Upriver

Citation

Jamie K (2015) Upriver. Granta, 133. https://granta.com/issues/granta-133-done/

Abstract
Quinhagak is!a Yup'ik village on the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta in western Alaska. There, where the Bering Sea is rapidly eroding the coast, a remarkable archaeological dig is underway. Called 'Nunalleq', the site is an abandoned Yup'ik village dating from pre-contact  times, 500 years ago. It is yielding an astonishingly rich array of artifacts, reawakening cultural awareness and confidence among the Yup'ik people. The site is being excavated by a team from Aberdeen University, with help and support from the Quinhagak community. Last year, thanks to funding from the Leverhulme Trust, I was able to join the archaeologists for the short digging season. The following is an extract from a longer work in progress.

Journal
Granta: Volume 133