Picking blueberries fills more than just a bucket.
Laureli Ivanoff
Laureli Ivanoff is an Inupiaq writer and journalist based in Uŋalaqłiq (Unalakleet), on the west coast of what’s now called Alaska. Her column “The Seasons of Uŋalaqłiq” explores the seasonality of living in direct relationship with the land, water, plants and animals in and around Uŋalaqłiq.
Posted inJanuary 11, 2024: The Creatures in Our Midst
A bear hunt illuminates the complexities of a marriage
Will the gift of a significant harvest be individual or shared?
Posted inNovember 1, 2023: November 1, 2023
Beauty is always bigger than the pain
A writer finds what she needs on a snowy walk through a cherished and familiar landscape.
Posted inAugust 1, 2023: In the Line of Fire
The abundance of subsistence
Losing salmon means losing more than just food.
Posted inMay 1, 2023: Reemergence
Where the first spring harvest relies on a still-frozen ocean
In coastal Western Alaska, wildlife and humans alike rely on good, thick ice.
Posted inApril 1, 2023: The Path Forward
A thriving community keeps mushing traditions alive in southwest Alaska
Sled-dog race organizations and volunteers support mushers on the Kuskokwim River.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2023: The Reveal
Foods harvested throughout the seasons make up a wintertime meal
An Inupiaq writer describes the fellowship and delight of a Native supper.
Posted inOctober 1, 2022: Making Refuge
A family works together to fill the freezer for another year
In Alaska, a fall moose hunt is a collective effort.
Posted inJune 1, 2022: A Legacy of Weapons and War
How cooking, eating and harvesting beach greens ties a family together
An Inupiaq writer remembers her family roots through a favorite dish.
Posted inFebruary 1, 2022: Essential
Rekindling connections in the small flame of a qulliq
An Inupiaq writer welcomes the nourishing glow of a seal oil lamp into her home.