Cultural Heritage

We Built Bristol Bay

Our history of migration, social integration, and technology innovations have evolved into a place based culture that is the foundation of rich contemporary life that clearly bears the marks of the unbroken threads of innovation and adaptation that have spawned a deeply resilient culture that has stood the test of time for thousands of years. Embedded in these “tangles” of the threads of history is a story about the evolution of a contemporary food centered culture that that begins in prehistoric times that has weathered the storms of exploration, natural disasters, epidemics and resource management attempts to become a distinct region that is home to the last great sustainably managed fishery in the world. We Built Bristol Bay is a series of design oriented explorations of these themes that is intended to foster knowledge retention and cultural identity to promote community resiliency, sustainable tourism and economic development in the region. The approach to this work goes beyond superficial lifestyle sketches and dives directly into the vast archives cultural resources. This ongoing project is made possible by the support of tradition bearers, historians and archeologists to inform the work, inspire engagement. These partnerships ensure that the work carries an educational and interpretive depth that honors Indigenous Tribes and makes academic work more accessible to the public.