BERING STRAITS NATIVE CORPORATION

The Bering Strait region spans most of Alaska’s Seward Peninsula and the coastal lands of eastern Norton Sound. The region encompasses 23,000 square miles and includes the Seward Peninsula, King Island and Little Diomede Island. It includes the villages of Shishmaref, Wales, Diomede, Brevig Mission, Teller, King Island, Mary’s Igloo, Council, White Mountain, Solomon, Nome, Golovin, Koyuk, Shaktoolik, Unalakleet, Stebbins and St. Michael. The region’s coastline covers 570 miles along the Bering Sea, Norton Sound and the Chukchi Sea. 

The region is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the state. Three distinct languages are spoken: Inupiaq, St. Lawrence Island Yupik and Central Yup’ik. For centuries, the areas north and west of Solomon were occupied by Inupiaq speakers, while the area to the east and south was the homeland of Yup’ik peoples. The people of the Diomede and King Islands are Inupiaq.