Upcoming issues of Raven’s Circle to feature CIRI villages
visited Kenai and Salamatof for an upcoming series on the
villages of the region.
From Seldovia to Chickaloon, Tyonek to Eklutna, CIRI’s geographic boundaries encompass lands as diverse as the company’s shareholders. The Cook Inlet region closely approximates the traditional homeland of the Dena’ina Athabascans. Over time, the region’s resources drew people of Aleut, Alutiiq, Iñupiaq, Yup’ik and other heritages to villages established by the Dena’ina people. Long before Russian fur traders arrived in Alaska, village life for the ancestors of CIRI shareholders involved subsisting off the land, hunting moose, harvesting salmon and collecting berries.
Today, life in the villages looks very different from the era when Captain Cook sailed the inlet. But many of the traditions practiced hundreds of years ago remain an essential part of village life. And the villages maintain their rich diversity – a quality CIRI has always valued.
In the coming months, this newsletter will showcase a series of profiles on the seven ANCSA-certified villages that make up the Cook Inlet region. We’ll take a look at what life is like in each village and town: the attractions, the opportunities, the challenges. Starting with Salamatof and Kenai in the next issue, we’ll take you on a virtual visit to each of the region’s villages. But don’t worry if you miss a stop along this tour; we’ll also be expanding the profiles on the CIRI website.
