Subsistence

There was a sharp, burnt smell in the air as seventh-grader, Tyler Croom, guided an electric polishing tool along the surface of a caribou antler with steady hands. A whirring, buzz filled his classroom at Meshik School in Port Heiden. The areas he had already polished gleamed bright and white.

Over the summer, students in Hoonah attended the Haa Tóo Yéi Yatee culture camp that seeks to help with challenges in life by connecting students with Alaska Native traditions.

Nutrition-related health concerns plague the U.S. as a whole, and rural Alaska is no exception. People in village of Igiugig are aiming to improve their health this fall with a Native foods challenge.

A Southeast Alaska tribal organization is using a trade-sanctions threat to push federal officials into providing stronger protections for regional fisheries.

When People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals rolled out a new social media campaign, it caught on with an unexpected group – hunters. All across the country, the slogan “shoot selfies, not animals” was co-opted by people putting up social media posts featuring trophy photos of game taken in the field. It’s a bit of social media mockery, but PETA is still counting it a success.

For the last century, reindeer have roamed St. Paul Island without much oversight. But now, the tribal government is stepping up its management style to boost subsistence options and the local economy.