Mertarvik, Alaska Explained

Mertarvik (; Mertarvik in Athapascan languages pronounced as /məg'təgvɪk/) is a village in the Bethel Census Area, Alaska. In 2019 the first residents from the town of Newtok, which is eroding, began to arrive.^[1]

By 2020, about 130 residents were there. In 2020, the State of Alaska had not sent voting primary forms to the village because of how new it was.^[2]

Education

The Lower Kuskokwim School District operates the Mertarvik Pioneer School, which is a continuation of Newtok's Ayaprun School.^[3] As of 2020, it uses temporary facilities in the Mertarvik Education Center (MEC) before a permanent school is to be constructed. The school has teachers using English and Yugtun as mediums of instruction.^[4] The Mertarvik school's initial enrollment was 10 and it began operations on October 14, 2019.^[5] It initially had four teachers, with half using each language as a medium.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kim. Greg. After 20 Year Wait, Newtok Residents Leave Home To Pioneer Mertarvik. KYUK . Bethel Broadcasting, Incorporated. 2019-10-22. 2020-10-01.
2. Web site: Kim. Greg. Mertarvik Residents Didn't Receive Primary Ballots Because State Didn’t Know People Lived There. KYUK . Bethel Broadcasting, Incorporated. 2020-09-30. 2020-10-01.
3. Web site: Home. Ayaprun School. 2020-10-01.
4. Web site: Newtok Planning Group Newtok Relocation News. Alaska Department of Commerce. 2020-10-01.
5. Web site: First Residents Move to Mertarvik. Alaska Department of Commerce. 2020-10-01.