The Norton Sound/Bering Strait region of Alaska has 10,046 residents, according to 2020 US Census Bureau report. About 75 percent are Alaska Native and fall into three distinct linguistic and cultural groups: Inupiaq, Central Yup’ik, and Siberian Yupik. Many residents still live traditional lifestyles, relying on the land and sea for much of their food. Village elders are the cultural and spiritual leaders of their communities. Subsistence gathering and preparation of traditional foods, Eskimo dancing, and efforts to preserve Native languages are very important to many of these communities today.
