The sky was clear at the harbor in Sand Point last week as about a dozen kids and adults climbed into a niĝilax̂ — a traditional Unangax̂ skin boat. It was the last week of the Qagan Tayagungin Tribe’s two-week Culture Camp, and a crowd of spectators had gathered to watch the campers paddle around the harbor.
Dance instructor Mason Kwasnikov used to be one of those young campers. In his early twenties now, he’s a central figure in the Unangax̂ dance community in Anchorage. He comes home for the camp every summer.
Kwasnikov enjoys blending the traditional with the modern — picture traditional tattoos along with heart-shaped glasses and white New Balance sneakers.
“I think that a lot of us in the younger generations of Unangas are really trying to embrace the culture, like incorporating it into our everyday lives,” he said. “We’re just trying to have fun with it.”
As the last camper climbed into the boat and the paddlers pushed off from the dock, Kwasnikov began to sing, beating a drum he’d made himself.
The boat’s name is Unangam Anĝii, which translates to “Unangax̂ Spirit.” It first touched the water during the 2023 culture camp — an important vessel for a community that hadn’t paddled a niĝilax̂ for generations.
As the campers rounded a buoy, flanked by green tundra and steep cliffs, they raised their paddles in the air.
Tradition renewed
Culture camps are popular all around the state as a way to celebrate and pass on Alaska Native traditions to younger generations. In the Aleutians, arts, dance and craft instructors from all across the chain traveled to Sand Point this year for its 25th annual camp.
Camp Director Carla Chebetnoy was there in the beginning. She’s one of the key people who helped start Sand Point’s camp in the 1990s, when there were only a few Unangax̂ culture camps. Today, communities all across the thousand-mile Aleutian Chain host their own camps.
Chebetnoy says it’s a way to pass on traditions that she was afraid would be lost.
“It was important to us because we had no Unangax̂ speakers alive in our community, and our kids didn’t know anything about their culture or traditions or anything,” she said.
Chebetnoy said she grew up surrounded by elders. She wanted her children to have the same opportunities to learn about their traditions and culture. That hope helped inspire the first camp.
“As it grew, my children became instructors, and my grandchildren are at camp,” she said.
Starting young
On the last night of the camp, people from all over town came out for a dance performance and potluck at the tribe’s community center. The performance lasted about an hour. Dancers of all ages wore beaded headdresses, animal skin robes and medallions — all regalia that was made at camp.
Another camp organizer and instructor, Peter Devine Jr., said he remembers the first camp in Sand Point, when he took the kids camping in the hills for a whole week. Ultimately, they turned it into a day camp.
Devine said that when he and Chebetnoy were planning the first camp, they decided to make it open for all ages, unlike other camps in the region that mostly started with fifth graders.
“I always tell everybody, ‘we got the best camp in the state,’” he said. “We start when they’re young.”
Devine said he’s proud of the work he’s done organizing it over the years, but that he’s glad a new generation is starting to take the helm.
“I see us being able to hand it over to them, no problem,” he said. “It’s just a matter of when they want to boot me out.”
Unalaska’s Camp Qangayux̂ began this week, along with Akutan and Atka, which alternate biannually to host a joint camp. Nelson Lagoon’s camp begins Aug. 2.
Download the audio:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2025-05-30-adfg-pre.mp3
The ADF&G’s South Peninsula Commercial Salmon Preseason meeting will be held on Friday, May 30th, 2025 at 10:00AM in Sand Point at the AEB office and on Microsoft Teams to other AEB communities. More information on the Preseason meeting will be forthcoming from ADFG.
AEB Fish News 5/15/25 – PDF
KSDP will air the meeting live & place an archive of the audio here:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2025-05-22-aeb.mp3
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The Aleutians East Borough Assembly is holding a SPECIAL meeting on Thursday, May 22nd, 2025 at 2pm.
https://www.aleutianseast.org/government/meetings/
Agenda:
https://www.aleutianseast.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/May-22-2025-ASSEMBLY_MTG_AGENDA.pdf
Meeting Presentation:
https://www.aleutianseast.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/May-22-2025-Special-Assembly-Meeting.pdf
Aleutian Adventures LLC is making application for a new Outdoor Recreation Lodge
License per Alaska Statute 04.09.280 liquor license doing business as Sandy River Lodge located at:
latitude 56.23, logitude -160.07 in the Aleutians East Borough, Alaska.
Interested persons should submit written comment to their local governing body, the applicant, and to the:
Alcoholic Beverage Control Board
550 West 7th Ave. Suite 1600
Anchorage AK 99501
or
alcohol.licensing@alaska.gov
Audio PSA:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2025-04-23-aa-liquor.wav
The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities invites you to a Public Meeting for the Cold Bay Airport Fence Replacement and Gate Upgrades project on:
5pm to 7pm on Tuesday, May 6, 2025
Join us from five to seven p.m. at the Airport Manager’s Office at Cold Bay Airport to learn about the project, provide feedback, and ask questions to the project team.
For more information, visit:
https://dot.alaska.gov/sereg/projects/cold-bay/
Audio PSA:
https://apradio.org/mp3/2025-04-23-akdot-pacd.wav
KSDP will air the meeting live & archive the audio here:
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The Aleutians East Borough School District is holding a Meeting of the Indian Education Advisory Committee & Public Forum on Tuesday, March 25th, 2025 at 3:30PM. Meeting is open to the Public at the District Office in Sand Point & via Zoom.
2025 School Board Agendas and Packets:
https://www.aebsd.org/documents/school-board-
meetings/2025-board-meetings/745351
Agenda:
April 22, 2025 Indian Ed. Committee Meeting Agenda
Nelson Lagoon Flyer (PDF)
Nelson Lagoon PSA (WAV audio)
Come meet the staff of APIA’s Employment, Training and Related Services Division during our stay in Nelson Lagoon.
Join us in exploring and discussing career fairs, job training, and educational opportunities during our stay.
Have one on one time to discuss your thoughts and needs as a community member any time
between April 15th-19th.
Community Potluck, Wednesday, April 16th at 5pm.
For more information contact Kiara Johnson at 907-222-9762
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/dcfnewsrelease/1659401442.pdf
For Immediate Release: March 18, 2025
CONTACT: Matt Keyse, Finfish Area Management Biologist – (907) 486-1874
Sand Point Commercial Salmon Fishery Update # 1
Because of concerns for Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon (king salmon) across the Gulf of Alaska, the department is taking unprecedented steps to conserve king salmon by restricting numerous fisheries in 2025.
In the South Alaska Peninsula Area, additional management actions are being implemented to protect these stocks beginning in July:
Beginning July 1, Chinook (king) salmon 28 inches or greater in length may not be retained by purse seine gear in the Unimak, Southwestern, South Central, and Southeastern Districts of Area M during a commercial salmon fishery and must be returned to the water unharmed.
Additionally, the Department will monitor the harvest of Chinook salmon in the Shumagin Islands Section of the Southeastern District. If more than 1,000 Chinook salmon are harvested within the Shumagin Islands Section of the Southeastern District during a regulatory fishing period in July, then the next scheduled fishing period in stat area 282-11 (Unga Cape-East Popof (Delarof Harbor), Popof Head, Red Bluff, Elephant Head (Dark Cliffs), Fox Hole, Pirate Cove, Dangerous Point, East Head, Andronica Island, and Salmon Ranch) Will Not Open to commercial salmon fishing for purse seine gear only.
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