Along the banks of the upper Kuskokwim River in the summer of 2014, 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 world. Unstable world. It keeps people together, friendly to each other” - Nick Alexia, First Chief of Edzeno’ Village Council