ranging from 200 to 1,000 persons each. The regional center is Bethel with a population of nearly 7,000 people.
The land and waters are rich in fish, mammals, birds, and plants that sustain us. Today the economy is mixed, and people use wages to pay for the snowmobiles, skiffs, motors, ammunition, and fuel that harvesting requires. Although prices are high and hunting and fishing often difficult to afford, people remain committed to their harvesting activities and to sharing their catch.
The Yup'ik language is the first language of more than 14,000 men, women, and children in the region, making it the most widely spoken Alaska Native language today. |
