DiggingforAlaskanhistory

ByAlaskaDispatchNews,adaptedbyNewselastaff

QUINHAGAK,AlaskaAveryoldvillagehasbeenfrozeninplaceforhundredsofyears.
ItisonthecoastoftheBeringSeainAlaska.Now,thatcoastlinehasbeguntowashaway.
Scientistsfromaroundtheworldarediggingupitshistorybeforeitisallgone.
ThescientistsarediggingupartifactsoftheYupikpeople.Theylivedinthevillagelong
ago.TheYupikweretherebeforeRussiansandotherEuropeansarrivedintheearly
1800s.
InAlaska,artifactsnormallyarenottouchedandstayintheground.ButtheYupikpeopleof
Quinhagakaskedthescientiststodig.
Why?Becausewehadnothing,saidWarrenJones.Heistheheadofthevillage.Yup'ik
culturewashurtbyEuropeanchurchmissionaries.Theirculturewasalmostlost,Jones
said.
UncoveringTheHiddenVillage
Thedigbeganfiveyearsago.Scientists,studentsandQuinhagakvillagersareworking
together.TheyaretryingtosaveitemsfromahouseareatheycallNunalleq,oroldvillage.
ItisthefirstdiginaYup'ikhouse,saidRickKnecht.Heistheheadscientist.
Peoplefirstlivedthereinthe1300s,hesaid.
Theoldhousescollapsedinafire.Overtimethevillagewashiddenbytallgrasses.
Scientistssaytheyfoundalargemenswinterhouseatthecenter.Menusuallylived
separatelyfromwomenandchildren.
Theoldvillagewaskeptingoodshapebythefrozenearth.Evenwoodencookingspoons
weresaved.Thentheicebeganmelting.Theedgeofthetundrawashedintothesea.
Inthelastfiveyears,30feetoflandnearthedighavebeenlost.
Itsreallygoingfast,rightinfrontofoureyes,Knechtsaid.Thedigstartedin2009.Ifthey
hadwaited,thousandsofitemsatthevillagewouldhavewashedaway.
"WeOnlyGetOneShot"
Thediggershavecollectedcloseto50,000ancientitems.Theyhavefoundoldanimal
bones.Theyhavefoundbitsofgrassrugsthatcoveredthewallsandpiecesofwooden
tools.
ScientistscollectedstoriesfromQuinhagakeldersabouttheobjectstheyfound.They
showedtheelderswhattheyhaddugup.TheelderstalkedinYupikaboutthefinds.One
elderknewthestoneusedforanulubladejustbyitscolor.Theuluisacurvedknife.
Weonlygetoneshotatit,Knechtsaid.TheseareallpagesintheYupikhistorybook.
Villageleadersworkwitheldersandthescientists.Theytalkaboutwhentodig,howto
preservethesiteandwhattodowithwhattheyfind.
Thescientistsputtheirmostinterestingfindsondisplayinacommunitybuilding.They
invitedthewholevillagetoseeandtouchthem.Atinysealamuletmadeofmammothtusk.
Woodenmasksthathadbeenbrokeninhalf.Stoneharpoontips.Piecesoftinymodel
kayaks.
MoreStoriesWaitingToBeDiscovered
JohnSmithstoodatatablewithtinypiecesofcarvedivoryjewelry.Smithisamaster
carver.Hemarveledattheskillofhisancestorsbeforetheyhadelectrictoolsandmetal
blades.Itinspiredhimtotrysomeofthedesigns.
Scientistsandvillagerssaytheywanttobuildavillageculturalcenter.Itwillshowsomeof
theancienttoolsandart.Itcouldalsobeaplaceforartistsandcraftsmentoworkand
teachothers.
Quinhagakmaybejustthestart,Knechtsaid.OtherancientAlaskavillagesalongthecoast
andonriversarewashingawaytoo.
Theirstoriesmaysoonbeuncovered.