Harvest: Quyurciq

Harvest: Quyurciq

30 year old Yup'ik fur sewer and hunter Peter Williams is among a dwindling number of young indigenous Alaskans that choose to live a traditional Native lifestyle. Peter harvests and crafts the fur of the same mammal that motivated Russia's colonization of Alaska over 250 year ago: the sea otter. Though Colonial Russia's consuming desire for otter furs brought disease, slavery and cultural genocide to Alaska's indigenous peoples, the respectful harvest and craftwork of these animals today has the potential to reconnect Alaska Natives to their traditional subsistence roots, and restore a rich cultural identity that is severely endangered.