Yukon Kings by Director Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee is a short film set in the remote Alaskan Yukon Delta. It tells the story of Yup’ik fisherman Ray Waska, the father of nine children and 33 grandchildren who teaches his young grandkids how to fish during the summer salmon run. Waska hopes his grandsons will one day pass on this knowledge to their children. We learn from him how important salmon fishing is to their way of life at the time when environmental and cultural forces threaten them.
Salmon brings in the family’s income and feeds the family, and this has been their livelihood for many years. This film is both informative and heartbreaking. However, I believe presenting the situation in such a tragic way was very important to get the point across.
Without salmon, Waska believes they will have no income. Most people probably do not know the struggle of those living in such a secluded area. This film is vital because outsiders need to be made aware of this problem. We, as humans, need to combat global warming and save those of us who rely on resources like salmon.
I give this film 5/5 stars.
Gabby Stagnone is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and is majoring in communications with a public relations focus.
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