Kylan
Kylan tells the story of a 10 year boy living in near complete isolation out in a tiny rural Alaskan village. I followed him with a camera for just a couple days, witnessing first hand the unique personal challenges he struggles with, but also the impressive ways he solves them. Kylan is a fighter, but also one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever met.
About Kotlik, Alaska
Kotlik is one of those places that you can’t believe exists in the United States. One mile of boardwalk, a little over 600 people, a few ATV’s, boats, and moose antlers. That’s it. No travel between villages. No police. One health clinic. No income. In order to survive you have to hunt or fish, plain and simple.
Yet, the Yupik make do with what they have. Despite the overwhelming percentage that suffer from crushing poverty, drug, domestic, and alcohol abuse, nearly every Kotlik resident has a few things in common. They share a strong respect for their native culture, love of the community, and a generational pride built on staying independent and surviving off the land.
