Shungnak lies on the bank of the
Kobuk River in the
Northwest Arctic Borough. The original settlement was founded in 1899 as a supply point for mining activities in the Cosmos Hills. Due to severe river erosion and flooding, the village was forced to relocate 10 miles further upstream.
The name of the villae is derived from an Eskimo word which means jade, a stone found extensively throughout the surrounding hills. Shungnak residents rely on fishing, hunting, and trapping, and also has a strong arts and crafts industry - producing baskets, masks, mukluks, parkas, mittens, etc.