Shishmaref, Alaska

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Shishmaref is a village located on Sarichef Island in the Chukchi Sea, just north of the Bering Strait and five miles from the mainland. It is part of the Nome Census Area and located within the Bering Land Bridge National Reserve. The population of the village was 562 at the time of the 2000 census.

1 Geography
2 History
3 Culture
4 Demographics
5 Education
6 External links

[edit] Geography

Shishmaref is located at 66°15′20″N, 166°4′20″W (66.255586, -166.072305)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 18.8 km² (7.3 mi²). 7.2 km² (2.8 mi²) of it is land and 11.6 km² (4.5 mi²) of it (61.62%) is water.

The effect of global climate change upon Shishmaref is sometimes seen as the most dramatic in the world. Rising temperatures have resulted in a reduction in sea ice, which weakens storm surges before they reach the shore. At the same time, the permafrost that the village is built on has also begun to melt, making the shore even more vulnerable to erosion. In recent years the shore has been receding at an average rate of up to 10 feet (3.3 m) per year. Despite putting up a series of barricades to protect the village, the shore has continued to erode at an alarming rate. Currently, Shishmaref has obtained funds to construct seawalls that protect some of the shoreline.

The village plans to relocate several miles to the south, on the mainland to the Tin Creek site. The Shishmaref Erosiion and Relocation Coalition, made up of the city, the IRA Council and other organizations, is seeking federal, state and private funding for the move. The relocation is necessitated by the chronic flooding and erosion attributed largely to climate change.

[edit] History

Excavations done in 1821 established that Inupiats have lived in Shishmaref for at least several centuries, though it is generally assumed that the area has been inhabited for four thousand years. Sarichef Island was known to the Inupiats as Kigiktaq. Explorer Lt. Otto von Kotzebue named it Shishmarev after a member of his ship's crew in 1816. In 1900 a supply center was established to support gold mining on Seward Peninsula and the village was named after the island. A post office was established in 1901. In October 1997, a severe storm eroded 30 feet of the shore and forced the abandonment of fourteen homes. The steady advance of the sea led the villagers to decide to move the entire community inland in 2004, though no action has yet been taken.

[edit] Culture

Shishmaref is a traditional Inupiaq Eskimo village. Residents rely heavily on a subsistence lifestyle, hunting and gathering much of their food. Primary food sources include sea mammels such as oogruk (bearded seal), other seals and walrus, fish, birds (such as ptarmigan), carribou and moose. The village is well known in the region for its high-quality seal oil and fermented meat.

Shishmaref is also known for its Native art. Local carvings of whalebone and walrus ivory are sought after by galleries in Alaska and the Lower 48.

Shishmaref was also home to one of Alaska's most-beloved dog mushers. Herbie Nayokpuk, known as the "Shishmaref Cannonball," died in December of 2006. He finished the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race numerous times, including a second-place finish.

Shishmaref is sometimes referred to as "the friendliest village in Alaska." Researchers, journalists and the occasional tourist visit Shishmaref, and the village has acquired a reputation for being a gracious host.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 562 people, 142 households, and 110 families residing in the city. The population density was 78.1/km² (202.0/mi²). There were 148 housing units at an average density of 20.6/km² (53.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 5.34% White, 93.24% Native American (mainly Inupiat), and 1.42% from two or more races. 0.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 142 households out of which 52.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.6% were married couples living together, 19.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.5% were non-families. 21.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.96 and the average family size was 4.59.

In the city the population was spread out with 40.9% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 12.6% from 45 to 64, and 5.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 24 years. For every 100 females there were 125.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 121.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,714, and the median income for a family was $29,306. Males had a median income of $35,357 versus $25,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,487. About 16.2% of families and 16.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.2% of those under age 18 and 10.5% of those age 65 or over.