On the shores of Nuchek Island, approximately twenty minutes by air from Cordova, within the Prince William Sound, children and elders of the Chugach people spend time together to relive their heritage. The camp is designed to raise awareness of the origin and history of the people in the Prince William Sound and to heighten awareness of their history and culture. Activities include gathering and preparing subsistence foods, language lessons, woodcarving, beading, traditional singing and dancing. Storytelling with Elders provides important lessons in culture, history and learning the values of the Chugach community.
The Old Village of Nuuciq
The old village of Nuuciq is located on a 800-acre island at the entrance to Prince William Sound. In the late 1790’s, the Russians came to this area and built a fortress and trading center that served all of south central Alaska. This center was called Fort Saint Constantine and Helen.
At one time, this area was claimed by many nations. The Russians claimed this area by burying a bronze plate with a double-headed eagle. The Spaniards claimed this area by erecting a large cross. The English buried a wine bottle with coins and the Americans hosted a flag. Now Nuchek is owned and controlled by the original landlords – the Chugach People.
Nuuciq is once again coming alive and emerging out of the history books as a location of beauty, history, and cultural pride. For the last six years, the Nuuciq Spirit camp has brought together the young and old in celebration of our thousands of years of occupation as the original settlers of this great land. The younger generation is coming from every community within our region to learn from the past and to enjoy the new friendship they have made.
In recent years Nuuciq has grown with leaps and bounds. Our ancestors would have been proud to see a village grow out of the ruins of the past with such a great opportunity for the future generations.