LITTLE DIOMEDE
ETYMOLOGY native name: Iŋaliq, meaning «the other one» or «the one over
there» / COORDINATES 65°45’30’’N 168°57’6’’W (most western point of the USA) /
COUNTRY United States of America (from 16 august 1867) / STATE Alaska (since
1970) / SETTLEMENT 1 city Diomede, situated on the west coast of the Island facing
the Big Diomede Island / POPULATION (2010) 115 : 41 households, and 34 families.
95% is Native American / TIME ZONE Alaska (UTC-9) / ZIP CODE 99762 / AREA
(land) 7,4km2 /
Alaska AK 99762
United States of America
GEOGRAPHY one of the two emerged territories of the Diomede Islands. The islands
are in the process of submerging, as 135 years ago, it is said the two islands were
connected by a sand pit. The islands are extinct volcanoes / CLIMAT subarctic
climate, extra tropical cyclones and artic anticyclones in winter. Temperature: +5 >
+10 °C in summer and -23 < -14 °C in winter. / ORIGIN believed to be the former site
of a hunting campsite 3000 years ago. The islands were discovered by Vitus Bering
on the 16 august 1867. He named the islands after martyr St. Diomede who was
celebrated in Russian Orthodox Church on that date. The United States purchased
Alaska in 1867 which included Little Diomede. A new boundary was drawn between
Russia and the United States of America.
LIVING IN DIOMEDE
International Date Line
ELECTRICITY an electrical system was built in the 1970s, it is produced by fuel
generators / WATER water in winter in drawn from a mountain source, but the resources
are limited, and family need to melt snow and ice for drinking water. Permafrost does
not allow for any pipes to be burried in the ground / HOUSING 41 houses, 17 have
been upgraded since 2004, 3 new have been constructed. There is no property tax
on the island. The inhabitants start by renting their housing and go toward eventually
ownership. Land for new dwellings is lacking / FOOD the diet is mainly of fish and a
few vegetables and roots that can grow on the islands (eskimo potatoes, cabbage...).
It is completed by some mainland food (imported once a year by barge) / POST
SERVICE once a week by chopper when the sea is ice free, more regularly by plane
when the ice-airport open / EDUCATION There is one school (up to grade 8) in the
village: 41 students for 5 teachers The school underwent a 6 000 000 $ renovation in
2011 / HEALTH civic council clinic with minimal care, in case of emergency, patients
are airlifted to the mainland hospital in Nome. A newer Clinic is in project / EXTERNAL
TRANSPORT : SEA there is no harbor on the coast, the few ships that come in summer
time have to anchor. AIR in the summer month, a chopper can land from Nome, in
winter, if the ice and weather permits an air runway is built Moreover air travel is quite
expensive, so very few inhabitants ever leave the islands for leisure / INTERNAL
TRANSPORT: there is no need for public transportation in the village, everywhere is
accessible by foot via boardwalks and stairs to housing / CULTURE a few elders still
speak the native language. Tribal dances classes are held every saturday. An heritage
program is under way to keep all the traditions alive, and reinforce them into the daily
lives. Traditional skills include skin sewing, ivory carving / RELIGION Catholic, one
church on the island, first solid building / ECONOMY mostly fishing (walrus, whale,
fish ...) 3 permits are delivered for commercial use. Fishing for subsidence is a Native
Right. Most Inhabitants are working for the City Council either in the Post Office, in
the Office, in charge of the Water, the Power Plant, the 3 shops, the Washeria ... or
in seasonal activities such as construction (runway + reparations), transport, boat
fishing. / FUTURE & DEVELOPPEMENT The inhabitants are mainly content of their
subsistence lifestyle. Claims for developpement focus on a better communication for
the mainland, via better provided transport, more access to the Mainland, which will
lower the expenses of giong out of the island. There is a real strong will to preserve
the unique culture of the island, their traditions, language, skills and spirit.
Diomede
Berin
g Stra
it
International Date Line
BIG DIOMEDE
ISLAND
LITTLE DIOMEDE
ISLAND
yesterday ,
during the Cold War
ICE CURTAIN
Big Diomede and Little Diomede were in theory separated in 1867, when Russia sold
Alaska to the USA. The Eskimos living on both islands continued to visit one another,
and to cross the 3km between the two rocks. Up until the late 1940, the village people
were also very mobile, because of the climate and fishing activity. Some took residence
winter residence in Nome on the Mainland, and elaborated exchange goods. With the
Cold War, Big Diomede became a military base and all the native inhabitants were
removed to Mainland Russia. People from Little Diomede would be taken captive if
they approached the Russian Island. With the border being closed, the village people
accepted their remoteness and continued living on their side of the Bering Strait
unable to set foot on the nearest land.
With the International Date Line layered on the RUSSIA-USA border, the «ice curtain»
as it was called in the Cold War separates tomorrow in Russia to today in the USA!
45 km
to Russia
TOMORROW
0,6 km to
Tomorrow
3,9 k
m
Russia
29 km
to USA
(Alaska)
today
USA
1km
When the ice captures the sea, both islands are connected by a banquise.
It is a though ice doesn’t take into account the country, time or border. (see left - ice
episodes - starting in summer months - july september where the sea is bare, from
february to april the sea is emprisonned in ice, before it starts to break up ).
Geomorphology and Paleanthology studies have showned that both islands are
connected by the sea ground, are both linked to the same history and emerging
factor. We should consider the Diomedes as an Archipelago.
They have more in common then what separates them: Country, Currency, Time.
FUTURE TIME TRAVEL
Remote and scarcely inhabited, the Diomedes Island will not attract at first the biggest
funds. To answer the most urgent needs, such as better connection to the Mainland,
a former Marine Aircraft Carrier will be relocated in between the Islands to create a
«proper» airport. The emphasis should be put on preserving the local culture as well
as opening this heritage campaign to the wilderness and the scientist. In the summer
time, birds obersvation seminar can be held, in the winter, the study of the potential
wealth of the Bering Strait see water.
To supply power, hydrogenerator could be submerged, with pales that locks once,
the sea become ice.
Last, we have a dream, that the borders opens up, allowing us to set foot where
our eyes can look, and embark in a spectacular journey in time, between today and
tomorrow.
600 m to Tomorrow
BIG DIOMEDE
ISLAND
LITTLE DIOMEDE
ISLAND
SCIENCE - TOURISM
Bird observatory
Diomede Village
TRANSPORT new mutual airport
TOURISM
Ice camping - Igloo
-
TOURIST
time jumping !
CULTURE fishing techniques
rna
tion
al D
ate
Lin
e
ENERGY
Hydrogenerator
Inte
NATURE
Wildlife preserve
Berin
g Stra
it