|
A Sad but Enjoyable
Summer
On July 5 my mom got some
bad news from my aunt Buggy that her uncle Antone Pitka, her
father's brother, passed away. So the next day my mom made
reservations to go over to Bethel. Carlie, my baby sister,
my mom and I all went over together by Yute Air.
When we reached Bethel we
went to my grandmother's place across South Harbor on the
slough. We stayed for a couple of days at my gram's, then we
went to AVCP housing to see his coffin with his body in it.
It was so sad that almost everyone there was crying. He had
a lot of friends and relatives there to see him before he
left. A couple days later they brought his body to the
Catholic church near Swansons because the Russian Orthodox
church was too small for everyone to fit. After they were
done singing and preaching the people started consoling
Antone's wife and child and brother and sisters who are his
only survivors. His brother and sisters are William Pitka,
Lucy Keilila, and Mary Abruska. He had two more brothers but
they had already passed away.
|
They drove his body to the cemetery near AVCP housing
on the tundra rather than fly it to his home town, Crow Village. They
buried him by Chet Atkins, his good friend who died before him. After
the funeral they had a potluck reception where they gathered to eat
and to remember him. Afterwards I went over to my cousin, Teresa Hunter's,
apartment which was in AVCP housing. A lot of my aunts and cousins
were there, and my mom and I decided to stay at her place for the
night since it was too late to go back to my grandmother's. That night
my cousin and I were talking about me staying to babysit for her kids
and I said, yes, but I had to get permission from my mom. When I nervously
asked her she said she'd think about it. I thought I was really just
going to go straight home after the funeral, but later my mom said
O.K., for a little while before school starts.
From then on I babysat
Teresa's two young children. They weren't as bad as my
brothers and my baby sister, and I had a lot of fun. At
times I'd get tired of staying in though, so I went out to
see my friends. I had a lot of fun with them going out on
walks or to see other people. I met a new friend, Rachael
Birdsong. Her father is from Bethel and her mother lives in
Oregon with her parents. So she travels a lot back and
forth.
I also visited with some of
my Marshall friends in Bethel. We'd stay out late and have
fun riding around in cabs. A couple of times I also got in
trouble and Teresa's husband William would talk to me about
staying out too late and all that. When I got tired of it
over there I decided to come home and be with my
family.
I had fun babysitting over
there and I enjoyed it a lot. But next summer, I plan to
stay home and work to make my own money.
By Carmen Pitka
|
Marshall
Cultural Atlas