NIKOLAI’S FISH WHEEL AND THE LEGACY OF THE UPPER KUSKOKWIM

Along the banks of the upper Kuskokwim River in the summer of 2013, residents of the small community of Nikolai, Alaska received a grant from the National Park Service that made it possible to fund the creation of a fish wheel. A fish wheel, also known as a salmon wheel, is a device used to catch fish by way of paddles and wire baskets, which then carry the fish to a holding tank. The devices have also been used for centuries by indigenous Athabaskan people. One major hope for the project was that it would make fresh food accessible to anyone in the community that wanted it. The project not only provided food, but it also allowed the youth of Nikolai to learn about a tradition passed down to them by their elders.

“When my generation is gone, then our language and our way of life will be gone with us. So we want to teach the kids how it used to be. It is important to know where you come from and your identity and how our ancestors got to be who they are. They should learn to survive in case something happens in the world. It keeps people together, friendly to each other” - Nick Alexia, First Chief of Edzeno’ Village Council

An aerial image of the Kuskokwim River in Alaska. Photo by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a person gathering wood to assemble a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people talking around a Four Wheeler. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people assembling a fish wheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people pouring coffee. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A candid photo documenting an elder in the village of Nikolai smoking a cigarette. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting two youth in the village of Nikolai smiling and interacting with one another. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people talking on the shore of the Upper Kuskokwim River in Alaska. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a man standing in the Upper Kuskokwim River in Alaska to cool off. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a fish that was caught in the Upper Kuskokwim River. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people tying logs together to make a raft. The group is assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting two elders in the village of Nikolai watching a group work on a fish wheel. A Fishwheel is device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of young men assembling a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting an elder helping assemble a Fishwheel, a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people around a fish wheel in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting two people assembling a fish wheel in Alaska on the Kuskokwim River. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people around a fish wheel in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people around a fish wheel in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people around a fish wheel in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting an elder assembling a fish wheel on the Kuskokwim River in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a man holding rope on the shore of the Upper Kuskokwim River, helping put in a fish wheel in Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people launching a fish wheel in the Upper Kuskokwim River near Nikolai, Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a group of people launching a fish wheel in the Upper Kuskokwim River near Nikolai, Alaska. A fish wheel is a device Athabaskan people commonly use to catch fish. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting sun setting through trees in Nikolai, Alaska. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith
A photo documenting a four wheeler driving on a dirt road in Nikolai, Alaska, along the banks of the Upper Kuskokwim River. Documentary Photography by Charlotte Smith