Elizabeth "Naparyaq" Peter

Elizabeth Naparyaq (Lomack) Peter was a Yup'ik elder born on July 4, 1928 to Elizabeth Makcuilnguq (Andrew) and Louis Ilegvak Lomack in Akiachak, Alaska. Elizabeth grew up living a traditional nomadic subsistence lifestyle and has great memories of moving between fall camps, spring camps, fish camps, berry camps and reindeer camps. She spent time with tamed reindeer at a corral at Cassrucaraq behind Akiachak and remembers when reindeer were slaughtered each year for traditional clothing. She was married to Edward Peter and raised six children. Elizabeth has been active in the schools for many years. She started by babysitting for many teachers who came and went from the Lower 48 states, but her service to education really started with being on the Parent Advisory Council for the Primary Yup’ik Program at the Bureau of Indian Affairs school in Akiachak. She continued on with the Lower Kuskokwim School District, and later was a member of the Yupiit School District Advisory Board from 1974 to 1985. More recently, she served as an elder consultant for the Early Childhood Leadership Team along with her brother, Joseph Lomack, and has been active in the schools as a speaker in the classroom, talking to students about Yup’ik ways of life and how important it is to pass on the elders’ knowledge. Elizabeth also has been active in the Moravian Church, serving as a teacher, an officer, and participating in the women's fellowship. As she aged, Elizabeth continued to enjoy a subsistence way of life as long as she was able. Elizabeth Peter passed away in 2012 at age 83.

Biography written by Sophie Kasayulie of the Yupiit School District.