A day before the start of the 2008 Kingikmiut Dance Festival in Wales — an event that gathers musical ensembles from throughout Western Alaska — drummers and dancers from the village of Teller arrive by boat.

When choppy waves near shore threaten to swamp the arriving guests, a large crew of impromptu volunteers arrives to pull the visitors to safety.

Note the silhouette of a distant island. That’s Little Diomede, situated in the middle of the Bering Strait and along the International Date Line, within view of easternmost Russia. Both Diomede and Wales are KNOM listening communities.

Photo at top: David Dodman, KNOM file.