Fish Camp Vibes
Photo by: Cyndi Reeves
September 19th, 2024 | Written By: Kira Lena Lajarnie
Last month in Anchorage, we held a small backyard gathering called “Fish Camp Vibes”. Many people in our community are missing fish camp and haven’t been able to go, since they live in the city or because of the ongoing salmon crisis, and ever-increasing fishing regulations. Despite these challenges, there is inherent value in being together, sharing traditional foods, and practicing our culture in accessible ways – even though it might look a little different than we’re used to.
And so we gathered! We had a small, potluck-style event where we sat around a campfire talking with each other and sharing traditional foods. Some highlights were fish pie, akutaq, and ayuq tea! We enjoyed sharing comfort foods from home, and trying other people’s traditional foods. I loved hearing about fish cutting adventures and berry-picking on the tundra. We even shared ideas for future projects!
Photo by: Dewey Kk’ołeyo Hoffman
Folks who met each other for the first time discovered mutual relations, just one of the many ways our people are intertwined. I never tire of hearing how your grandpa flew planes with my grandpa back in the day, and someone saved someone’s life, or finding out that we share a cousin in common! There’s a certain comfort in knowing that the people around you have cared for each other for generations. Our communities and relationships are reflective of the deep time our families have spent in this place, interacting with each other and Land longer than anyone can count or remember.
In these challenging times of polarizing politics and constant threats to our Lands, our Alaska Native cultures and connections can sometimes feel inaccessible. But our ways of life are within us – all we have to do is practice them. Practicing our culture strengthens us, our families, and our communities for the current moment and whatever comes next.
May we continue practicing our ways of life, in relationship with each other and Land.
Photo by: Cyndi Reeves
Kira Lena Lajarnie, Climate Justice Organizer
Kira ( she / her) is an Indigiqueer person of mixed Yup’ik, Sámi, and other Indigenous and European descent. She grew up in Chugiak, Alaska, on the unceded lands of the Dena’ina people. She holds an MPH and comes from a background in public health, with community-based fieldwork in Uganda, India, Cambodia, Tibet, and Alaska. After a lifetime of exposure to colonization, Kira is working to restore relationships with her family, culture, and community in Anchorage. She is currently focused on aligning with her ancestral values to repair people’s relationship with the Earth, by developing and sharing sustainable lifeways.
