Mekoryuq

Mekoryuq is on the northern shore of Nunivak Island, across Etolin Strait from the mainland. The island is the homeland of the Nuniwarmiut, or Nunivak Cup’ig, whose language is a distinctive variety related to Central Yup’ik. Their communities hunted sea mammals, fished and travelled among the island’s coasts and camps. In 1821 Russian-American Company explorers reached Nunivak and recorded people living in sixteen villages. The islanders also maintained trading and cultural ties with the Qaluyaarmiut of neighbouring Nelson Island.