Point Hope
Perched on a gravel peninsula just above the Arctic Circle in the northwest corner of Alaska is the vanishing village of Point Hope. Known as Tikiġaq by the native Iñupiat people, this area has been inhabited for over 2,500 years. Throughout the millennia, its villagers have sustained themselves by hunting, fishing and, most importantly, whaling. Each summer, the successful hunt for migrating whales is celebrated with the culturally significant feast of Qagruġvik. In addition to the meat, whale bones have been used for tools, house posts and even grave markers. Tragically, this village and its fragile lifestyle are under immediate threat from the rising tides of the Chukchi Sea. Although a move to a new location, just 3.28 feet above sea level, has bought the community time, global warming and surging seas continue to accelerate the village’s demise. Despite these hazards, the people of Point Hope remain dedicated to their foundational traditions.
-Clark James Mishler
