Neq'ayaraq from Tuntutuliak: Arriving In Tuntutuliak

Flying the friendly and somewhat cramped skies of Yute Air.

The ice in the tundra was just beginning to break up when we were there.

(If you look closely, reflected in the lake below is the shadow of our airplane.)

The ice breaking up in the Kuskokwim.

A small town, as seen from above. After this, there were no more roads and cars -- only boardwalks, boats and ATVs.

I've seen many BIA signs, but this was unique.

Lewis Angapak Memorial School, where we are staying during our time in Tuntutuliak.

http://www.geoffpuryear.com/LAMS/

Lewis Angapak is a bilingual school, where children are taught in Central Alaskan Yup'ik primarily in the earliest grades, then move to English by the later grades. (Schools in the Lower Kuskokwim School District get to decide individually whether they want to monolingual or bilingual. The first language in Yup'ik villages is, obviously, Yup'ik...although it seemed like everyone was also absolutely fluent in English....I only came across one individual who was not also a fluent English speaker; a very kind elderly woman.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yupik_languages

I was very glad to see that LAMS was a bilingual school. Not only is it right and appropriate for the students to be learning their language and culture first in the classroom (as well as at home), but also because there are great linguistic and cognitive benefits that accompany bilingual individuals. LAMS seems to be right on point with their educational plan.

Lucy Lupie's classroom, practicing weaving skills. For a video of this class in action, see the following post.

Pam Helmick (a teacher at LAMS and a friend of Angie) hosted a delicious feast for us on our first night. She made so many delicious things, and we brought only ourselves and our appetite.

Above is her delicious sweet boiled pike.