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Time
Line
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Recent
History of the Akulmiut Villages
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1789
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Objects made of metal
begin filtering into YK delta, but very rare until
1890's.
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1790
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Russians explore Kuskokwim
River area.
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1794
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First Russian Orthodox
Monks arrive in Alaska (8 of them at
Kodiak).
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1799
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Formation of the
Russian-American Corporation (A regional
monopoly).
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1800
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Early 1800's the "time of
war" ends (fighting for land and
resources).
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1818
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Russian-American Corp.
explores delta and visits Akulmiut
villages/camps.
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1830
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Russians set up a trading
post on the Kuskokwim to trade for furs.
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1832
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Akulmiut trade furs for
seal skin/oil dirrectly with the Russian traders
(through 1844).
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1832
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Akulmiut bring many beaver
furs to trading post to trade for seal
skin/oil.
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1838
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Smallpox epidemic kills
many throughout Y-K delta.
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1839
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Mamterillemiut burn
Russian trading post because of the
epidemic.
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1840
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Russian trading post is
rebuilt.
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1861
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Russian Orth. Priest comes
down the Johnson to visit Akulmiut
villages.
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1867
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Russian Government sells
it's claim to Alaska to the United
States.
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1878
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Ed Nelson explores the Y-K
delta by dog team.
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1880
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Akulmiut population is
336
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1880
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Moravians are scouting and
working on the Y-K delta.
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1885
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Moravian Church starts the
town of Bethel across from
Mamterillermiut.
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1887
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Paingaq requests a
Moravian church (denied).
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1889
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Moravians publish the
first Yup'ik dictionary.
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1890
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Tobbacco has become as
important to the Akulmiut as rifle ammo.
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1890
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Akulmiut population is
318
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1890
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Moravians making regular
visits to Akulmiut villages seeking
converts.
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1894
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Moravians ban the Mask
festival of the Yup'ik faith because it was not
Christian.
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1896
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Moravians bring a doctor
to the Bethel Mission.
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1897
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Poor salmon run leads to
hunger and starvation in the winter.
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1900
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Flu and Measles wipes out
Kuigaallermiut (Southeast of current
Nunapitchuk).
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1900
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Metal objects and guns
have replaced most traditional tools and
weapons.
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1901
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Moravians bring in
reindeer for project (175 animals).
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1903
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First Akulmiut business is
a trader at Nunacuaq.
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1905
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A Russian Orth. preist
went to Napaskiak and babtized everyone.
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1907
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Yup'ik shaman converts to
Moravian and helps convert many Akulmiut
also.
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1908
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First ocean-going ship
sails up Kuskokwim to Bethel.
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1909
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Reindeer split into 3
herds and total over 2,700. Some sold to
miners.
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1910
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Paingaq people hold 10
year feast of the dead cerimony against wishes of
church.
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1910
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Wooden canoe-like boats
begin replacing skin covered boats.
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1913
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Commercial salmon fishing
begins on the Kuskokwim.
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1913
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Small gold strike made on
the upper Kwethluk River.
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1914
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Kuskokwim channel is
charted for ships sailing to Bethel.
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1916
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Paingaq recieves a full
time Moravian Helper from the church.
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1918
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12 related people move
from Paingaq to Qaleqcuugtuli (1 mile from
Nunap.).
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1918
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Nanvarnarrlak gets a full
time Moravian Helper from the church.
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1920
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All the Qaleqcuugtuli and
about 18 others move up river a little to start
Nunapitchuk.
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1920
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Nunapitchuk (Nunapicuaq)
is started by survivors of disease
epidemic.
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1920
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Many Akulmiut families
begin going down to Kuskokwim to catch
salmon.
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1920
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Square stern wooden boats
with outboards becoming popular on
Kuskokwim.
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1921
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First Akulmiut school is
built in Nunacuaq.
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1922
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Every salmon run on the
Kuskokwim is nearly wiped out from
overfishing.
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1923
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Nanvarnarrlak requests a
Moravian church.
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1925 |
Moravians build first
Akulmiut church in Nanvarnarrlak. |
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1926 |
First airplane lands in
Bethel. |
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1926 |
Strict rules and laws
begin to try and save the Kuskokwim
salmon. |
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1929 |
Moravians publish the
Gospel and Hymnal in Yup'ik (also used by Russian
Orth.). |
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1930 |
Frank Waskey (non-native)
traveled and trapped in Akulmiut
territory. |
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1930 |
Men begin to quit living
in qasgiq (men's house). |
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1930 |
Reindeer herding is
getting big in Akulmiut area. |
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1930 |
Some people get
snow-planes, but dogs are still primary
transportation. |
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1934 |
Moravian church built in
Nunapitchuk. |
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1934 |
School is taught in
Moravian church in Nunapitchuk. |
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1935 |
First year-round store is
started in Nunapitchuk. |
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1935 |
Some Nunapitchuk residents
begin to construct fish camps on the
Kuskokwim. |
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1937 |
Sam Anaruk (fluent Yup'ik)
was first teacher in Nunapitchuk (used Moravian
church). |
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1938 |
Some men from Nunapitchuk
start leaving every summer to work in
canneries. |
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1939 |
BIA school tries to get
the Nunacuaq people to move to
Nunapitchuk. |
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1939 |
First time an airplane
lands in Nunapitchuk (on river ice). |
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1940 |
First U.S. census of
Akulmiut, 6 villages and 1 community. |
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1940 |
From 1940 to 1950 Akulmiut
people start consolidating to Nunapitchuk &
Kasigluk. |
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1940 |
People of Cuukuagtuliq
start moving to Nunapitchuk. |
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1940 |
Hospital is built in
Bethel. |
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1940 |
Barge service for freight
and fuel begin to serve Akulmiut
villages. |
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1940 |
Reindeer herding is
dropping off because of low prices, difficulties,
and wolves. |
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1940 |
Akulmiut population is
401 |
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1941 |
First school built in
Nunapitchuk (2 classrooms, BIA). |
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1945 |
Russian Orthodox builds a
church in Nunapitchuk. |
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1946 |
Nunacuaq abandoned because
of erosion. |
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1946 |
Nunacuaq people move down
stream to Kasigluk where others had
settled. |
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1950 |
Akulmiut population is
499 |
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1950 |
The last of Nunacuarmiut
move to Kasigluk. |
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1950 |
Akulmuit people first
begin using money (currency/cash). |
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1950 |
Average annual income for
Yup'ik people is $913. |
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1951 |
Last stern wheeler on the
Kuskokwim retires (1934 - 1951). |
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1959 |
Alaska territory becomes
Alaska State. |
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1960 |
Akulmiut population is
571 |
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1960 |
During the 1960's some
Nunapitchuk people begin building across the
river. |
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1961 |
Last family left in
Nanvarnarrlak finally moves to
Nunapitchuk. |
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1963 |
Kuskokwim Fisherman's
Cooperative is started. |
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1967 |
Kasigluk and Nunapitchuk
form the second class city of Akulmiut. |
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1968 |
Some Nanvarnarrlagmiut
moved from Nunapitchuk to start
Atmautluk. |
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1970 |
Akulmiut population is
526 |
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1970
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Fur prices drop, but
salmon prices increase.
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1970
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A Pentecostal church group
begins in Nunapitchuk.
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1970
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Snow machines gaining
popularity and begin to replace dog
teams.
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1970
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New plywood boats with
outboards have replaced wood plank
boats.
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1971
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First radio station (KYUK)
starts broadcasting on delta.
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1972
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New Moravian church is
built in Nunapitchuk.
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1976
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The state of Alaska takes
over local high school education.
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1980
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Akulmiut population is
826.
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198-
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New Kasigluk is built, but
old Kasigluk remains as a semi-seperate
village.
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1982
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Akulmiut city is
dissolved.
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1983
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Kasigluk and Nunapitchuk
incorporate as seperate municipalities.
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1985
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Akulmiut population is
995
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1985
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Survey shows that old
Nunacuaq site is completely submerged.
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1985
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The state takes over all
schools (K - 12) from the BIA.
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1985
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New Russian Orthodox
church is built in Nunapitchuk.
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1986
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Airstrip is built near
Nunapitchuk.
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1990
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Aluminum boats begin
replacing wooden boats.
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1995
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Large new K-12 shool is
built in old Kasigluk.
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1996
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Large new K-12 school is
built in Nunapitchuk.
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2001
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Most people are hooked up to the flush-haul
water and sewer system. New boardwalks are built.
Several new houses are built for low income
families. I am preparing to move my family 30 miles south to Tuntutuliak, a similar village nearer the Kuskokwim River.
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The source for most of this information was "The Akulmiut:
Territorial Dimensions of a Yup'ik Eskimo Society" written
by Elizabeth F. Andrews as Technical Paper No.177 for the
Alaska Department of Fish & Game Division of Subsistence
Technical Paper Series, published in May 1989. Another major
source of information was the book "Bethel, The First 100
Years" by Mary Lenz and James H. Barker which details the
history of Bethel, Alaska.