#2

A small Yup'ik village in Alaska struggles to stay populated, keep the salmon populated, and meet the high costs of gasoline, heating oil and food. Gas is $6.59 a gallon, heating oil is $7.06 a gallon, and a box of Cheerios costs $8.29. Another struggle of the 700-person village is the fact that voting ballots aren't in the Yup'ik language. The town elder, Anna Nick went to Anchorage to demand the ballots be in her language. "I want to know what I'm voting for", she says. Akiachak's residents live with extreme cold, and make do without running water or indoor plumbing. Their police chief bathes in water from the Kuskokswim river, and uses a honey bucket as a toilet. Although the facilities are very primal in Akiachak, the residents are happy with what the have, are trying not to give in and move to Anchorage. They are proud of their history, and would like to stay together.


Barry, Dan. "Remote and Struggling but Still a Bit of America." New York Times. 5 October
2008. 2 February 2009.