NOTE: Issues range from 1996–2006. Contact information in earlier issues could be outdated. For current information, please contact the Alaska Native Knowledge Network, 907-474-1902.
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Athabascan Region: Emphasis on Native Language at Fairbanks ANSES Camp 2001 by Nakukluk Virginia Ned:The Fairbanks Alaska Native Science and Engineering (ANSES) Camp created an ideal setting that sparked the students interest in learning the Central Koyukon Athabascan language. Velma Schafer and I had the opportunity to teach Central Koyukon language to the ANSES Camp participants this summer at the Gaalee'ya Spirit Camp. We worked with twelve students from Nulato, Newhalen, Ft. Yukon, Lime Village, Anchorage, Tanacross and three students from Beijing, China. The students were enthusiastic about learning the language and as a result, their acquisition of the language was exceptional. The students from Ft. Yukon and Beijing spoke fluently in their indigenous languages. Other students had taken indigenous language classes at school and all had prior knowledge of their indigenous languages. Velma's expertise, high expectations and the ideal camp setting made it possible for the students to become naturally immersed in the Native language. The students were taught Central Koyukon terms that enabled them to introduce themselves in the language stating their English name, their Koyukon name, their hometown and a short description of themselves. They were given a Central Koyukon name according to their personal characteristics, if they did not already have one. Names that were given included Hek'edeeonh (sunshine), Sotseeyh (happy all the time) and Tloo' (star). The students were also taught general terms for every day usage. They were required to create a display using a variety of media and written in the Koyukon language. We took pictures with a digital camera and the photos were printed for students to add to their poster. They also learned a song, "This Little Heart of Mine," translated into Koyukon by Lorna Vent of Huslia. The title of the song is "He'eeteghtldzaayh." They learned a game that teaches body parts in the Koyukon language. It is a Koyukon version of the Yup'ik game, "Essuukee," introduced to me by Lolly Carpluk of Mountain Village. Velma Schafer translated the words into the Koyukon language. The title of the game in Koyukon is "Kkaakene". After the potlatch the students introduced themselves in Koyukon, sang the song "He'eeteghtldzaayh", and gave a demonstration of the game "Kkaakene" for the audience. Learning the Native language unquestionably enhanced the science focus of the Fairbanks ANSES Camp program. The students did not just acquire a language, but they acquired a whole new perspective of themselves, their culture and traditions. Given the appropriate environment, they would do well if they were taught the language along with all of the basic requirements in order to acquire a well-rounded education. | |
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Athabascan Region: How to be Practical With Water by Amy Van Hatten:Water is an important element for daily life. As a youth growing up in the village, fish camp and winter camp, I had to learn how to gather it in solid and liquid forms. This included chopping or sawing ice blocks from the frozen river, gathering snow crystals closest to the ground and from underneath deep snow banks, drawing gas cans filled from the water hole and hauling water from a river, creek, rain barrels or from a water pump down near the riverbank. For all practical purposes, certain measures had to be considered in order to preserve different forms of energy, such as physical energy and water energy, especially if a lot of chores had to done in one day. Take Mom's role for example. Her first round in using a tub of water was to wash my hair and my brother's hair and then give us a bath. Next, with the same water, she would wash some of our clothing, mop the cabin floor and then carry the water out to the outhouse to scrub it down with added cleansers. She finished by pouring the recycled water down the toilet hole. Now, how many times did the same water get used? We glance at learning science so differently from one locality to another and sometimes without viewing it as science base or indigenous knowledge but just a way of life. With what little I shared here, a sample assessment can be formulated on how to integrate Alaska Content Standards for Science D2 with Alaska Standards for Culturally-Responsive Schools for Students D2. Get out your dog-eared standards booklet and try one of your own. You can do it! Happy Trails, Negalt denlebedze A Closer Look at the Standards Alaska Content Standards for Science D2 . . . A student who meets the content standard should: understand that scientific innovations may affect our economy, safety, environment, health and society and that these effects may be long or short term, positive or negative and expected or unexpected. Alaska Standards for Culturally-Responsive Schools for Students D2* . . . Students who meet this cultural standard are able to: participate in and make constructive contributions to the learning activities associated with a traditional camp environment. * For a complete copy of the Alaska Standards for Culturally-Response Schools, write or call the Alaska Native Knowledge Network. | |
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Athabascan Region: Interior Athabascan Tribal College Language Program by Beth Leonard:The Gwich'in Language Development Institute will take place in Fort Yukon from May 27 through June 17; for more information, please contact Kathy Sikorski at 907-474-7875 or Jennifer Carroll, Yukon Flats Center at 907-662-2521. Irene Solomon-Arnold and Gary Holton are planning the Tanacross/Upper Tanana (Northway) Language Development Institute which is scheduled to take place in Tok. For more information please contact Irene Solomon-Arnold at 907-474-6263. The Deg Xinag (Holy Cross, Anvik, Grayling, Shageluk) Language Development Institute will take place in one of the Lower Yukon villages. For information on this program, please contact Beth Leonard at 907-452-8251, x3287 or Malinda Chase at x3484. The Koyukon and Lower Tanana (Minto/Nenana) Language Development Institutes will take place on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus from June 2-20. For more information on the Koyukon program, please contact Susan Paskvan at 907-474-0764 and for information on the Lower Tanana program, please contact David Engles in Minto at daveengles@yahoo.com or Beth Leonard at the phone number listed above. | |
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Athabascan Region: Moose Hunting and More: the Annual Field Trip for the Minto Flats Cultural Atlas by Kathryn Swartz:The sun was very warm and the sky was clear on the top of COD Hill on Saturday afternoon, September 22, 2001. A group of Elders and youth from Minto relaxed on the hill and looked for moose out in the Minto Flats. From this hill, one could see Denali in the distance and the ridges where the Nenana and Tolovana Rivers meet the Tanana River. "Shhhhh . . ." the Elders kept saying, "the animals will hear you up here." At one point, a raven stalked a juvenile bald eagle in the air below us. After looking for hours, Susie Charlie noticed a bull moose off to the east over by a little lake. A small group went down the hill and up the creek to walk into the area where the moose had been seen. We heard shots fired-the hunt was successful! This event was the high point of the annual cultural atlas field trip with Minto Elders and youth. This year, the field trip employed seven Elders: Elsie Titus, Lige and Susie Charlie, Virgil and Vernell Titus, Luke Titus and Gabe Nollner. There were eleven students from the Minto School (Clinton Watson, Preston Alexander, Mitchel Alexander, Ezra Gibson, Amber Jimmie, Alanna Gibson, Carleen Charlie, Janis Frank, Lynnessa Titus, Dolly James and Justeena Silas), with their teachers Kraig Berg and Ruth Folger and the participation of Bill Pfisterer (education specialist) and Kathryn Swartz of the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute. The Elders were the most important people on the field trip. They decided where we were going, where we would stay and coordinated boat space for all the participants and supplies. They openly shared stories and tales of hunting, fishing, trapping and growing up in the Minto Flats. The Minto School played a valuable role in organizing the students, telling them what they needed to take with them and also supporting the participation of two teachers. The information gathered on the trip will be incorporated into the school curriculum as students work on the development of a cultural atlas for the Minto Flats area (a preliminary version of the atlas can be viewed online at www.ankn.uaf.edu/menhti.) The field trip was held over a weekend and the group left Minto after school on Friday, September 21, 2001. The group went in five boats to Virgil Titus' fall camp along Washington Creek about an hour and a half from Minto. This camp faces to the east and south and is positioned above the creek in a nice wooded area. There is a spotting tree and good cranberry patch back in the woods. The first night everyone gathered around the fire and the reason for the field trip and the mapping work was explained. The Elders said they wanted to bring the kids out to learn the Athabascan way, to learn what they should bring on this kind of trip and to learn about the good places to hunt. The Elders shared some stories and memories about growing up in these areas. After some coaxing, all the kids finally went to bed. At night, the light from the radar station on Murphy Dome was visible from the camp and the Northern Lights shimmered. Elders, teachers, students and CHEI staff pose for a picture by the campfire. The next morning, after breakfast, Bill Pfisterer showed the kids how to use two cameras to document the places we would visit-one was a digital camera, the other a standard film camera. The group set off in boats to go down Washington Creek and up the Tatalina to begin the hike up COD Hill. The climb was tough, particularly for the Elders, but everyone made it. Rope was tied off on certain trees so you could get extra support and pull yourself up the hillside. The climb down was even worse with a slippery and dusty trail, but we were on our way to see the moose so no one seemed to mind the difficult descent. The moose was taken several bends up COD creek, back through willows and small birch trees in an open, grassy, swampy area. The participants witnessed field dressing the moose. Willows were laid down to hold the best cuts of meat, other parts were strung over the trees to dry while the work continued. The Elders shared traditional practices and techniques with the students and then the meat was packed out either with sticks or people put on raincoats and slung parts over their shoulders. The meat was left overnight near the river bank braced up with sticks or slung between trees. (In case anyone noticed the date, the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute had arranged for a cultural education permit to take a moose out of season.) Saturday night was a beautiful evening with good food, more stories from the Elders and good laughs around the campfire. One of the students made cranberry sauce from freshly picked berries. That night, the temperature dropped and on Sunday morning as always, the first ones up, Virgil and Vernell Titus, started the fire and got warm water and coffee going. After breakfast several Elders including Lige Charlie and Luke Titus thanked everyone for attending and for the organization of the field trip. We headed back to retrieve the moose meat and then made our way back up the winding sloughs, creeks and rivers to Minto. Ducks gathering for migration were scared up at every turn. The air was colder than it had been on Friday and it seemed that winter was now on its way. This field trip was made possible thanks to support from the Rural School and Community Trust (Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative), the Minto School, the Alaska Humanities Forum, the New Voices Fellowship Program and the Skaggs Foundation. Above: Elder Susie Charlie spots for moose on the flats. Below: The hunt is successful! | |
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Athabascan Region: Old Minto Cultural Orientation Program by Louellyn White (Mohawk):This past summer I had the privilege of traveling to Alaska. The magnificent snow-capped peaks and abundance of lakes, rivers and shoreline were in sharp contrast to the Sonoran desert where I currently live. It was a welcome change and I had a truly amazing experience in the land where the sun never set. I was fortunate enough to be a student in the Cross-Cultural Studies summer course, "Cross-Cultural Orientation Program for Teachers" at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The three-week course was geared toward teachers working in Alaska's rural villages. I am not a schoolteacher in Alaska, but am a doctoral student in the American Indian Studies Program at the University of Arizona and have an interest in Native education. I wanted to know how programs like the Old Minto Cultural Camp help prepare teachers for working with Native students and was interested in how traditional knowledge is integrated into the curriculum of Alaska Native schools. We spent the first and last weeks of the program in a classroom at UAF. Reading and discussing work by various scholars in the field of Alaska Native education helped prepare us for our week out at Old Minto. The work by Elders like Howard Luke and Peter John helped me understand how important subsistence, culture and language is to the lives of Alaska Native people. Dorothy Titus and Louellyn White making birch bark baskets. Linda Charlie sits in the background. However, there are some things that just cannot be taught in the classroom such as how to dig up spruce roots for basket making, how to pluck a duck and how to hunt for moose. How about hauling water from the Tanana River and bathing in a Yup'ik steam house? The Old Minto Cultural Camp gave us the opportunity to do these things side-by-side with the people of Minto and to experience living close to the land in the traditional Athabascan way. We traveled to Old Minto by boat along the Tanana River from the town of Nenana. Old Minto is no longer permanently inhabited but serves as a cultural center for groups like ours, Elders' gatherings and youth camps. Our small class was joined by a large group of teachers and administrators from the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming and several other educators, youth and camp helpers. Days were filled with chopping wood, pounding nails, playing with children and learning about the Athabascan way of life. In a group effort, we even managed to build a fire circle shelter and saw it almost to completion. One of the most important lessons I took from this experience was how important it is to listen to the Elders. I welcomed the opportunity to sit, be still and to just listen. They have an incredible wealth of knowledge about their history, culture and language. I spent hours listening to stories about the old times at Old Minto, learning about local plants and making birch bark baskets. The Elders shared their concerns about modern society's influence on youth and their loss of language. Some of the Elders are trying to combat the loss of language and culture by providing traditional teachings in local classrooms. I envied the physical and spiritual strength of the Elders. Even though some of them had to rely on walking sticks and had lost some of their hearing and eyesight, they managed to not only get out to the remote camp by boat, but slept on spruce boughs and stayed up late telling us stories and singing traditional songs. For them, they were returning to their home, to a place where they had raised their children and buried their loved ones. Towards the end of the week we were all busy preparing for the potlatch. For days we cooked duck soup over open fires, roasted beaver and cooked salmon. Finally on the day of the potlatch, people came throughout the day by boat from surrounding villages and the camp was bustling with activity. Families reunited, old friends returned, traditional songs filled the air and children danced along with the Elders. At the end of the traditional meal (which we served) speeches were made, thanks were given and people talked about their concerns regarding the education of their youth and of the need to have more Native teachers in the classrooms. Although there are many dedicated non-Native teachers, high teacher turnover rates along with inadequate understanding of Native cultures remains a problem in many parts of the country. This appears to be particularly problematic in Alaska's rural schools. Programs like those at Old Minto attempt to address these concerns. The Old Minto Cultural Camp provided a unique example of how traditional knowledge and Elders play an important role in education. By teaching through their culture rather than about their culture, the people of Minto were able to provide participants with firsthand experiences in the Athabascan way of life. This experience required each of us to be open to new ways of doing things, to be respectful of others and to embrace the rare opportunity of living at an Athabascan fish camp. I made many new friends at Old Minto and was sad to leave. This experience will stay with me for a very long time and I would like to thank all of the people at Old Minto for their hospitality and for their teachings. I would especially like to thank Ray Barnhardt and Robert Charlie, executive director of the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute, who made the camp possible. Thank you also to Dorothy Titus who reminded me to listen to the wisdom of the Elders. Since this experience I have often wondered what the world will be like when I reach the age of these Elders. Will anyone still live this close to the land? And perhaps most important, will people remember the teachings of the Elders? I certainly hope so. The 2003 Cultural Orientation Program is scheduled for June 2-20 in Fairbanks and Old Minto. Enrollment information is available through the UAF Summer Sessions at http://www.uaf.edu/summer. Roundhouse completion-sheltered fire circle-built by camp participants. | |
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Athabascan Region: Through the ____________ of Many People by Amy Van Hatten:by Amy Van Hatten Right in the midst of my report the "I" and "my" usage is plentiful. It isn't meant to be read as being egotistical but more to reflect how I achieved eventful tasks. Now and again I encourage people to begin with the pronoun "I" when sharing their experiences. For example, many Yukon-Koyukuk School District autobiographies started out that way. In addition many book chapters use the same approach in writing. Therefore, if you have intellectual information to share but are holding back because you don't want to say "I did this" or "In my time," it is literally acceptable to do so. It was important for me to make that distinction since an Elder said we are not supposed to talk like "I did," I started," "I learned," "I interviewed" or "I decided." However, I notice little attractive nuisances like "I am" and "I remember" as being okay. In reviewing my job duties over the past year, I worked full time demonstrating, promoting, supporting, incorporating and recruiting specialized people to attend numerous meetings, conferences, retreats, workshops, cultural events and focus study groups statewide, stateside and locally-all for the purpose of educational reform. The most recent such event, the Third Annual AKRSI Athabascan Regional Planning Meeting, was held at McGrath High School, October 27-28, 1999. The Iditarod Area School District graciously offered to host it. A big hearty thank you for the red carpet hospitality from IASD staff and students. The first day of the regional meeting focused on Year-Four initiatives. Ten memorandum-of-agreement partners reported on the work underway in their area. We all acquired a region-wide perspective to build upon as we moved into planning for Year Five. The details of the initiatives were discussed on the second day. The day before the regional meeting I set up the room for the Elders to discuss details about the Year Four initiatives on culturally-aligned curriculum and language and cultural immersion camps. I also asked them to think about what kind of distinctions we should make as we prepare for our last year of initiatives focusing on indigenous science knowledge and oral tradition as education as they relate to current district policies and teaching practices. During the discussions I recorded the following notes: * Elders do not want to be made to feel dumb when they ask questions about school. * They want the school curriculum to make room for what they have to offer. * The Elders want the students to know their self-worth. * Students need to know where they come from. * Students need to know how to cook on a campfire the old-time way. * Don't call them kids. Respect young people as young adults. * Don't ignore Elders while in the school or outside the school. * Don't yell at students when Elders are in the teaching role. * Set your own Elders' ground rules. * Everyone should be out there showing students we love them. * Even godparents should help with a child's upbringing. * Explain to students why we do things the way we do. * Share personal experiences on what spirituality and faith in God means to you. * Encourage non-Native teachers to attend cross-cultural training. * Students should practice listening to people around you, not just their earphones. In closing, I would like to say, remember the diverse cultural traditions of the many tribes in Alaska. To understand diversity is essential to how we teach our children. Happy trails, Negalt denlebedze Participants gather for a group photo at the Athabascan Regional Planning Meeting in McGrath, October 27-28. | |
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Athabascan Region: Tribute to the Minto Elders:This is the second part of a tribute to recognize the Minto Elders for their valuable contributions to the Cross-cultural Camp in Old Minto each year and for sharing their culture with all of us. Descriptions are from interviews with Elders, compilation of descriptions written by Minto students for the Denakkanaaga Elder-Youth Conference 2001, the Minto Cultural Atlas and from other sources. Photos are from the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute archives, unless otherwise marked. Minnie Titus Minnie Titus was born May 28, 1910 and she grew up in Old Minto. Minnie's father was Chief Charlie, the leader who founded Old Minto in the early 1900s. Her mother's name was Laura and she remarried after the Chief's death. Minnie is the lone survivor of Chief Charlie. Minnie married George Titus in 1928 and they had eight children. Minnie did a lot of things and she worked hard when she was young, including sewing, making birch-bark baskets, setting muskrat traps and hunting. Minnie attends the Old Minto camp almost every year. She is good at giving advice and talking to the young people of Minto. Neal Charlie Neal Charlie was born to Moses and Bessie Charlie on October 10, 1919 in a camp by Washington Crossing. He grew up in Old Minto and he went to St. Mark's Mission in Nenana. He ran away back to Minto after three years and helped the family with hunting rabbits and "chicken." Neal worked summers on the Riverboat Nenana and he married Geraldine on August 27, 1947. Neal remembers that in Old Minto, they were all hard working people, " . . . we had to work hard, to get what we thought we needed. We didn't expect checks or money. We went on trapline and sell the fur. People used to stop for gathering, fun for a little while, not all the time." Neal's hobby was driving dogs and they used to hitch up and go for rides in the evening like a car. You learn responsibility from driving dogs since you have to feed them, hitch the dogs and care for them. He also used to make sleds. Neal recalls that, "In the old days, you had to learn stories by listening, by accepting it. The old people would tell you stories and tell it to you again." And "You should remember those things . . . there are too many books and computers that think for you." Neal says he always keeps encouraging young people to do something to keep busy, like chop wood. He hopes that he can say the right thing to help people who could use it 50 years from now and that is why the Elders talk. He concluded by saying, "Feel free to ask what you want, we're willing to talk." * Photo by Rob Amberg, Rural School & Community Trust * Photo by Rob Amberg, Rural School & Community Trust Geraldine Charlie Geraldine Charlie was born to Teddy Charlie and Annie Alexander on September 25, 1929 in a camp out in the Minto Flats. She remembers many things about growing up in Old Minto, especially when she was sad when the teachers told her she couldn't go to school anymore. There was just one room in the school and with new students coming every year, she was forced to leave after fifth grade. Geraldine was raised by her grandmother and spent a lot of time watching fish nets, fish traps and snaring rabbits. She married Neal Charlie in August 1947 and had six girls and four boys. It was really hard to live only on subsistence and Neal got a job working on sections of the Alaska Railroad. They lived in Dunbar, Healy and Dome. Their kids were old enough to go to school, but the only way they could have was to go out to boarding school. Geraldine likes to work on birch-bark baskets, pick berries and pick roots for baskets. Her advice for young people is to get a hold of themselves and not go too much on Western side. She says, "We were born as Natives to be Natives . . . keep your culture as much as you can because it is our identity. We are Native Indians. I believe we were put on earth for reasons, God has his own way. God gave us our Native culture and I believe we need to hang on to it, mostly our Native language and the way we live, like eating our Native food." Jonathan David Jonathan David was born September 1, 1910. He arrived in Old Minto from Nenana when he was eight years old after his mother married Louie Silas. He remembers learning how to survive off the land from his stepfather and uncle. He spent a lot of time trapping and working as a carpenter. He married Rosie David and he worked for many years as a janitor at the BIA school in Old Minto. He says he never learned how to read but he worked hard and they sent him to Sitka to learn how to repair the generators for the school. He also worked in Nenana on the dock for about five years. One memorable year at the Old Minto Camp, he built a canoe frame with the help of camp participants that became an important part of the Old Minto Camp video. He says "Indian life is good and you have to use your brain." When asked about the future for youth he says, "you go to school, you learn, you do better, if not you'll be nothing . . . don't think of liquor, liquor is a hard life." Jonathan says that "Indian life, it goes a long ways . . . listen to people talk and it will come back to you when you need it." Note: Watch for the next issue with more on the Minto Elders. | |
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Athabascan Region: Tribute to the Minto Elders:This is the third part of a tribute to recognize the Minto Elders for their valuable contributions to the Cross-cultural Camp in Old Minto each year and for sharing their culture with all of us. Descriptions are from interviews with Elders, compilation of descriptions written by Minto students for the Denakkanaaga Elder-Youth Conference 2001, the Minto Cultural Atlas and from other sources. Photos are from the Cultural Heritage and Education Institute archives, unless otherwise marked. Berkman Silas Berkman Silas was born December 23, 1923 at Old Minto. His education went to the third grade. He says that school was held in a log cabin and there wasn't enough room so he left. When he first began working he worked for one dollar a day. He worked for the Nenana Railroad for a month then began working on the steamer Nenana on the Yukon River. He worked there every summer. Berkman believes that the land is the most important thing today. Sarah Silas Sarah Silas was born December 28, 1924 at Old Minto. She has grown up and lived in Minto for most of her life. When she was five years old her parents moved to the Yukon River area and they lived in Rampart and Stevens Village for about six years. During that time there were no schools, but then one was built in Stevens Village and she began her education there. Sarah is active in all community events and served as the health aide for sixteen years. Sarah married Berkman Silas in 1944; together they had 12 children, six girls and six boys. Sarah remembers the Old Minto village as working together a lot, everything was volunteer work, nobody was paid wages. "Most of the time we celebrated Thanksgiving, Christmas and the dog races in March. March 17th was a big holiday, that's when the dog race would happen. That was our entertainment growing up." * Photo by Rob Amberg, Rural School & Community Trust Robert Charlie Robert Charlie was born May 25, 1927 in Montana Creek Camp (a muskrat camp). He is the youngest boy of the eleven children of Moses and Bessie Charlie. Robert lived in Old Minto and attended school up until about the sixth grade. When he was 15, he started helping his dad with a wood contract he had for the Alaska Railroad. When he was 17 (during WWII), he started working summers on the Riverboat Nenana. At 29, he decided to leave Minto and learn how to survive on his own. He went to Tanacross for ten years, got married, had a daughter there and worked for the Post Office. In 1964 he moved to Fairbanks and attended a two-year training program on Eielson Air Force Base as a waste and water treatment operator. The 1967 flood occurred during his time at Eielson and he was awarded a medal for working every day during the flood. He relocated to Ft. Wainwright's water treatment operations until 1973 when he went to work for the pipeline as a waste/water treatment plant operator in Prudhoe Bay and Valdez. In 1980 he worked for the Seth-De-Ya-Ah Minto Village Corporation; in 1984 he worked with Tanana Chiefs Conference as a realty technician. During this time, he served as a board member of Seth-De-Ya-Ah and started the idea of including Old Minto under a non-profit organization. The Cultural Heritage and Education Institute (CHEI) was founded in 1984 and the Old Minto camps began in 1988. Robert is a musician, he likes to present and be part of the changes that are taking place among the Alaska Natives, whether educational or economic. Robert says, "It is important for future leaders of Native Alaskan people to start thinking about doing what is best for themselves as well as their neighbors. Stay clean and sober and always be mindful of other people. Always respect and honor the Elders because they were our teachers and trainers on how to be Alaskan Native people." Virgil Titus Virgil Titus was born March 21, 1938 in Fairbanks to Matthew and Dorothy Titus. Growing up in the Minto Flats, each April they would go to Muskrat Camp to hunt 'rats for food, clothing and money. When they went back to the village they would get ready to leave for fish camp and they would stay there from June to August. They would dry fish for the winter and when they got back to the village they would sell some. Then they would go moose hunting to provide the family with meat for the winter. When they shot a moose they would dry it and ration it over the winter with all kinds of berries. They would then move back to the village in the month of October. From November to January he would go trapping and from February to March they would snare and trap beaver. Virgil was educated in Old Minto. His employment history includes working as a plumber and carpenter all over the state of Alaska. Virgil's hobbies include hunting and listening and playing music. This past fall, the participants in the Cultural Atlas field trip stayed at Virgil's fall camp at Washington Creek. Vernell R. Titus Vernell R. Titus was born on February 1, 1941, somewhere in the Minto Flats to Peter Jimmie and Ena Jimmie. Vernell went to school until the tenth grade. Vernell's family used to move to spring camp in April or May and in June, they would move back to Minto and get ready for fish camp. Her mother used to make birchbark baskets for tourists and this is how Vernell learned to make baskets. In July they would make dry fish for the winter and would sell some of it to the store for groceries. In the fall everyone would go out hunting for moose. Vernell married Virgil Titus and together they had seven children and have raised several grandchildren. After Vernell married, each November she and Virgil would start going out hunting for muskrat, mink and beaver. In the fall, they would go out berry picking and save them for winter. Vernell has worked in Valdez, Fairbanks and Minto as a housekeeper, cooks helper and a kitchen helper. Vernell is known for making excellent fry bread over a campfire. Luke Titus Luke Titus was born in July 1941 in the Tanana Hospital to Elsie and Robert Titus. He grew up in Old Minto and went to school there until he was 12. He went to the Wrangell Institute and then attended high school at Mt. Edgecombe. He was influenced by the Athabascan fiddling he heard growing up and he likes dancing. He says "fiddle music stuck to me." He remembers that in Old Minto, people cared for each other. The children were given chores to take care of people, particularly the Elders, like cutting wood or carrying water. They would be paid with a piece of pilot bread. He has worked on the Alaska Railroad, firefighting and for BLM doing land surveys for Native allotments. He attended seminary in Arizona and was ordained in the Episcopalian Church in 1970. In Arizona, he met and married his wife Alice, a Navajo. They have five children and four grandchildren. He has always believed it is important to integrate Native culture in the church with dancing and singing since it is a healthy thing to do. Luke is a certified counselor and he was active in the start up of the Old Minto Recovery Camp. He supports the Culture Camp in Old Minto and thinks it is good so people in education can learn about the Athabascans. He is currently the chair of the Yukon-Koyukuk School District Board. He likes to help young people learn about their culture and background, especially those who may have lost their family. He finds that young people are always interested in finding out who they are and where they come from. | |
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Athabascan Region: Tribute to the Minto Elders by Kathryn Swartz:Chief Peter John was born in Rampart and he is probably over 100 years old. He lost his parents when he was young and was sent to St. Mark's Mission School in Nenana where he learned reading and writing. He lived a subsistence lifestyle and married Elsie Silas when he was 25. Peter and Elsie had ten children and adopted another four. Today they have three daughters of their children living. Peter was a disciplined student of his own culture and he has also studied the Bible. He held the post of Village Chief on and off since 1945 and he was a central figure in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. In the early 1990s, he was named Traditional Doyon (Chief) for the Interior Athabascans, a post he will retain for life (from The Gospel According to Peter John, 1996). Dorothy Titus was born October 22, 1911 at Four Cabins in the Minto Flats. She is the eldest of the children of Moses Charlie and Bessie David. Dorothy received very little education; she says just a little schooling at a time. In 1929, Dorothy married Matthew Titus of Nenana and they had nine children and adopted five. Dorothy says that Matthew worked on the boat all the time; she stayed at home with the kids and dogs. When Dorothy was young she used to do everything. She would tan all kinds of skins: moose, beaver, otter and muskrat. Her husband taught her to trap and hunt. "I once caught a rabbit and lynx in the same snare, the rabbit was around the lynx's neck." She also likes to help people; she is a kindhearted lady who gives without hesitation. Today, Dorothy enjoys crocheting, making baskets for sale, camping and going to church. Evelyn Alexander was born on December 25, 1916 to Little Charlie and Agnes Charlie, at Old Minto and she attended school up to grade two. During the winter they had to move out to hunt and trap. Evelyn says that there were no jobs in those days so she trapped and helped her dad provide for the family. She would help him build fishwheels and sleds. At a young age, she was recognized for her talent as a singer and she was asked to sing for others. Evelyn married Jim Alexander of Nenana in 1935. Together they had two children and they adopted six. Evelyn said, "I was really active. I was a dog musher, health aide, midwife and Sunday school teacher . . . " Evelyn's hobbies include making birch-bark baskets, going out camping and hunting, doing bead work, making vests, slippers, gloves and she also enjoys crocheting and knitting. Evelyn has received many awards, among them Doyon's 1998 Elder of the Year and AFN's 1999 Elder of the Year. Elsie Titus was born on June 1, 1919 to William Jimmie and Susie Silas in Old Minto. Her education went up to the third grade. She married Robert A. Titus and they had eleven children. She has previously worked as a kitchen helper at the Minto Lakeview Lodge. Her interests and hobbies are beadwork, sewing quilts, birch bark basket making, crocheting and she likes to knit mittens and socks. She also enjoys skin sewing and making things such as boots, slippers and beaver skin items. She also cuts out material for shirts, bedding and wall tents. Elsie's mother taught her about arts and crafts. There is a canoe at the university that she helped sew. Elsie climbed all the way up COD Hill this fall during the annual field trip, with some help from Bill Pfisterer! Chief Peter John Dorothy Titus Evelyn Alexander Lige Charlie was born on September 1, 1921. He started school in Old Minto, but then was sent to St. Mark's Mission in Nenana. He started to work as a deckhand on the riverboats before he was drafted into the Army in 1943. He served for three years during WWII in Attu and Shemya on the Aleutian Islands and in Cold Bay on the Alaska Peninsula. After he got out of the Army, he married Susie on March 16, 1947. Lige likes to work on all sorts of things, but he is known for his trapping, working on sleds, stoves, building cabins and houses. He works hard, especially in Old Minto every year when he usually builds a fish wheel. Lige and Susie put in a well at their fish camp downriver from Old Minto that both the Recovery Camp and the Cultural Heritage camp use. Pumping water has become a camp ritual and all appreciate being able to use the well. Susie Charlie was born March 16, 1928 at Old Minto. Susie was raised by Laura Charlie, Chief Charlie's wife, after her mother died when she was five. She went to school up to the fourth grade where she remembers just beginning to learn about fractions. She remembers never going to school for a full week, she always had to help the older ladies with chores such as cutting wood and cleaning. She and Lige had ten children and they raised four of their grandchildren. Susie worked as a school cook in 1969 until the village was moved in 1970. At that time Susie and Lige moved their family to Fairbanks for three years while Lige worked for the Highway Department. Susie also worked as a fee agent for ten years, helping people with paperwork. Then she worked as a cook and kitchen helper for the Senior Program and for Tanana Chiefs in Old Minto. When asked what kind of special interests she has, Susie replied, "Lots of things!" She enjoys singing, dancing, hunting, fishing, camping and berry picking. Josephine Riley was born October 28, 1929 to Titus John and Charlotte Albert. She went to the school in Old Minto up to the fourth grade. She believes good teachers were there and that is why all the Minto Elders can speak English well. Josephine was married to Harry L. Riley, Sr. and they raised 17 children. Josephine picked up odd jobs now and then as a substitute teacher and working during elections. She is also a homemaker. She has given speeches for the Minto School and UAF classes several times. Throughout Josephine's life, her favorite interests and hobbies are dancing, driving dogs, berry picking, knitting and ice fishing. Josephine believes we should always share the first of what is caught like beaver, black ducks, moose or king salmon with a neighbor or whoever is in the camp. Also, we should always be good to one another. Note: Watch for the next issue with more on the Minto Elders. Left to right: Lige Charlie, Elsie Titus, Susie Charlie and Josephine Riley. | |
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Athabascan Region: What is happening in Old Minto this Summer?:We have been fundraising for this project for over a year and were fortunate to secure a top-off grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust in November 2000 which ensures funding for ten log-sided cabins. In addition, we are planning to construct a rustic dining area and kitchen facility. We are grateful for support from the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative, the CIRI Heritage Foundation, the Rasmuson Foundation, Nenana Lumber and numerous local contributors too many to mention here! We have funding for the materials, but this is an ambitious project and we still need some help in the form of volunteer labor. We are seeking service groups that would like to "adopt a cabin" and help build it; volunteers with construction skills or interested in learning construction; cooks familiar with outdoor cooking for a group; use of a small cat to clear land; donations or use of a generator, skill saw, drills, hand tools, vapor barriers, ten boxes each of eight- and sixteen-penny galvanized nails, food, gas and oil. Cash contributions are also welcome (tax exempt). CHEI will provide transportation from Nenana and food. All involved will be our invited guests for Potlatch Day in Old Minto on June 15. CHEI offers cultural heritage camps for groups interested in cross-cultural learning and experiences. With these upgrades we hope to have a full camp season. The Cross-Cultural Orientation Camp is planned for June 9-16, 2001. Contact Ray Barnhardt at UAF for more information about this course. We can arrange camps for diverse groups, classes, meetings, retreats, workshops or other gatherings. Individuals can also attend one of our scheduled camps, depending on space availability. For more information, contact: CHEI P.O. Box 73030 Fairbanks, AK 99707 907-451-0923 chei@mosquitonet.com www.ankn.uaf.edu/chei. CHEI is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the Athabascan way of life and sharing it with others. We hope to see you in Old Minto this summer! | |
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Athabascan Region: Whouy Sze Kiunalth: Teaching Our Many Grandchildren by Joan Herrmann:Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium received grants that are helping to create a better world for our people. In a partnership with two museums, two school districts, University of Alaska and the National Parks Service, our students are learning about our traditional way of life, how to make healthy lifestyle choices, why we should care for our land and how to use technology. In short, we are teaching our children how to maintain their cultural identity and also succeed in a modern world. Providing quality health care in rural Alaska presents many challenges to our villages. However, for the past two years, our students have been working to raise community awareness about crucial health issues while learning how to make responsible choices that impact their own health. Our "Learn and Serve America" programs were designed to promote learning and passing on information about our traditional ways of staying healthy, our use and preparation of subsistence foods, our Athabascan language and comparing ways of life today to ways of life for our Elders in the past. MSTC was awarded three tribal grants by the Corporation for National Service, Learn and Serve America program. These grants promote a service-learning approach through all the program activities. This approach, commonly associated with traditional learning styles, encourages our young people to learn and develop through active participation in service experiences that meet actual community needs and are coordinated with the village schools and communities. We have already conducted activities such as removal of more than 300 junk cars and student-led health fairs; activities that extend our children's learning beyond the classroom out into our communities and foster a sense of caring for others, leadership skills, career-related skills and preservation of traditional knowledge that will protect the health of our communities for present and future generations. In our villages, the Elders are the only ones left with full knowledge of the old ways and as they leave us, so does our culture. Many of our older people were sent away to boarding school when they were young, denied the right to speak our language in school and were inundated with the outside world's way of doing and living. Today's children are even further removed from our traditions and culture, but they have an easier time learning and an energy that makes it fun to teach them. By having the Elders teach the students, the knowledge is being passed on directly to the generation that will know enough by adulthood to do more with it. The student's parents will also benefit from what their children learn, as the students share what they have learned with their village. Angie David assists as her Grandma Katie John goes through the screenings at last spring's health fairs. Partnerships Tribal councils and focus groups provide the source of guidance and direction for the projects; Cheesh'na Tribal Council and Mentasta Lake Traditional Council offer input and direction to the entire program and many of the same people serve as focus group members. The purpose of the focus groups is to bring together a diverse group of local community members for input on project processes and progress. They have been working with program staff and students for five years providing curriculum content, direction for student research and guidance for the program staff. Student service activities are planned to ensure ongoing quality service activities and learning throughout the entire year, rather than just during the school year. Practical, working partnerships continue to be developed with the village councils, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, our local health clinics and Gateway and Copper River School Districts to provide health education opportunities to our students and community members. Classroom Activities Our students participate in classroom research about sanitation and nutrition, and program assistants provide after-school activities two to three times per week that support the classroom lessons. Activities include students examining the content of foods they usually eat, cooking nutritional snacks, interviewing Elders and preparing food for them. Students also make posters for display in the schools and community halls and plan traditional themes for their upcoming health fair exhibits. Health education presentations and activities are coordinated in our villages utilizing local expertise wherever possible. For example, Mentasta Elder, Katie John has spent time with students discussing her nationally acclaimed lawsuit, Katie John vs. the State of Alaska, and sharing why she has worked so hard for the future of Alaska Native subsistence rights and lifestyle. Elder Lena Charley spends one day each week with students to teach them traditional ways of living and speaking their language. Elder Molly Galbreath has shared with students about what her life was like, growing up in Batzulnetas; sharing photos of tanning moose hides, talking about wilderness survival and staying strong and healthy by living off the land. Student-led Health Fairs The projects follow MSTC's Mission " . . . empowering our people by enhancing our traditional values to ensure a healthier and more positive future for our children." These grants allow the students to participate in fun, hands-on, culturally relevant lessons in and out of school. One of the most important and favorite ways of learning is through our community's Elders who are grandparents of not only their grandchildren but of all the children in the community and share their knowledge with them. The students then take what they've learned, stories and traditional knowledge of health and caring for the environment and create ways to share it with their community. To share what they've learned, students put on an annual spring health fair, present skits at community dinners, are developing a website, help teach in the computer lab and are restoring a historical trail to be used as an interpretive trail in each village. The health fair is the most work intensive as students design and produce the exhibits based on traditional knowledge. The students work hard to learn from their Elders and community members. Students research in teams of four to eight and create learning centers to share pertinent cultural knowledge with their communities. Students present their projects at the spring health fairs where they act as teachers to share their new-found knowledge with their communities. Our students have been challenged to learn from Elders about important cultural traditions. The past two years, they have explored issues that are important and that they feel are especially relevant to their lives today. The students in Chistochina have focused on subjects including steambath, exercise, nutritional values of moose vs. beef, local berries and traditional medicinal plants. Mentasta students have chosen to focus on the traditional knowledge and practices having to do with the moose during hunting, food preparation, potlatch, language and uses of the hide. Leandra Martin builds a diorama at the Denver Museum-learning how to build exhibits. Culturally-Relevant Curriculum Throughout the project, a culturally-relevant curriculum has been developed and piloted as a working document that breaks down many barriers-to bring the community into the classroom. The curriculum, called Whouy Sze Kiunalth (Teaching our Many Grandchildren), has lessons about topics ranging from subsistence and environmental management to gathering, nutrition and traditions of our food. This curriculum is the product of five years of intensive work and actually began with the original Learn and Serve grant. Museum staff at UAF guide Brian McLaren, exhibit designer, and Megan Holloway, resource educator, search the archives for exhibit artifacts. Jerry Charley teaches students how to make a drum. Teaching strategies are being developed through our partnerships with UAF for the curriculum that will promote a better understanding of health and environmental issues in Alaska Native Villages and build necessary skills for rural service. The curriculum has been designed as a model to teach students about their culture, whatever it may be, and is aligned with current Alaska state standards throughout the lessons, making it "teacher friendly". It is designed to be shared, used, adjusted or adapted in order to meet the individual needs of villages and schools who use it. Now in its final editing phase, the curriculum has been formally adopted by both Copper River and Alaska Gateway school districts. Exhibit One of the program goals is to develop an exhibit that will demonstrate our commitment to ensuring a healthier and more positive future for our children. And as we have progressed through these projects, it has become apparent that the exhibit we want to construct will be a model for many Alaska tribes and will be appreciated for its educational value in many arenas around the state such as schools, hospitals, cultural centers, our partner museums and many other locations. We are working with an exhibit designer to develop a conceptual plan. This design plan will develop ways this can be viewed and translated for clarity by all ages and literacy levels. Modern technologies that are used in high quality museum exhibits will be utilized. The exhibit, titled after the original project, "Teaching Our Many Grandchildren," is expected to be small, about 300 square feet, and will be designed to travel to a variety of venues including museums and culture centers in Fairbanks, Anchorage and the Copper River region as well as to schools, libraries and other community centers in rural Alaska. It may also travel to the Lower 48 to venues such as our partner museums or other cultural centers. The exhibit will present the story of our Athabascan clans and how our Elders, Mentasta Traditional Council, Cheesh'na Tribal Council, Mt. Sanford Tribal Consortium and school teachers are committed to preserving and passing on the values and knowledge of our traditional tribal identity, that is, our subsistence lifestyle based on a deep respect for the land and each other. It will tell about stories passed on by our Elders such as Katie John who, in a changing world, continues to remind her children and many grandchildren of the old ways of living and the lessons they taught of self-reliance, laughter and service to our villages. Since the focus of "Teaching Our Many Grandchildren" is to demonstrate subsistence and the values of spiritual well being inherent in our lifestyle; the exhibit will also house objects and artifacts that reflect our subsistence way of life. Key in presenting the story of our people is the land and a strong sense of place. The exhibit will show the majesty and great beauty of the Copper River headwater region, beloved home to our people. We hope to develop an online version of this exhibit to make it available to rural communities who might not otherwise be able to view it. Several agencies have already expressed a desire to see this project succeed and have indicated an interest in displaying the exhibit after its completion date which we anticipate for fall, 2003. Closing Each student has had the opportunity to become an expert on his or her project. They are beginning to understand the depth of knowledge available in their communities and the importance of sharing that knowledge with their peers. They have gained self-esteem and pride, essential elements for living a healthy life. The "Teaching Our Many Grandchildren" curriculum resources will be available through the Alaska Native Knowledge Network web site at www.ankn.uaf.edu. | |
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Athabascan Region: YKSD Gets Four-Year Language Grant by Susan Paskvan:The language development grant has four strands to improve the Native and English Languages in the nine YKSD villages. Certified teachers have an opportunity to seek a reading endorsement, Native language endorsement and/or masters of education degree. The paraprofessionals (teacher aides) have an opportunity to earn a certificate or associate of applied science degree in Native language. Students will learn their Koyukon or Lower Tanana Athabascan language through cultural activities. Two of the activities benefit the students and families of YKSD communities. Students in sixth through twelfth grade have been targeted by this grant to lower the dropout rate and to increase test scores. A one-week language and culture camp in the fall and spring of each year will be held in each of the nine villages. Students will learn their Koyukon or Lower Tanana Athabascan language through cultural activities. They must keep a journal (in both English and Denaakk'e) of their activities. A summer language immersion camp will also be held in which students may earn high school and college credit. In partnership with the Tanana Chiefs Conference Interior Athabascan Tribal College (IATC), family language immersion programs will be implemented. The mentor-apprentice model will be used so that whole families can learn the language from a fluent speaker. In the spring of 2003, the regional school board of YKSD approved a half-hour of Athabascan language instruction for grades K-2. The family immersion program will benefit these children by allowing them to practice at home what they are learning in school. Jane learns how to split wood with a hammer that Bill Williams (on right) taught them to carve. Gareth looks on. Student said, Kkun' destlaa which means "I am splitting wood." The first language camp was held this past summer 20 miles downriver from Hughes, Alaska at the camp of Bill and Madeline Williams. Fourteen students in K-12 from Hughes and nine students from Koyukuk participated. Other camps were held in Koyukuk as well as a day camp in Kaltag. The tribal councils in the villages have also supported the camps. "We went to five different classes during the day. Our classes were saying moose parts in Athabascan, saying fish names in Athabascan . . . " Student responses to the camps have been positive. Kirchelle wrote "We went to five different classes during the day. Our classes were saying moose parts in Athabascan, saying fish names in Athabascan, bead work with Jean Linus, journal writing when the day was over." One of the students who will be in the family immersion program, Angela wrote, "It was really cool seeing my younger brothers learning their language and it was cool that my dad was one of the teachers because he knows the language. He is also learning a little bit as he was teaching because there was some words that he did not know. I thought that was very cool of the teachers and the district to do that, help us to learn our language." Susan Paskvan has been hired as the language development coordinator for the project. Patrick Marlow (ANLC) and Beth Leonard (IATC) are currently partner liaisons and will be working closely with Susan over the course of the project. If you have any questions about the program, please call Susan at YKSD, 907-374-9424 or e-mail spaskvan@yksd.com. Madeline Williams is teaching Angela how to knit a fishnet. Students said, Taabee destl'oo, which means "I am knitting a fishnet." | |
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Athabascan Regional Events & Activities by Amy Van Hatten:I know time is of the essence, so I am trying to make it count the best way I can, as time allows. For starters, I am honored to be here working with a diverse group of intellectual people who enhance and share the same interest. An exciting adventure I have familiarized myself with, too, is the email system. It provides an easy way to notify national and state 4-H associations and rural Alaskans of my transition in the workplace. My work areas consist of a shared office with Lolly, Nastasia and Paula. We are "cozy friends." The other site is my home computer center. A personal collection of books on my Athabascan culture give my ARSI library source a good start. My list of contacts is on the up side since I will be working with most of the same resourceful people I had come in contact with through 4-H. Other tasks include gathering data, reading ARSI handouts (I am behind), organizing a new filing system (using a laundry detergent box right now) and keeping a mental log of contacts I made during the holiday season. Informing rural people about my new roles and responsibilities was fun. Their response was delightful, which pleased me in knowing I would have their support in the future. I have packaged the Village 4-H Clubs/Camps videotape on to the Inupiaq regional coordinator with instructions to forward it to the next person on the list, which is Barbara Liu. Hopefully, by the time we meet in Anchorage, everyone that is interested in viewing it would have done so already. Even though phone conversations have taken place with the Denakkanaaga Elders' program director and the cultural heritage camp director, letters and more meetings will follow. I had to postpone the Jan. 4-5 regional meeting dates to an undetermined date. Everyone's calendar is filling up. (Transition is slow for me, from one unfinished job to a new position, 'course I don't intend to use that as an on-going excuse.) I will attend the Bilingual/Multi-Cultural conference in February for the first time ever. I once passed through their display tables when my mother was a Native Education instructor and she attended the conference. I am hoping to have most of my "ducks" in a row by the time our annual Athabascan Month (March) approaches. In tow, I will have to partake in the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the Doyon Limited Convention. I have agreed to hold a workshop on the characteristics of young adults likened to our elders-on giving comparable information on what makes us different, insightful, critical thinkers, etc. or, on the other hand, unconventional, short term goal oriented, noncommittal and such that we'd like to get away from. I am sure you have ideas to add to the list for discussion or as a way to produce an awareness program, or even ways to become more inclusive instead of exclusive. Nastasia and I are still in the planning stage. This concludes my report for now. I am honored to be selected as the new Athabascan Regional Coordinator, a position I am sure I will enjoy for the next five years. (What a great way for me to start the new year.) My husband and I have three children living at home. I have many blessings to be thankful for, beginning with how fortunate I feel to have my adoptive father, Ralph Nelson, and biological mother, Lillian Olin, to call on for advise, enthusiasm and to answer to my cravings for more interactive learning and sharing of Alaska Native knowledge. The pride and self-confidence they have instilled in me has enriched my life as well as my children's along with the hope of giving back to others. Through my new job I will thrive in being around our most precious resource-our Elders. Together we will interactively document our Native life skills and practices that predates Western contact and have a chance to share with Indigenous people from all over the world. Commitment to my heritage and Elders has been a front runner my whole life. I come to you as a highly motivated and committed worker with the hopes of gaining more understanding for many other cultures. Almost nine years ago, Tanana Chiefs Conference 4-H office, National 4-H Council, and our state 4-H association, as youth organizations, gave me the beginning, which I am thankful for also. You may contact me at this phone number: (907) 474-5086. My address is: Amy Van Hatten, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Native Knowledge Network/ARSI, P.O. Box 756730, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6730. Until we meet again, or for the first time, happy trails to you and your family. Best wishes, Amy | |
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Athabascan Regional Report by Amy Van Hatten:Oh, only for so short a while you have loaned us to each other, because we take form in your act of drawing us, And we take life in your painting us, and we breathe in your singing us. But only for so short a while have you loaned us to each other. -Source unknown This is an ancient Aztec Indian prayer that reflects on the preciousness of life and the fleetingness of it. As the Aztecs thank the Creator for their life and breath, and their drawings, they acknowledge that they are only on loan to each other for a short while. (Praying Our Good-byes, Joyce Rupp) In early January an uncle of mine was hospitalized. His last wish was to return to his village along the Yukon River in order to finish building his house. Cancer took his life at the age of eighty-five years old. At the end of March he would have celebrated his sixty-fifth wedding anniversary with my paternal aunt. Oh, only for so short a while have you loaned us to each other . . . As I write this article, I keep in mind how important the ARSI project is. I want to cry out "this is an emergency!" I want to figure out a way NOW to attract more people from my region to become proactive with our initiatives. I would like to see more than the same people involved with elder programs and projects. I am not discounting their efforts, I am thankful for it. But there are diverse skills and knowledge that could help us with identifying available resources and to take this as an opportunity for a renewed educational system reform. The bilingual/multicultural conference in Bethel was very informative for me, since this was the first time I attended. I was excited to see many smart and devoted Native teachers that shared with us in so many workshops they were hard to choose from. The ones I attended were related to curriculum development, multimedia documentation projects (like the Koyukuk village project in its first year) and other workshops that shared stories, dancing and singing, along with language programs in the Lower Kuskokwim areas. I was so proud of the teachers, teacher aides, curriculum developers, school board members and university professionals who appeared excited about rural education. My next trip was to Vancouver, B.C. as one of the state team members. I shared a room with an elder woman from Chalkyitsik named Minnie Salmon. She retired from the Yukon Flats school district as a language teacher for the past twenty-one years. Now she is the community wellness coordinator. A very nice person. We had a great time meeting people and sharing with them what we knew as Native educators and participants in Ray Barnhardt's and Oscar Kawagley's workshops. What a team! I attended the Canadian Indian Teacher Education Program (CITEP) conference because in February 1997, I will help coordinate the Mokakit conference in Anchorage. March 4-5 was my regional meeting. The first day was informational input and identifying tasks from MOA members. This was for the benefit of the elders who were representatives of the Elders' Council. Those with MOAs and others who were present at my meeting were representatives of the following departments: U.S. Fish & Wildlife; Alaska Native Human and Rural Development Program, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); four elders from the Interior region, Denakkanaaga, Institute of Alaska Native Arts, Tanana Chiefs Conference (TCC) Education; Interior-Aleutians Campus, ARSI staff; College of Liberal Arts, UAF; Doyon Foundation; Yukon-Koyukuk School District, and Rural Education. The second day was a brainstorming session with the elders and a few of us. I recorded a whole tablet full of directives, suggestions, concerns, questions to ponder and other pertinent information for later use. I still need to make time to type it all up so I can distribute it to the elders for review before we meet again in April. In early March, I had the opportunity to attend the LKSD bilingual conference in Bethel. AGAIN, I felt so proud of Alaska Native people in the educational role. The conference was in Yup'ik only. We had little one way transistor receivers to hear the English translations. It was so cool and awesome to see the curriculum development process in action. The most recent presentation I did was for the annual Tanana Chiefs Conference. I was invited to give an overview of the ARSI project as part of an educational panel. It was so much fun to do that. Of course working with people like Eleanor Laughlin, Reva Shircel and Beth Leonard add important ingredients too. It was a kick. I love my job! You may contact me at (907) 474-5086 or write to Amy Van Hatten, University of Alaska Fairbanks, ANKN/ARSI, P.O. Box 756730, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6730. Until we meet again, happy trails to you and your family. Best wishes, Amy. | |
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Athabascan Regional Report by Amy Van Hatten:This summer I attended the Denakkanaaga Elders conference, the Cross-Cultural Teacher Orientation Program and the Academy of Elders (the latter two were held at Old Minto.) All of these events were motivational for me as far as my duties as a regional coordinator responsible for data collection, ideas for developing a roster of traditional ways of knowing and documenting self-regulating processes on which indigenous people have relied on for many generations. Elders share their way of life with prestige, depth and resonance. They speak with courtesy and respect to the land, animals and of objects which make up the respected areas they still live in. Some of their insights are from memory and some from still being able to enjoy the richness of staying in a fish camp. Many speak with reverence of the everyday activities in their local environment during different seasons, with hopes of passing on that indigenous knowledge to the younger generation and their educators. At the same time mentioning that they are not trying to impose their will over non-indigenous people, but they see and understand why our Native children are confused about their own identity, interest in school, sense of belonging, sense of community or other relationships to their homelands. During the two camps, it was with much satisfaction on my part to watch numerous rural Native teachers, elders, university staff, school administrators, guests from foreign countries and other consortium members light up with excitement as they demonstrated their new skills in making something with their own hands. Many of the Native educators couldn't wait to return to their village to teach what they had learned. At the camp site many skills were accomplished and learned through the gathering of birch bark, spruce roots, willow and willow bark, medicinal plants, cutting and smoking fish, learning Native songs, dancing, Native spirituality, respect for the land and all that it offers to us in order to survive, storytelling, how to use a sweat lodge for healing, how to regain physical stamina during long trips and what foods to take for a lasting energy level, how to read and predict the weather, the many uses of birch trees ( last count was up to thirty-two items), how to camp in the wilderness, how to conserve heat in the tent by using spruce branches on the floor, how to make a "cache", safe ways to store food, discovering new methods of teaching math while knitting geometric designs or flower patterns on yarn socks, how to utilize the entire moose, how to make varied sizes of birch bark baskets and how to make a fish net shuttle along with another instrumental piece to making a real fishnet and using manufactured twine or hand woven willow bark spun into twine for the net. The list is endless. It's like when you've gone through a growth process and can't wait to share all you have experienced first hand. Through the teacher's and students' elation, it became mine too, and it was like I was discovering these Native ways of knowing for the first time while some were learning it all over again, but with a feeling of doing it better the next time. Together as indigenous people and educators who learned the western ways of learning and doing things, our hopes are to develop our own educational aids and integrate the western ways of learning with Native ways while letting the Native ways be. Many others speak of indigenous activities in the past tense instead of the present tense. Personally I relate that perception to their not having any personal experience of immersing themselves in the natural environment. As the old saying goes, "It's never too late to learn." | |
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Athabascan Regional Report by Amy Van Hatten:I would like to acknowledge, with appreciation, the Athabascan people and colleagues from the Interior for their kindness and unselfishness in spending quality time with me this past summer in cultural camps. The pride and self-confidence they displayed has influenced and encouraged me to continue striving on their behalf and to be a catalyst between the expertise of Alaska Native elders and the educational institutions. Through diligent work throughout the Interior, numerous cultural camps were implemented this past spring and summer with an emphasis on living with the land, animals and a diverse group of people. Plans are to continue the camps as annual events. The primary objective of this initiative was to enable teachers, students, administrators, parents and elders to establish a vehicle for integrating Alaska Native elders' expertise and knowledge into the educational and scientific programs in the region. While respecting our elders' wisdom and life experiences, we must be willing to accept their advice on to how to deal with learning, listening, life in the old ways and, in general, with today's problems. Many of the cultural activities the elders demonstrated were hands on and they gave personal attention to our new skills as we practiced in front of them, giving a new meaning to "hand-made". They shared their methods and unique way of improvising with what nature has provided for centuries in regards to their available tools, materials, ways of prolonging energy levels, gathering from the land, story telling and unspoken Native spirituality and harmony, just to name a few. We must pay attention to the protection of cultural and intellectual property rights of Alaska Native people as they make their traditional knowledge available to others. Traditionally, a Native child was not instructed on how to achieve certain survival skills. They were expected to learn from observation more than from direct instructions. They had to observe carefully when parents and grandparents were engaged in various activities and mimic the behavior until they got it right. A camera crew stayed at the Old Minto Elders' Camp for the full duration. They are making a video for teacher in-services that will illustrate the cultural value and educational potential of incorporating elders and cultural camps in the school curriculum. From my experience in being around elders, they want our new generation to learn their Native language, oral stories, legacies and to gain leadership and spiritual skills that will equip us for a future without them. It is our responsibility to perpetuate that new vision for the people and all others who are receptive. The following is one sample of how traditional knowledge integrates with Western astronomy through a traditional Kiowa story of Tsoai (Plains Indians). Eight children were there at play-seven sisters and their brother. Suddenly the boy was struck dumb; he trembled and began to run upon his hands and feet. His fingers became claws and his body was covered with fur. Directly there was a bear where the boy had been. The sisters were terrified; they ran and the bear after them. They came to the stump of a great tree and the tree spoke to them. It bade them climb upon it and as they did so it began to rise into the air. The bear came to kill them but they were beyond its reach. It reared against the trunk and scored the bark all around with its claws. The seven sisters were borne into the sky and they became the stars of the Big Dipper. (From The Ancient Child by N. Scott Momaday.) Best wishes! Amy gives her presentation at the 46th Annual Arctic Science Conference held in September at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. PHOTO BY LOLLY CARPLUK | |
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AVCP Adopts Resolution:The following resolution was adopted at the Thirty-Eighth Annual Convention of the Association of Village Council Presidents (AVCP). The convention was held in Bethel, Alaska, October 8-10, 2002. Thirty-Eighth Annual Convention Bethel, Alaska October 8-10, 2002 RESOLUTION NO: 02-10-13 TITLE: SUPPORTING ASSOCIATION OF VILLAGE COUNCIL PRESIDENTS SUBMITTED BY AVCP ALASKA RURAL SYSTEMIC INITIATIVE YUP'IK/CUP'IK HISTORY PROPOSAL AND AVCP TRIBAL COLLEGE WHEREAS The Association of Village Council Presidents, Inc. (AVCP) is the recognized tribal organization and nonprofit Alaska Native regional corporation for its fifty-six member indigenous Native villages within Western Alaska and supports its member villages; and WHEREAS AVCP fully supports its member villages' endeavors in all aspects of their self-determination, health and well-being; and WHEREAS AVCP/Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (AKRSI) and AVCP Tribal College propose to actively seek funding for the regional Yup'ik/Cup'ik history project within Western Alaska; and WHEREAS the intent of the Yup'ik/Cup'ik history project is to make it part of the required school curriculum in Western Alaska schools; and WHEREAS the regional Native students and their descendents need to know their origins in Western Alaska; and NOWTHERE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the full board of the Association of Village Council Presidents supports and directs AVCP Administration to actively seek funding for the Western Alaska Yup'ik/Cup'ik history project and report to the AVCP administration and AVCP board periodically. ADOPTED this 10th day of October 2002, at the 38th Annual Convention held in Bethel, Alaska, at which a duly constituted quorum of delegates was present. By:___________________________________________________________ | |
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Bering Strait Region: Our Vision for the 21st Century by Bernadette Alvanna-Stimpfle:A group of Bering Strait School District and Nome City Schools teachers met on April 3-5 to discuss the formation of an association and to make recommendations to focus on. A large part of each day was spent on brainstorming recommendations. The recommendations focused on the imbalances in the educational system and were made to begin to address solutions to the imbalances. Some of the recommendations were: * to begin to make aware to the general public, governing bodies and employees of school districts of the imbalances that exist within the school and communities; * to design integrated cultural activities inherent to the communities into the basic curriculum and * to encourage parent involvement and to begin work on implementing a Native language immersion program. On the afternoon of April 4, Esther Ilutsik, Ciulistet Native educator from Dillingham and Henry Alakayak, Ciulistet elder consultant from Manokotak gave a great presentation on the beginnings of the Ciulistet Research Group (CRG) (see Sharing Our Pathways, Vol 1, Iss. 2). Esther demonstrated some of the educational materials that were developed by CRG that stem from traditional Yup'ik knowledge base rather than translating Western educational materials for use in the classroom. On the last day we made a list of possible names for our group and decided on "Kii" Educators Association (KEA) which means "go" in Inupiaq and the acronym shows the "KEY" to Native education. However, it is only a temporary name. I will be sending another list of names for the Native educators and participants to choose from and keep everyone updated on our progress. | |
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Bering Straits Report by Yaayuk Alvanna-Stimpfle:Northwest Campus, Nome I came on board in March of 1996. For the first two and a half months, I've been getting to know what this job entails. I made presentations to the Native Parent Education Committee at the Nome Public Schools and the Sitnasuak Elders' Council at Sitnasuak Native Corporation in Nome. I traveled to Unalakleet with Claudette and Oscar Kawagley to talk about the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) with the principal and the science teachers. I also established contacts with the Nome Public Schools and the Bering Straits School District to introduce the Alaska Rural Systemic Initiative (Alaska RSI) project. This fall, I've been busy working with the Nome elementary schools' bilingual-bicultural instructors, writing the lesson plans since they are already integrated into the science themes. The elementary school science themes are three years, a quarter long and four themes per year. The themes change every year and are repeated every three years. I included Inupiaq vocabulary and put the themes into seasonal activities depending on what the Native population is doing. For example, the men are hunting moose and seal now, so I will be working on navigation and weather predictions with the astronomy theme for the next quarter. I also included traditional stories right into the lessons. I've been asked to present the Alaska RSI project to the Northwest Campus Advisory Council in December and to the Kawerak Inc. board members sometime in the future. Tavra. Kathy Itta (above) and Bernice Alvanna-Stimpfle (below) take diligent notes at the September Alaska RSI staff meeting in Anchorage. PHOTO BY LOLLY CARPLUK | |
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