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Kiŋigin (Wales) is the westernmost town on the North American mainland and only about 55 miles from the Russian mainland. It's one the oldest villages on the Seward Peninsula and is named for "the mountain that rises above it."
The village has a population of about 160 people. Residents are the Kiŋigikmiut, meaning "people of the high place." Each year, the community holds the Kingikmiut Dance Festival, which hosts dance groups from all over to participate in a celebration of traditional dancing. The people of Kiŋigin are also known for their thorough understanding of sea ice and ocean currents. Historically an important whaling center, Kiŋigin is part of the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, which co-manages the bowhead whale harvest with the US government. In the 1890s, reindeer were brought to the area, and reindeer herding is now part of the village's culture.
A National Historical Landmark near the village includes three archeology sites: the Kurigitavik Mound, Hillside, and Beach site, which were burial mounds about 1100 to 1500 years ago.
Kiŋigin can be accessed by taking a charter or commercial flight from Nome. A walk along the beach will take you to the boundary of Bering Land Bridge National Preserve.
