Vera Kingeekuk Metcalf (born 1951)[1] is an educator and advocate known for her work in the preservation of the traditions and language of Alaska Native people.
[1] During her schooling on the island, she served as a teacher's aide, and translated lessons into Yupik to share with the students in the class.
[2] Through her work, almost 1000 remains were returned to St. Lawrence Island under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
[18][19] Metcalf shares her indigenous knowledge of the ocean,[20] and uses public events to emphasize the need for local partners in understanding environmental impacts of climate change.
[22][23] She is part of a research project funded in 2021 by the United States' National Science Foundation which will examine how changes in sea ice impact marine mammals and subsistence hunting.