Myron P. Naneng

Biography

The early Eskimos who hunted and fished Hooper Bay called it Askinuk or Akinaghamiut. The town, which is located 20 miles south of Cape Romanzof, has been known by its current name since the early 1930s, when a local post office was established on the site. Today, Hooper Bay is a traditional Yup’ik community of over 1,000 people. Subsistence plays a primary role in residents’ lives, and harvested foods include salmon, walrus, beluga whale, waterfowl and berries. Many locals supplement their incomes with seasonal commercial fishing and processing, Bureau of Land Management fire fighting and handicrafts production. Winters can be harsh when seasonal ice pack and high winds cause severe weather. During this time, residents rely on snow machines and the winter trail to Scammon Bay. During summer, when temperatures are in the low 80s barge lines are able to deliver fuel and other bulk supplies to the village. The community recently installed three wind turbines, which began operating in fall of this year. The wind farm has displaced about 24 percent of the energy needed, which was previously generated by diesel fuel. Other potential development plans include a Fisheries Support Center to provide boat storage and sell fishing gear as well as a Naparyarmiut Arts and Crafts Cooperative for marketing and selling local handicrafts. 

Research Interest

 Aqua &agriculture