Boraas to speak on "Salmon Cultures of Bristol Bay," April 10

On Wednesday, April 10, Dr. Alan Boraas will give a presentation, “Fish, Family, Freedom, and Sacred Water: The Salmon Cultures of Bristol Bay,” based on research he conducted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Bristol Bay watershed assessment. Boraas, a professor of anthropology at Kenai Peninsula College, will share insights about the value of wild salmon to the cultures of Bristol Bay. The presentation is free and open to the public. (PebbleWatch previously wrote about Dr. Boraas’ work in July 2012.)

Location: University of Alaska Anchorage, Fine Arts Recital Hall, 3640 Alumni Drive

Event time: Wednesday, April 10, 7 p.m.

News articles on earlier presentations by Dr. Alan Boraas

Boraas interviewed 53 elders in Dena’ina and Yup’ik villages throughout Bristol Bay’s watershed. He was tasked by the Environmental Protection Agency to decipher the cultural values of wild salmon to the region’s Alaska Native residents and the potential effects to these families should the fishery and water be compromised by development of an industrial mining district. His research reveals insights into a culture working to maintain their traditional ways.