UGIUVAK
KING ISLAND
Ugiuvak
King Island was historically occupied by Inupiat, who call themselves “Ugiuvaŋmiut.” The Island is called Ugiuvak in Inupiaq which roughly translates to, a place for winter. Unbeknown of the Island’s name to Captain Cook in 1778, he gave the Island an English name, King Island, for his Lt. James King.
The village was occupied during the winter by approximately 200 Inupiat, who achieved fame as hunters, ivory carvers and dancers, they lived in walrus-skin dwellings lashed to the face of a cliff. The Ugiuvaŋmiut subsisted on walrus, seal, birds, berries, and plants. The island had a natural cold storage cave (Qaitquq) used for long term food storage. Every summer, the entire population would travel to the mainland by qayaq and umiaq. They would stay on mainland for a few months to hunt and fish for caribou, salmon, and to gather berries and greens.
In 1929 a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school and a Catholic church was built. Once Nome was founded, the Ugiuvaŋmiut customarily camped near town each summer to sell their intricate ivory carvings. In 1937, Lt. Commander R.C. Sarratt reported that the village was comprised of 190 residents, 45 houses, a Catholic church, and a school with electric lights, heat, and running water. That year, 200 walruses and 2,000 seals were harvested by Ugiuvaŋmiut. During this time, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Northland was transporting Ugiuvaŋmiut to Nome where they set up camp at the edge of Nome.
The decline of King Island’s population is attributed to several factors, mainly due to the forced relocation from King Island to Nome in 1958 when the BIA closed the school. Children were forcibly removed from their parents’ arms to attend school in Nome. Other factors such as health care was hard to access on the island. There were increased cases of tuberculosis, which led to those who were sick to be sent to a sanitarium on the mainland. The introduction of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 provided post-eight grade education at Indian boarding schools on mainland. In 1960, 49 residents were counted by the U.S. Census and that year the church was closed. By 1966, there were no long Ugiuvaŋmiut living on the island.
King Islanders had been settling in Nome every summer on the East End of town, which they called Qiġutaq. There was no electricity, running water, or waste services at the site and attempts were made to request federal assistance to establish a new village at Cape Woolley for the relocated King Islanders. World War II Quonset huts and abandoned Gold Rush buildings were used as shared homes by the Ugiuvaŋmiut at Qiġutaq.
During the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act negotiations, King Island Native Corporation was established and received title to land around Cape Woolley and Woolley Lagoon as well as all of King Island.
In 1974 a series of three severe Bering Sea storms caused a 10-12 foot storm surge that required the King Islanders to evacuate with no notice, resulting in the loss of their homes, tools, valuables, food storages, and equipment. The storm surge moved vessels and barges through the East End community destroying many remaining standing structures before the water receded. The Ugiuvaŋmiut dispersed across Nome to emergency shelter and family and friends. In the 1990s a federal housing program replaced the homes of King Islanders near the historic East End community. Today, the King Islanders are year-round residents of Nome.
King Island Native Community IRA Council
Heather Payenna, Tribal Chief
Term Ends: December 2025
NSHC Board Rep
Seat G
Dale Ellanna, Vice – Chief
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat C
Madelyn “Kiminaq” Alvanna-Stimpfle, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat D
Leona Mayac, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat B
Kaitlyn “Qattaq” Sebwenna-Painter, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat A
Benjamin Payenna, Secretary/Tresurer
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat E
Asaaluk Nichols, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat F
Ugiuvak
King Island was historically occupied by Inupiat, who call themselves “Ugiuvaŋmiut.” The Island is called Ugiuvak in Inupiaq which roughly translates to, a place for winter. Unbeknown of the Island’s name to Captain Cook in 1778, he gave the Island an English name, King Island, for his Lt. James King.
The village was occupied during the winter by approximately 200 Inupiat, who achieved fame as hunters, ivory carvers and dancers, they lived in walrus-skin dwellings lashed to the face of a cliff. The Ugiuvaŋmiut subsisted on walrus, seal, birds, berries, and plants. The island had a natural cold storage cave (Qaitquq) used for long term food storage. Every summer, the entire population would travel to the mainland by qayaq and umiaq. They would stay on mainland for a few months to hunt and fish for caribou, salmon, and to gather berries and greens.
In 1929 a Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) school and a Catholic church was built. Once Nome was founded, the Ugiuvaŋmiut customarily camped near town each summer to sell their intricate ivory carvings. In 1937, Lt. Commander R.C. Sarratt reported that the village was comprised of 190 residents, 45 houses, a Catholic church, and a school with electric lights, heat, and running water. That year, 200 walruses and 2,000 seals were harvested by Ugiuvaŋmiut. During this time, the United States Coast Guard Cutter Northland was transporting Ugiuvaŋmiut to Nome where they set up camp at the edge of Nome.
The decline of King Island’s population is attributed to several factors, mainly due to the forced relocation from King Island to Nome in 1958 when the BIA closed the school. Children were forcibly removed from their parents’ arms to attend school in Nome. Other factors such as health care was hard to access on the island. There were increased cases of tuberculosis, which led to those who were sick to be sent to a sanitarium on the mainland. The introduction of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 provided post-eight grade education at Indian boarding schools on mainland. In 1960, 49 residents were counted by the U.S. Census and that year the church was closed. By 1966, there were no long Ugiuvaŋmiut living on the island.
King Islanders had been settling in Nome every summer on the East End of town, which they called Qiġutaq. There was no electricity, running water, or waste services at the site and attempts were made to request federal assistance to establish a new village at Cape Woolley for the relocated King Islanders. World War II Quonset huts and abandoned Gold Rush buildings were used as shared homes by the Ugiuvaŋmiut at Qiġutaq.
During the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act negotiations, King Island Native Corporation was established and received title to land around Cape Woolley and Woolley Lagoon as well as all of King Island.
In 1974 a series of three severe Bering Sea storms caused a 10-12 foot storm surge that required the King Islanders to evacuate with no notice, resulting in the loss of their homes, tools, valuables, food storages, and equipment. The storm surge moved vessels and barges through the East End community destroying many remaining standing structures before the water receded. The Ugiuvaŋmiut dispersed across Nome to emergency shelter and family and friends. In the 1990s a federal housing program replaced the homes of King Islanders near the historic East End community. Today, the King Islanders are year-round residents of Nome.
King Island Native Community IRA Council
Heather Payenna, Tribal Chief
Term Ends: December 2025
NSHC Board Rep
Seat G
Dale Ellanna, Vice – Chief
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat C
Madelyn “Kiminaq” Alvanna-Stimpfle, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat D
Leona Mayac, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat B
Kaitlyn “Qattaq” Sebwenna-Painter, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat A
Benjamin Payenna, Secretary/Tresurer
Term Ends: December 2025
Seat E
Asaaluk Nichols, Tribal Council Member
Term Ends: December 2026
Seat F