The value of ethnography in times of change: The story of Emmonak

This paper considers the connections between the social science components of two major multidisciplinary research projects recently carried out in the Eastern Bering Sea: The Bering Ecosystem Study Program (BEST) and the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (BSIERP). Although the primary concern of the larger Integrated Bering Sea Project was oceanographic, a significant effort was made to understand the impacts of changes in the Eastern Bering Sea on coastal communities. We describe our complementary research in Emmonak in order to put the local and traditional knowledge (LTK) survey and interview data gathered during the BSIERP study into ethnographic and historical context to show how important time depth is in the interpretation of LTK. Taking examples from salmon fishing, seal harvesting, and local understandings of place, we argue that a comprehensive ethnographic approach, including both LTK and cultural history, is essential in understanding contemporary Bering Sea coastal communities.