Chaputnguak School & Amaqigciq School

Home of the Shamans

About Us

In Yup'ik, caputnguaq refers to a something blocking a path temporarily. In Chefornak, a long time ago when the river was narrow, there was a line of rocks under the water that formed a false water dam that spanned accross the river where the old school is located at. This is caused by a line of rocks that are under the river which to this day makes a rip tide type of line inthe water that is visible when the current goes out toward the Bering Sea. Our ancestors saw this river feature and named this location Caputnguaq in the Yup'k language.

Caputnguaq, or present day Chefornak was first inhabited by Alexie Amaqigciq to escape the annual flooding that occurred in old village of Chefornak. The Caputnguaq site is on higher ground than the lowland location of old Chefornak and did not get flooded in the fall. The elementary school now bears his name, Amagiqciq Elementary School.

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