Dozens of Cup’iq artifacts like masks, harpoons, and dance regalia ended up in the village dump. The artifacts had been kept in a traditional sod house that was owned by the Kashunamuit School District, a one site district in the village. The school had built it in their cultural heritage program to show students the traditional ways of living.

Superintendent, Larry Parker, says in recent years it had become a safety concern and a liability issue.

“We had at least one student that had fallen through it. Fell through the roof of it and the police had to come and get him out,” Parker says.

The sod house was erected on the school’s softball field and when the school tried to relocate it they found out it had a lot of mold inside. Parker says the school district talked to the tribal council and the city of Chevak but neither one wanted the sod house, so the school decided to trash it with all its contents.