Over the last 10 years, the Lost Villages Project has helped Unangax̂ people to reconnect with the communities of Makushin, Kashega, Biorka, and Attu — none of which were resettled after the evacuation and Aleutian campaign of World War II.
Now, the project is being commemorated with a film premiere, a museum exhibit, and a reunion trip.
Seventeen people who participated in the Lost Villages Project are gathering in Unalaska for the events, which start Thursday, June 13 with a screening of KUCB's new documentary, "Tanadgusim Adan Chiilulix: Revisiting the Lost Villages of the Aleutian Islands."
All community members are invited to the free premiere — and the same goes for a storytelling session and exhibition opening on Friday, June 14.
The storytelling session will feature Unangax̂ evacuees and descendants of the lost villages. Meanwhile, the Museum of the Aleutians' new exhibit — "Chiilulix: The Long Journey Home" — will include photographs and items from the communities and their residents.
Please join us as we remember Makushin, Kashega, Biorka, and Attu — and learn from the people of these villages. Here's the schedule of events.
Thursday, June 13 at 6 p.m. — Premiere of KUCB's documentary, "Tanadgusim Adan Chiilulix: Revisiting the Lost Villages of the Aleutian Islands." The free event starts with a reception at the Grand Aleutian Hotel's Shishaldin Room, followed by the film screening.
Friday, June 14 at 2 p.m. — Storytelling luncheon featuring Unangax̂ evacuees and descendants who participated in the Lost Villages Project. Organized by the National Park Service and KUCB, the free event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Father Ishmail Gromoff Senior Center.
Friday, June 14 at 6 p.m. — Opening of the Museum of the Aleutians' exhibition, "Chiilulix: The Long Journey Home." The free event starts at 6 p.m. for museum and KUCB members, with an exhibit preview and a potluck of traditional Unangax̂ foods. The show will open to the wider public at 6:30 p.m.
KUCB's project is supported in part by a grant from the Alaska Humanities Forum and the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
