Native Village of Port Graham

The people of Port Graham were the ancestral inhabitants of the Kenai Fjords. Prior to the arrival of the Russians during the late 1700’s, thousands lived and prospered along this rocky coast. A sophisticated culture of maritime hunters and gatherers thrived in Nuka Bay, Yalik Bay and Aialik Bay. Encompassing an area today of Kodiak Island, the Alaska Peninsula, Cook Inlet, and Prince William Sound the Sugpiaq, or more commonly, the Alutiiq, both past and present existence is based on the spiritual ties to the land, the bonds of kinship and belief, respect for Elders and community, and the shared practices and meanings of subsistence life. The spiritual relationship with the natural world is still deeply a part of hunting, fishing, and gathering. This connection is found in traditional art and objects – from kayaks to weapons, clothing, and hunting hats.The Russians coerced the Alutiiq inhabitants to hunt sea otter for the burgeoning fur trade. Eventually, all the people were relocated to Alexandrovsk (now Nanwalek) or Paluwik (now Port Graham) by the Russian missionaries during the late 1800’s. According to the U.S. Geological Survey in 1909, Port Graham later became the site of a cannery and wharf.