Quinhagak, Alaska
Encyclopedia
Quinhagak (Kuinerraq in Central Alaskan Yup'ik
) is a city in Bethel Census Area, Alaska
, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 555.
The Yupik
name for the village is Kuinerraq, meaning "new river channel." It has been dated to at least 1000 AD.
and near the Arolik River, approximately a mile from the Kuskokwim Bay
of the Bering Sea
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which, 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (10.86%) is water.
, 96.04% Native American
, and 1.26% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 137 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 4.52.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 37.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 109.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,156, and the median income for a family was $25,313. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $36,250 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $8,127. About 27.2% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.0% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.
industry and cannery, and the population during the summer salmon
season increases as workers from other area villages migrate to Quinhagak to work.
Most Quinhagak households practice subsistence hunting and gathering
in addition to any wage work they are able to find, utilizing the village's excellent location for salmon
and trout
fishing, bird, caribou, and moose hunting
, and berry
picking. Much of the work available is government-funded (through the Lower Kuskokwim School District, which runs the local school, or through the Native Village of Kwinhagak) or seasonal (commercial fishing and/or canning).
Central Alaskan Yup'ik language
Central Alaskan Yup'ik or just Yup'ik is a Yupik language of the Eskimo language family, in turn a member of the Eskimo–Aleut language group, spoken in western and southwestern Alaska. Both in ethnic population and in number of speakers, Central Alaskan Yup'ik is the largest of the languages...
) is a city in Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Bethel Census Area is a census area located in the U.S. state of Alaska. As of 2000, the population is 16,006. It is part of the unorganized borough and therefore has no borough seat...
, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 555.
The Yupik
Central Alaskan Yup'ik people
The Yup'ik people , are an Eskimo people of western and southwestern Alaska ranging from southern Norton Sound southwards along the coast of the Bering Sea on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and along the northern coast of Bristol Bay as far east as Nushagak Bay and the northern Alaska...
name for the village is Kuinerraq, meaning "new river channel." It has been dated to at least 1000 AD.
Geography
Quinhagak is located at 59.753374°N 161.902701°W. It is situated on the Kanektok RiverKanektok River
The Kanektok River is a river in Alaska. It is located in the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and flows westward from Pegati Lake and into the Bering Sea at the city of Quinhagak.-See also:*List of Alaska rivers*Togiak Wilderness...
and near the Arolik River, approximately a mile from the Kuskokwim Bay
Kuskokwim Bay
Kuskokwim Bay is a bay in southwestern Alaska, at about . It is about long, and wide.The Kuskokwim River empties into Kuskokwim Bay. The bay got its name from the river. The largest community on the bay is the city of Quinhagak....
of the Bering Sea
Bering Sea
The Bering Sea is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean. It comprises a deep water basin, which then rises through a narrow slope into the shallower water above the continental shelves....
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 5.2 square miles (13.5 km²), of which, 4.7 square miles (12.2 km²) of it is land and 0.6 square miles (1.6 km²) of it (10.86%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 555 people, 137 households, and 113 families residing in the city. The population density was 118.5 people per square mile (45.8/km²). There were 153 housing units at an average density of 32.7 per square mile (12.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 2.70% WhiteRace (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 96.04% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.26% from two or more races. 0.72% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 137 households out of which 50.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 12.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.8% were non-families. 12.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 1.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 4.05 and the average family size was 4.52.
In the city the age distribution of the population shows 37.1% under the age of 18, 9.5% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 16.0% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females there were 109.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 115.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,156, and the median income for a family was $25,313. Males had a median income of $23,750 versus $36,250 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $8,127. About 27.2% of families and 26.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 34.0% of those under age 18 and 25.0% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The village hosts a commercial fishingFishing industry
The fishing industry includes any industry or activity concerned with taking, culturing, processing, preserving, storing, transporting, marketing or selling fish or fish products....
industry and cannery, and the population during the summer salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
season increases as workers from other area villages migrate to Quinhagak to work.
Most Quinhagak households practice subsistence hunting and gathering
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
in addition to any wage work they are able to find, utilizing the village's excellent location for salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
and trout
Trout
Trout is the name for a number of species of freshwater and saltwater fish belonging to the Salmoninae subfamily of the family Salmonidae. Salmon belong to the same family as trout. Most salmon species spend almost all their lives in salt water...
fishing, bird, caribou, and moose hunting
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, and berry
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
picking. Much of the work available is government-funded (through the Lower Kuskokwim School District, which runs the local school, or through the Native Village of Kwinhagak) or seasonal (commercial fishing and/or canning).