Edible Alaska

Nikipiaq Life

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Jacob and his eldest child, Kahlia, portion out and cut their crew’s share of a bowhead whale caught during the spring hunt.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Jacob and Molly Lane outside their home in Point Hope with their youngest child.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Molly boils the braided mixture on the stove top. She learned many traditional dishes, including this one, from her mother-in-law, Della Lane. It happens to be her husband’s favorite, so she’s had lots of experience preparing it.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Molly braids ringed seal intestines and seal fat together.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Molly watches crew members divide up shares of muktuk from the spring whale hunt.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Trails to access the sea ice edge are laboriously cut through pressure ridges of ice that have been built up by shifting currents.

• Photo by Nathaniel Wilder

  Jacob and Molly’s youngest daughter helps Jacob package seal meat that he has cut up to store.