The Alaska Native village of Point Lay is celebrating after landing its first whale in 72 years. The community will hold a Nalukataq blanket toss feast on June 26. Hundreds are expected for the historic event. "It's a symbolic celebration that a whale was taken," Julius Rexford, a whaling captain, told The Anchorage Daily News. The village nearly lost its whaling tradition. Hunting by non-Natives nearly decimated the whale population and nearly everyone moved away from the village until being lured back by oil development. Get the Story:
Point Lay celebrates first whale in 72 years (The Anchorage Daily News 6/15)