Iliamna Lake villages need jobs and a future

The season for salmon is upon us, and I am ready for the bounty it brings. I was born in Pedro Bay and after a journey away, I now live in Iliamna. I made my home here nearly 40 years ago and am thankful every day that I was able to return.

I know many young people who have left our community who want the same thing. They want to come back and make their homes here. Like me, they love our way of life. They love our traditions and our heritage.

I am reminded of the names of places that I used to know. Places like Pile Bay, Lonesome Bay, Chechok, Goose Bay, Fox Bay, and Millets Point. Places where people lived that have died out due to no jobs or no school. This even happened to Pedro Bay, which saw its school close in 2011.

Life in the villages is tough. Many left in search of jobs or other opportunities. The costs are high and it is expensive to fly back and forth to places like Anchorage. For those who stay and can’t find work, there are many challenges and temptations.

Village life is tough. Many elders remember only the good times yet, I still recall the stories from my grandmother about the hard times – when food was scarce and she faced starvation. Life is a little easier now, as we have the modern conveniences. But this costs money.

My family has been fortunate. We established a small business and have learned to meet the challenges it presents. Life in Iliamna changed with the beginning of exploration work from Pebble Mine. They leased buildings, hired locals for a variety of jobs and brought a level of activity that was exciting.

Since their arrival, many of us have worked with them and talked with them about their plans. Our main concern has always been about the salmon, and they get that. While mining may not be a first choice for many of us, the potential it could bring is important. There are many opportunities that come from the activity it would generate. Not just the jobs. Other businesses could develop as people find out what the operations need and find a way to deliver that. There could also be a road and lower utility costs.

My mom was excited about the opportunity to have a road that connected to Pedro Bay and on to the coast. She always talked about hoping to have a ride on the road while she was with us. Now, with the renewed talk about a road along the north shore of Iliamna Lake, I hope I might be able to have her wish.

As someone who has watched many issues get discussed through the years, including Pebble, I have hoped that our villages would have a greater voice. Many of our regional leaders, like Bristol Bay Native Corporation, aren’t as connected with the views of the villages around the lake because they don’t spend a lot of time here. They come to tell us how things will be rather than spending time to listen to the challenges we face. People leaving – especially our young people — high costs, and no jobs are real issues. They have been challenges since before we had ever heard the word Pebble.

I recently learned that BBNC had turned down an offer to host a revenue-sharing program from the development of Pebble and an offer to be a major contractor. I was shocked they turned down potential jobs and money for our people. They didn’t even have to change their opposition to the project. Short-sighted decisions like this when it comes to the villages is unfortunately too common. To my neighbors around the lake, these decisions are viewed as all about the coastal hubs like Dillingham and leaders who don’t want to see issues through our eyes.

I know that jobs and economic opportunity are necessary for our future. I know the salmon are important, and so are our traditions. Our ties to our culture run deep. They are fundamental to who we are and how we maintain our ties to our heritage. I see it in my children and grandchildren. They love our wonderful way of life out here. They love to visit and wish they could stay. The challenge is how do we accomplish this balance with our desire for modern conveniences like a dishwasher and the internet. These cost money, which requires an income in a place where the jobs are few and far between.

Do I support what Pebble could bring? Sure I do, and so do many of my friends, family and neighbors. Do I support the salmon? Of course I do.

We need leaders who can help us achieve both, because the path of the status quo (the real “no Pebble”) in “this place that has always been” guarantees our young people will continue to leave. And that is a path I prefer not to take.

Ethel Adcox grew up in Pedro Bay and now lives in Iliamna.

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