'Novarupta Eruption of 1912' by Beth Hill published on 2019-01-08T02:21:40Z The story of Novarupta, was told to Vicky by her grandmother who was originally from Old Savonoski and survived the greatest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Novarupta eruption of 1912, located in what is now Kamai National Park, was so massive that the volcano completely imploded along with Mount Katmai which was six miles away. The story of ‘Novarupta’ is a story of survival and endurance. A story that begins with a story and how the people of the small village of Old Savonoski survived because of the knowledge passed down through elders which enabled the village to gather fresh water and supplies and store them in their baidarka’s (kayaks) days before the major eruption occurred. After the eruption, the entire area was covered in darkness. The men were sent in their baidarka’s down-river to look for a place to resettle, while the woman and children gathered whatever they could carry walking for days along the shore. They finally came to a place now known as new Savonoski, a few miles away from what is now South Naknek, where they began a new life again. Quyana Vicky for bringing this story into our schools so that our students draw upon the strength and resilience of our past.
