What started as an attempt to take a more inclusive approach in offering aid to Alaska residents amid the damaging aftermath of Typhoon Merbok turned sour when disaster relief aid documents shared by FEMA were found to be riddled with strange and inaccurate translations.
In the aftermath of the September 2022 natural disaster, which has caused over $28 million worth of damage, FEMA provided those impacted with instructions on how to file for federal aid. Because many of the affected residents don’t speak English as their primary language, FEMA sent paperwork in prominent Native languages like Yup’ik or Iñupiaq — except it was far from accurate or helpful. The documents included nonsensical phrases, including passages that translate to, “Tomorrow he will go hunting very early, and will Alaska nothing” and, “Your husband is a polar bear, skinny,” KYUK Public Media reported on Jan. 7.
