Faith, Fortitude, and Perseverance.
To know our history is to know pride, tragedy, hope, and renewal.
A Story of Endurance.
CHENEGA (CHEH-NEE’-GAH)
The story of the Chenega (cheh-nee’-gah) people is one of tenacity and endurance in the face of astounding hardship. The people of the Chenega Tribe have lived in the area of Prince William Sound for some 10,000 years, fishing the sound’s waters and harvesting the abundance of the land.
They are part of the Alutiiq (ah-loo’-tik) tribal family.
The native language of the Chenega people is a dialect of Alutiiq, called Suqcestun (sooks’-toon).
For centuries, a village on the southern tip of Chenega Island was home to the Chenega people. The word Chenega means “beneath the mountain.” This area in Prince William Sound was the hub of the early history of the Chenega people. The rich waters of Prince William Sound provided well for the people, but also brought many changes.
On Good Friday, March 27, 1964
the island Village of Chenega was destroyed by a tsunami created by a massive 9.2 magnitude earthquake. The loss of life was catastrophic. In this single event, centuries of history were washed away. More than 1/3 of the Chenega people lost their lives that day. With the village gone, they were relocated to Tatitlek, Cordova, and Anchorage. Chenega suffered the highest percentage of loss of life of any community in the earthquake.
Evans Island, Prince William Sound
In 1971, the U.S. Congress enacted the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA). This Act granted the original residents of Chenega title to over 70,000 acres of land in Prince William Sound, paving the way for the Chenega Corporation, which was established three years later in 1974. The tides of Prince William Sound came and went for twenty years following the tsunami without seeing a new home for the Chenega people. Then, in 1984, a group of former villagers established the village of Chenega Bay on Evans Island, in Prince William Sound. But tragedy was about to strike again.
25 years to the day
In 1989, 25 years to the day after the tragic tsunami and the devastation of the village, the EXXON Valdez oil tanker ran aground in Prince William Sound, spilling millions of gallons of oil into the ocean. The tides carried the slick black water to the beaches of the newly established Chenega Village, wiping out the Chenega People’s sole means of livelihood, commercial fishing. Damage to the natural environment and wildlife also crippled the subsistence life of the Chenega People.
The Chenega Corporation chose to participate in the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council Habitat Restoration Program, which protected large blocks of land harmed by the spill. In 1997, Chenega Corporation sold a portion of its native land to the United States Forest Service and the State of Alaska “Habitat Transaction” for $34,000,000. With this capital, the corporation developed a strategic plan, which included a substantial business development investment in federal government services contracting as part of the United States Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Program.
Beginning in 1998, the Corporation began to diversify its portfolio with investments in various commercial properties in Anchorage which include the Clarion Suites Convention Center hotel, the Quality Suites Downtown and the Voyager Hotel, and Rodeway Inn.
Over time, the Village of Chenega Bay has also steadily developed. It has a fully operating medical clinic, a beautiful Orthodox Christian Church, a school and community hall, a subsistence center, airport, and small harbor. A system of generators and fuel tanks keep the residents in constant supply of power. There is also a ferry dock used by the State of Alaska ferry system as part of the Alaska Marine Highway System, and, notably, the community also has a sophisticated response system for oil spills operated by the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company.
After taking a great leap of faith at considerable risk, the Chenega Corporation today ranks among the top 5 most successful Alaskan-owned businesses in the state and continues to exemplify strength in its core values centered on faith, fortitude, and sustainability for the Chenega Shareholder family.
