ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The aftermath of Typhoon Halong left many Alaska Native families displaced, yet for children like Rayann Martin, an Alaska Native youth, a lifeline emerges in the form of a Yup’ik language immersion program in Anchorage.
As she participates in classroom activities, she engages with her ancestral language, sharing knowledge with peers and teachers. I’m learning more Yup’ik, Martin expressed, noting her efforts to communicate using the language with her mother and friends despite the challenges of living in a new environment.
In the wake of the typhoon, which caused extensive destruction in several coastal villages, nearly 700 homes were severely damaged or destroyed, forcing families into shelters in Anchorage.
In an effort to maintain cultural continuity, the Anchorage School District’s Yup’ik immersion program welcomes 71 new students who were displaced due to the floods. This program, vital in preserving Yup’ik culture, allows students to receive their education partly in their native language.
With more than 100 languages spoken among students, the district has emphasized language immersion, including Yup’ik, which has been crucial in inviting Alaska Native youth into a focused educational environment that reinforces their identity.
Principal Darrell Berntsen, himself an Alaska Native from Kodiak Island, voiced the importance of cultural connection in the school experience. Listening is a big part of our culture — hearing their stories, letting them know they are welcome in our school, he mentioned, highlighting the school’s efforts to make new arrivals feel at home despite their challenging circumstances.
Through these programs, generations of Yup’ik language and culture continue to flourish, enabling children to communicate with elders, many of whom never had an opportunity to learn their native tongue. This revival of language and tradition serves as a remedy against the trauma faced by Indigenous populations.
I took this as a great opportunity for us to give back some of what trauma had taken from our Indigenous people, Berntsen stated, underscoring the significance of cultural resilience in the face of adversity.
