S.O.S. Project — Save Our Shishmaref

The Last Days of Shishmaref
An Inupiaq Community Swallowed by the Sea
Written and directed by Jan Louter
Director of Photography Melle Van Essen
http://www.thelastdaysofshishmaref.net

The village of Shishmaref was invited to preview the film in early September before being premiered at the Dutch Film Festival on September 27th, 2008 at the Rembrandt Theatre UTRECHT
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We were awed at the sensitivity of the film and impressed that Jan and Melle were able to tell the whole story by letting the people of Shishmaref show it in their everyday lives.

The documentary will also be showing at the Sundance Film Festival this coming Spring. To find out more see The Last Days of Shishmaref site.

Read and view the KTUU News Story at http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10167127 Please share your comments with their news station link and with the SOS Site.

Our Congratulations to Brice Eningowuk, Shishmaref’s new Village Transportation Planner and the primary contact for Shishmaref’s Relocation Coalition.

Contact Information for Brice

Brice Eningowuk
Kawerak, Inc.
Village Transportation Planner
P.O. Box 72100
Shishmaref, Alaska 99772
(907) 649-2289 Line 1
(907) 649-2290 Line 2
beningowuk@kawerak.org
Welcome to the cause Brice!!!!
(907) 649-4461 Fax

February 26, 2009

Community Improvement Association
Karis Koett
Unalakleet Schools
PO Box 130
Unalakleet, AK 99684

Dear Karis Koett and the Community Improvement Association,

We, the students of Shishmaref, want to extend a heartfelt thanks to your Community Improvement Association for raising awareness and fundraising for our SOS (Save Our Shishmaref) Project. The relocation of our village will be a costly endeavor and your generous donation is greatly appreciated.

Quyaana thank you,

Students of Shishmaref

UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Environmental Knowledge for Change, with support from the Research Council of Norway prepared a set of posters for the International Polar Year (IPY). You can find their websites at http://www.grida.no/polar/ipy/2839.aspx and http://www.grida.no/polar/ipy/2460.aspx

International Polar Year (IPY) extends over two years from March 2007 to March 2009 and is planned to be the largest ever international research programme in the Polar Regions.

The village of Shishmaref well remembers the visits of Helene and Guy while they prepared their photos and writing for the book Climate Refugees. Created in 2001, the Collectif Argos team was comprised of ten journalists, photographers, and writers. You can view many of the photos and purchase the book at their official website Argos Collectif. Magazine article link at
http://www.cafebabel.com/eng/article/26974/argos-collective-climate-refugees-photos-worldwide.html

Theresa Olanna and Frieda Grierson received Certificates of Excellence from the SOS project during Shishmaref School’s latest awards assembly. Wherever Frieda travels, she has been recruiting other students and organizations to either raise funds for or raise awareness of the plight of Shishmaref. Both students have been raising funds in the village through collection cans and Bingo 50/50 games. Theresa recently spoke to Senator Mark Begich at the Alaska Association of Student Government seminar in Palmer, Alaska assuring that he was not only aware of Shishmaref’s situation, but that he would advocate for funding of relocation.

Photographer Gilles Mingasson was featured in the New York Times along with other artists. The New York Times link. Gilles personal website collection includes The End of Shishmaref. The house shown in his collection is the house that Joe and I live in.

Our sincerest thanks to Mr. Schatzinger’s Class who generously donated funds they earned on behalf of the SOS Relocation Program. While we were interviewing for Alaska news organizations, below you’ll see Mr. Schatzinger’s class made the papers as well in Germany.

SOS and 6th graders meet with Congressman Don Young and were given the opportunity to share the SOS blog site and ask questions. Congressman Young assured us that we would not have to move to Kotzebue and Nome.