Life in Kivalina

Kivalina  is a small village off the coast of Alaska, 130 km north of the Arctic circle. 

Kivalina is built on permanently frozen earth.  A lagoon flanks one side and the Arctic Ocean borders the other.  There are no more than 450 residents.

Coastal Iñupiat communities initially settled in this area, which proved to be a strategic location for hunting both sea mammals and inland caribou. Large celebrations marked the end of each successful hunting season. 

Today, local houses sit on sand and gravel. The preferred modes of transportation in the summer are quad bikes and 4x4 trucks.  Snowmobiles are regularly used throughout the year.  

Residents of Kivalina still live off the land through hunting and fishing.

The seawall, an expensive public works project, protects the shoreline from the effects of rising sea levels. Most villagers believe Kivalina cannot be saved and local civic institutions are developing initiatives to assist the community in its relocation efforts. 

Climate change poses an urgent threat to this vulnerable community. Rising seas have caused erosion, both on the shoreline and under the water’s surface. The permafrost that holds Kivalina in place is slowly melting away.  Many wonder how much time is left before the village subsides into the sea.  

Bowhead whale hunting was at the center of many of the Iñupiat’s traditions. A single whale would provide enough meat, skin, and blubber to feed a village for months. Today, whales face numerous threats, including climate change, ocean pollution, commercial whaling, and overfishing of their food supply. A whale washed ashore is an all-too-common sight now.

Thinner sea ice makes it harder for Repi to pack and store enough meat to survive the winters.  A family typically needs to store meat from nearly fifteen seals. This year he has only five, and is considered lucky compared to his fellow villagers.  

Hunting the Wulik River basin is no longer as fruitful today as it was in the past. There are fewer ducks, moose, and caribou. The whereabouts of wildlife continually change as they too struggle to adjust to shifting seasons and changes in their food supply. 

When salmon are caught, women marinate the catch in brown sugar and spices in preparation for smoking.  

In the summer, Kivalina’s streets belong to its children. Summer sunlight lasts for twenty-four hours each day, which means the children can play outdoors for hours and hours.

At 2 am, the sun is still above the horizon. A big cloud forms and a rainbow stretches across the night sky.  In spite of the seemingly endless supply of summer light, the Iñupiat are struggling to see a future in which they will thrive on their frozen soil.