Chevak

Also known as Chevak, Alaska

city in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska, United States

Key facts

Country: United States
State: Alaska
Census area: Kusilvak
Incorporated: October 13, 1967
Mayor: Phillip Paniyak
State senator: Lyman Hoffman ( D )
State rep: Conrad McCormick (D)
Total: 1.14 sq mi (2.96 km )
Land: 1.14 sq mi (2.96 km )
Water: 0 sq mi (0.00 km )
Elevation: 49 ft (15 m)
Density: 831.7/sq mi (321.11/km )
Demonym

Article

Chevak (Cevʼaq , which means "cut-through channel" in Chevak Cup’ik) is a city in Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 951, up from 938 in 2010.

There is a tri-language system in Chevak; English, Cup’ik, and a mixture of the two languages. The people in Chevak speak a dialect of Central Yup'ik, Cup'ik (pr. Chew-pick), and identify themselves as Cup'ik people rather than Yup'ik. This unique identity has allowed them to form a single-site school district, the Kashunamiut School District, rather than joining a neighboring Yup'ik school district. The Cup'ik dialect is distinguished from Yup'ik by the change of "y" sounds into "ch" sounds, represented by the letter "c", and by some words that are completely different from Yup'ik words.