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Village life is a subsistence way of life. You hunt and fish to survive. You rely on a good fall King Salmon run to have Kings to sell as well as some to smoke and can for the winter. There are about 800 people in the village of Emo. The Yukon River was totally frozen from Jan 08 through April 08. The ice did not even break totally by May 20, 2008 when I flew out.
June - Oct, the Yukon flows and the Yukon River is used for fishing and barges bring supplies up the river to Emo.
POOR KING SALMON RUN THIS YEAR! The village people did not get many King's to sell for cash and not even enough to feed the village. In good years, they barely have enough to make it through the winter. In bad years it is so much harder.
COST OF FUEL OIL, GAS, DIESEL: The villages had to buy bulk supplies of fuels in the summer. That was when the costs were highest, if you recall. The river froze up in early Oct, so they could not get their last barge load in. They are running out and new supplies have to be flown in because the Yukon River is nothing but at least 4 feet of ice. Flying things in is very expensive. It cost me $300.00 to fly from Anchorage to Emmonak.
The conditions in the village are tough but the people are some of the greatest people you will ever meet. They take the animals they hunt and they can make traditional crafts too. I saw some of the greatest clothing made from hides which protect these people from the weather.
With the information out there about Emmonak, I felt I needed to throw out a little more information I had about my stay in the village.
2/23/13: I wrote comments and basically updated my thinking on this topic. If you are considering teaching in a remote Village, you will see the true Alaska. It is quite different and unique. You will be an outsider but welcome. Even today, years later, I am amazed at the life of the Alaskan Native Populations.
http://richalaska.blogspot.com/2013/02/emmonak-real-alaska-native-villages.html
2 comments:
The strongly believe people who can survive such elements of the environment build true character. Most of us could never adapt to a life like that. We have too many of the luxuries we take for granted. These people have to work hard to survive and can't just run to the store for a loaf of bread. Very interesting, thanks for posting this info.
I was only there 5 months because it was so different. Many of the villagers have lived there 50 years and they have very strong family ties.
It is basic living. Kids can set traps and are learning to take apart a snowmobile because that is their way to find a stray log along the river that can be used for firewood.
For an outsider, it seems very bleak and basic but many villagers it is all they know and it is home.
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