Teaching on the Delta: About the Area

The Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta is one of the largest river deltas in the world--larger than the Mississippi- and is roughly the size of the state of Louisiana. The delta has approximately 25,000 residents; 85% are Alaskan Native Yupik and Athabaskan peoples. Much of the region is tundra, although areas near the rivers are forested. The area is protected under the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge and is home to moose, brown bears, wolves, wolverines, and many more critters.

Residents of the region live in the town of Bethel or one of 49 villages along the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers. Many live traditional subsistence lifestyles of hunting, fishing and gathering.There are virtually no roads in the region and travel is done by bush plane, four wheeler, skiff (boat) or snow-go (snowmobile). The town of Bethel (below) has a population of about 6000 and is the transportation hub for all the villages on the delta.

Bethel, AK (taken on my first ride in a bush plane!)

Tuluksak, Alaska is a native village located at the confluence of the Tuluksak and Kuskokwim Rivers. The village is home to ~400 people, almost entirely Yupik. The Tuluksak School functions as a community center for the village. The village also has a Post Office, clinic, native store and bingo hall.