King Island, Alaska

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

King Island is an island in the Bering Sea, west of Alaska at approximately 64°58′00″N, 168°05′00″W. It is about 64 km (40 miles) west of Cape Douglas and is south of Wales, Alaska.

King Island, Alaska. The large boulders on the top of the island are barely visible through the fog.

The island is about 1.6 km (1 mile) wide. It was once the winter home of a group of about 200 Inupiat who called themselves Aseuluk. The Aseuluk spent their winters engaging in subsistence hunting on King Island and their summers engaging in similar activities on the mainland near the location of present-day Nome, Alaska. Their name for the island was Ukivuk. After the establishment of Nome, the islanders began to sell intricate carvings to residents of Nome during the summer. By 1970, all King Island people had moved to Nome year-round.

In 2005 & 2006 the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded a research project which brought a few King Island natives back to the Island. Some participants had not been back to the island in 50 years. The King Island Community eagerly awaits the projects results.

The island was "discovered" by Captain Cook in 1778 and named for Lt. James King, a member of his party.

[edit] See also

• King Island Native Community

[edit] External links

• Ancient mask returned to Alaska ghost village, MSNBC, January 18, 2008

This Alaska location article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

v • d • e Bering Sea Islands Adak Island  • Aiktak Island  • Akun Island  • Akutan Island  • Aleutian Islands  • Amak Island  • Amaknak Island  • Amatignak Island  • Amchitka  • Amlia  • Amukta  • Andreanof Islands  • Arakamchechen Island  • Atka Island  • Attu Island  • Avatanak Island  • Bering Island  • Besboro Island  • Bobrof Island  • Bogoslof Island  • Buldir Island  • Carlisle Island  • Chuginadak Island  • Chugul  • Commander Islands  • Delarof Islands  • Derbin Island  • Diomede Islands  • Egg Island  • Fox Islands  • Gareloi Island  • Great Sitkin Island  • Hagemeister Island  • Hall Island  • Herbert Island  • Igitkin Island  • Ilak Island  • Islands of Four Mountains  • Kagalaska Island  • Kagamil Island  • Kanaga Island  • Karaginsky Island  • Kasatochi Island  • Khvostof Island  • King Island  • Kiska  • Koniuji Island  • Krenitzin Islands  • Kudobin Islands  • Little Sitkin Island  • Little Tanaga Island  • Medny Island  • Nelson Island  • Nunivak Island  • Oglodak Island  • Otter Island  • Pancake Rock  • Pribilof Islands  • Rat Island  • Rat Islands  • St. Lawrence Island  • Saint Paul Island  • Samalga Island  • Sea Lion Rock  • Sea Otter Rocks  • Seal Islands  • Sedanka Island  • Seguam Island  • Segula Island  • Semisopochnoi Island  • Sledge Island  • St. Matthew Island  • St. Michael Island  • Stuart Island  • Tagalak Island  • Tanaga Island  • Tigalda Island  • Ugamak Island  • Ulak Island  • Umak Island  • Umnak  • Unalaska Island  • Unalga Island  • Unimak Island  • Walrus Island  • Walrus Islands  • Walrus and Kritskoi Islands  • Wislow Island  • Yttygran Island  • Yunaska Island