Gambell (Sivuqaq)

Sivuqaq is the name of the Island and our community, “Mayeraaghpak.” Under ANCSA, St. Lawrence Island opted for the land instead of the money. There are two villages on the Island: Sivungaq started as a reindeer camp. Families came from Sivuqaq 100+ yrs ago.

We are a whaling community, but walrus is also really important. Subsistence happens year-round every month, and many of us speak St. Lawrence Island Yupik.

Credit: Native Village of Gambell

Notes from our 2024 planning retreat in Anchorage

Current activities

We’ve been thinking about a sea wall on the west side (for the airport and for the village) for more than 25 years. Fifteen years ago we installed a metal barrier with assistance from the US Army Corps of Engineers. We also tried boulders and sandbags, but nothing has held back the sea. In 2023 we developed a Hazard Mitigation Plan with assistance from FEMA. We are also participating in monitoring, with the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO), ARC NAV ice monitoring, and monitoring catastrophic lake loss.

Successes

We are adapting to loss of sea ice, but we are going out on more windy days, and going out farther to follow the game northeast (about 140+ miles is common). We are getting a sea ice radar (UAF – ARC NAV). We use NOAA ice maps, but the radar is in real-time. It is now easier to navigate through the ice.

Challenges

We have to adapt to changing environmental conditions. There is much less ice, which causes big safety concerns. With ice, winds of 25-30 knots are okay, but without ice, it’s unsafe to go out. Coastal erosion is taking our beach, moving hunting/camping grounds (we have lost boat racks on West Beach). Flooding is a big concern at the Airport. There are new lagoons and rivers. Permafrost is thawing: land is cracking, sinkholes are forming, and we have seen mudslides. Travel is much harder. There is also catastropic lake loss on St. Lawrence Island. We’ve seen harmful algae blooms in the waters off our island for the last 2 years. There is more vessel traffic from shipping and fishing (we see the lights at night offshore). And we have a poor economy, with not enough jobs or housing.

Collaborations with ACTION or other communities

  • Buoys offshore to track waves
  • Funding to build a sea wall to protect the airport, the beach, and to create an evacuation route to the mountain in case of flooding. We also need a shelter on the mountain in case of flooding/evacuation.
  • Education opportunities for youth: how can we empower youth by connecting them with the project?