ILATKA: The Inuit Word For My Relatives - Southwest Alaska

Arctic communities are faced with powerful forces bringing pressures on Indigenous land and people. Climate change affects lifeways in Alaska and has a profound impact on the international Arctic, its sensitive ecosystems, and the communities that rely upon the region’s natural resources. The issues related to the future of Alaska are many and diverse.  The Inuit and other Indigenous people of Alaska are at the forefront of these issues. In his series ILATKA - The Inuit Word for My Relatives, Brian Adams photographs the landscapes and the people of Alaska and documents change, adaptation and resilience. The stories embedded in the images and the voices that accompany them help portray a compelling and relevant story of place.

“My mother said I was born at fish camp. My heart is in fishing, both subsistence and commercial. Right now I own five airplanes, and in the 1960’s I used to buy fish directly from other fishermen and fly them out and sell them. My Yup’ik name is Aiagiaq, and it means “always going.” I used to fish up to 40 hours sometimes. With new regulations in these areas, they are only allowed to fish up to six.”—James A. Charles is Yup’ik from Bethel, Alaska.

“I’ve lived 5 years in Kwethluk , but I grew up in Bethel. I liked growing up here, but I like Kwethluk. I like to pick berries, and love to go to fish camp. It’s more of a subsistence lifestyle.”—Nastasia Nick and Anna Mezak are both Yup’ik and live in Bethel, Alaska.

“I retired from teaching five years ago. I was a teacher for 31 years, but I was certified for 17. I am enjoying retirement, but I am still very busy, with the City Council and being one of the Board of Directors for QHI (Qanirtuuq Heritage Inc.). I loved teaching, I loved teaching Yupik. I got to go out and interview elders and talk to them about the language and teach it to my elementary students. I loved teaching my students what my mother taught me, to respect the land, the water, because everything is given to us, and if we respect it, it will return to us every year. I don’t have as much strength as I used to, but I harvest what I need every summer to have enough to get us through the winter. I get what I need with the help of my family and my grandson.   It’s getting harder though, back when the schools were with BIA (Bureau of Indian Affairs), everyone at the schools talked in their own language, but now, after how many years, with all the technology, the children are not that verbal in Yupik. They can understand but speak in English. It’s sad, but at the same time, we can do the best we can to teach them their culture while speaking English.”—Pauline Matthew is Yup’ik from Quinhagak, Alaska.

“I am 15 and want to go to college in Fairbanks after high school. My favorite subject in school right now is science and math.”   MN: “I am 14 and want to go to college and get a job after high school. My favorite subject in school right now is math and basketball.”   — Leann Alexia and Molly Ann Napoka are Yup’ik and live in Tuluksak, Alaska.

“I am originally from Chuathbaluk . I have been here for 15 years. My husband is originally from here. We moved here after his dad went missing here, but they didn’t find him. It was October, right when the ice was starting to freeze. He said he forgot his snow machine keys at fish camp. It’s quite a ways up the river. He asked to see if his relatives would follow, but they didn’t want to. So he went on his own. We don’t know what happened. They tried to find him, but they couldn’t find him. My husband and I were both living in Chuathbaluk. When we found out they were looking for him, we came.  I like it here, my village was small.  My son, he is 14 and is going to boarding school in Nenana. I was glad he decided to go to school in Nenana, he is too smart. His sister went there, too. My oldest son is 21, my daughter is 20, my son that is here is 17, the one in Nenana is 14, and my last one is 10. I have four boys and one girl.  I have been working here (local store) since 2003. I saw that they were short on workers, so I put in my application. It’s good.” — Martha Wise is Yup’ik and lives in Tuluksak, Alaska.