This village is just 50 miles from the town my daughter lives in. For the first time ever they now have running water in their homes.
@gettinaway How many towns in the US don't have running water in this day and age?
@KyleL Nationwide I don't no for sure. Many of the villages in western Alaska have limited services like water. They are mainly native areas and like native reservations in the lower 48 are very poor places. In western AK there are no roads going out to them. My daughter lives 400 air miles west of Anchorage and she lives in the 9th largest town in the state. They rely on flying to get in and out and get supplies. If the weather is bad supplies can be hard to get. Living is different out there.
@gettinaway Sounds rugged. While I know reservations are impoverished quite often, and the populations are (somewhat?) sovereign- is there not an agency of the US government that works with them to bring things like water and sewage and suchlike? Or maybe I don't understand what that agency is for?
@KyleL There is the Bureau of Indian Affairs but their funding is limited and a native corporation that helps some. Many of the people in western Alaska were still nomadic into the 1970's splitting time in summer and winter areas. Living on the tundra causes more unique problems with permafrost and transportation issues. Many of them live a subsistence based life. The village in this clip is about 100 miles from my daughter.
@gettinaway I learn something new all the time. Thanks; I hadn't thought of the tundra aspect; I wonder how sites in Russia and China handle those issues?
@KyleL They don't talk about it. The Yup'ik people of western Alaska are decedents of the Mongols. Many have family on the Russian side of the Bering Sea. Those in Russia are living in similar situations as those in Alaska.
@gettinaway Makes sense, as Russia owned Alaska once upon a time, and the whole 'land-bridge' thing before that.
I'm a city lad, and even though I've been in some surprisingly primal places, and done just fine, I am far too fond of running water, electricity, and insulated walls. It surprises me still to think of established towns in major powers to lack those things. A bit naive, I suppose, but still.
@KyleL I was shocked the first time I visited my daughter out there. She was born an extreme preemie and lives with cerebral palsy. Yet she lovesit. Her being out there has opened my eyes to the terrible conditions our poorer areas in the USA deal with.
@gettinaway It's amazing when we see that not everyone has what we take for granted. Very humbling. I'm pleased to hear your daughter loves it so- what led her there?
@KyleL It is very humbling for sure!
My daughter went through many special needs programs to reach graduation. She decided she wanted to be a Special Needs Teacher after that. Right after finishing college she attended a job fair. There were reps from the Lower Kuskokwim School district. She came home with stories of students with disabilities living on the tundra and decided it was her calling. That was 15 years ago.
I made this a few years ago.
@gettinaway That is one fantastic kid you have there- I love her story! You did good raising that one. The RAF slogan comes to mind: Per ardua ad astra; through struggle to the stars. She's certainly in the 'star' category.
@KyleL Even on days her cerebral palsy causes her a lot of pain she wears that smile. She loves life!
@gettinaway The world needs more people like your daughter!
@KyleL Thank you! I agree completely! She is a special person.
@gettinaway That they have. And I can't help but smile at her doing it with a grin.