Kong Waste Disposal

In Kongiganak, the only flush toilets are at the school and laundry mat. In this photo, you can see one of our local honey bucket delivery boys taking our container to the lagoon. This is the first I’ve seen someone using a motor bike to deliver the do-do. Other ways of transporting honey-bucket are by sled, wheel barrel, four-wheeler and snow-machine. Honey buckets are common in many rural villages in Alaska. Kids and some adults earn $5 for hauling the do-do to the lagoon throughout the school year. I hope that someday this village will have flush toilets in our homes.

Full Circle Farm

When you live in rural Alaska, it can be difficult to get fresh produce. This past year some teachers and local residents joined an organic food coop called Full Circle which is located in Carnation, WA. We received a variety of fresh organic produce that was readily available every week.

Full Circle Farm gives members a choice of specific types of foods that will be sent out. Members are able to substitute certain items. Farm notes included in the boxes give members relevant nutritional information and recipes that contain the current week’s selection of fresh produce.

If anyone is interested here’s their website: www.fullcirclefarm.com and phone number 425.333.4677. This is a great program that allows their members to eat healthier and feel better.

New School in Progress

The new school foundation was completed in late March. Last month the school’s wall panels were also put together. As you can see in the background of the new school, the village has five wind towers on the tundra. The close-up picture only shows three of the wind towers standing. The wind towers will provide electricity and help reduce the cost of living for local residence.

It will be interesting to see how much work has been completed by the time I return in August.

Kongiganak School Update

Here is a picture taken on Monday of the new school site. The workers have just started building the school foundation. It is expected to be completed by the spring of 2010. I also took an aerial photo of Kongiganak last August, 2008. In this photo, the airstrip is between the new housing which is facing the mouth of the Kuskokwim River and the old housing where you can see the current school painted in red. The new school site is located on the other side of the left end side of the airstrip, by the big lake. The community decided the new school should be built in an area where there is no chance of land erosion. Last summer the QAP Company put rocks along the river to stop erosion near our house and the old school. Our living room has a birds eye view of the new school construction site. It’ll be interesting to watch the progress of the new school construction.

Airport Project and Land Erosion

Iwas amazed to see trailers and vehicles for the first time in this village. Several barges have been coming in this past summer when the tide is high. The barges are bringing in dirt for the 17 million dollar airport project. They will continue to come in several times each week until the river freezes. Quality Asphalt Pavement Co. (QAP) is in the process of expanding and widening the airport runway. The project is expected to have a completion date some time next summer.

The community also has been dealing with land erosion along the river for several years. This land erosion prevention project will cost 4.7 million dollars. The QAP Company is putting rocks along the river to put a stop to the erosion. This project began in the summer and work will continue until the river freezes. It is expected to be completed some time in 2009.

Building Supplies for the New School

I came home last month and was surprised to see several projects going on in our small community. Its official, Kongiganak is getting a new school at a cost of about 22.5 million dollars. I took these photos on September 1 which was the first day the barge brought in supplies. Most of the school building supplies are stacked and ready for January 2009, when 30-40 workers will start building the school. They plan to have it completed in time for the 2010-2011 school year. Dick R. Kiunya Memorial School is the name of our present school that was built in 1976. The community is excited to get a brand new school with a different name.

Tundra Vegetables

My aunt picked these tundra vegetables called, “Kapuukaraat” in Yup’ik. They are found on mossy edges of tundra lakes and in ponds along the coast of the Kuskokwim. They are picked and cleaned in water. The vegetables are frozen and used in bird soup and stir fry caribou. While not eaten raw, they can also be used as a side dish with seal and fish. They provide a rich source of Vitamin C. We have many nutritious Native foods available in the Kuskokwim area. People along the coast have lived off the land and picked these good nutritious foods for many years. Most people stay busy gathering food from spring time until the fall.

I will be gone most of the summer and won’t be taking part in subsistence gathering and hunting. I am going to continue taking classes through distance education this summer. I will be back mid-August and should have plenty of time to take part in some subsistence gathering activities.

Have a great summer!