Kwigillingok’s Fight Against Climate Change
In Kwigillingok, Alaska, residents are grappling with the powerful effects of climate change. This small village, located on Alaska’s southwestern coast, was recently ravaged by the remnants of Typhoon Halong. Residents like Noah Andrew Sr., 74, experienced firsthand the terrifying rise of water in their homes. “When we started floating away, we knew it was serious,” he recalled.
A Community Underwater
After the storm, many families were forced to evacuate. Currently, around 678 people from Kwigillingok and nearby villages are still away from their homes. The damage was extensive, with numerous houses swept away or heavily damaged. Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy, commenting on the situation, pointed out the complexities involved in planning communities for a changing environment.
The Fight for Relocation
With autumn floods becoming more severe, Kwigillingok’s residents want to relocate to safer ground. While they’ve battled changes from thawing permafrost and increasing erosion, they now face the pressing need to find higher ground to protect their community. Yet, despite the urgency, no concrete plans or funding are in place for their relocation.
According to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, about 144 Alaskan communities are feeling the pressure of climate change. The costs of addressing these risks could escalate to around $4.3 billion over the next 50 years, a burden many small villages seek to share.
Cultural Ramifications
The threat to Kwigillingok’s physical safety also poses cultural risks. Many residents fear that longer stays in urban areas will erode their language and traditions. As Ann Fienup-Riordan, a cultural anthropologist, highlighted, Yup’ik is a language that thrives when used at home and in the community. The more time residents spend in cities where English dominates, the harder it becomes to maintain their cultural identity.
Learning from Past Moves
Historically, restoring Indigenous communities has had mixed results. The Isle de Jean Charles in Louisiana and the village of Newtok in Alaska serve as examples. While both faced significant challenges in their relocations, the focus should remain on ensuring safety—and more importantly, sustaining cultural practices.
Residents of Kwigillingok envision their future in a new village site where they would still engage with their ancestral lands. “We can return to Kwigillingok to use it for subsistence,” says local resident Darrel John.
Awaiting Action
As winter sets in, recovery efforts in Kwigillingok stall. Residents are left waiting for a decision on whether their village will move to high ground before the next storm hits.
Local leaders stress that the need for action grows with time, tying safety to cultural identity. The situation in Kwigillingok is an urgent reminder of the inseparable link between people’s homes, heritage, and the environment.
For more insights on similar issues faced by Indigenous communities, you can visit resources like the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium here.
This style offers a straightforward look into Kwigillingok’s challenges while emphasizing the urgent need for community action and support in light of climate change.
