Fur to Fishing

The Ugashik region is well known for its rich and abundant food resources. Archaeological sites near the Ugashik Lakes indicate to scientists that natives lived there as long as 9,000 years ago. Native men hunted the multitudes of birds, caribou, bear, seals, walrus, and beluga whales in Bristol Bay in addition to fishing for the various species of salmon. The women dried fish, trapped small animals like ground squirrels, collected berries, and prepared plant foods.

The Yup'ik and Alutiiq people were living at Ugashik village when the Russians arrived in the 1800s. Naturally, the Ugashik men and women began working in the fur trade. The men hunted the valuable sea otters for the Russians, and later the Americans, who then tr...

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