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Table of Contents

Cover Story

Grades 2-3

It Takes a Village

McKenzie Nanalook, 10, lives in the village of Manokotak (man-o-ko-tuk), in Alaska (see map). In many ways, her life may be much like yours. She lives with her parents, sister and two brothers. In the morning, she has pancakes for breakfast and takes the bus to school. Her favorite subject is math, and she loves playing computer games.

But in other ways, McKenzie's life is probably different from yours. Much of the food her family eats does not come from the store. "It comes from nature," McKenzie told TFK. Her father catches the fish they have for dinner. And she collects berries to make akutaq (ah-goo-duk), or ice cream.

McKenzie is a Yup'ik (yoo-pik) Eskimo. The Yup'ik people have been living off of the land that is now Alaska for hundreds of years. It is often cold and snowy there. People learned to survive in the harsh climate by working together. In McKenzie's village, cooperation is still very important.

Village Life

Manokotak is isolated. There are no roads that connect it to other villages. It is hard to bring in food and clothing from other places.

During the winter, when the river is frozen, hunting is very important. Animals are used not only for food, but also to make warm clothes. McKenzie's mother made her a fur hat. "It is warmer than cloth," says McKenzie.

Changing Times

When McKenzie's grandparents were growing up, they used dogsleds to get around, and they spoke only the Yup'ik language. Today, many people in the village ride snowmobiles, and kids talk to each other in English. Times may be changing, but McKenzie and her friends are not letting go of their culture. "We speak Yup'ik too," she says. "That is not going away."

Next: A Garden Full of Hope