Looking back - Alaska in the '70s and early 80s
Jan 20th, 2022, 09:37 AM
#21
Hi gardyloo --
I recently read a memoir by an anthropologist who had worked in northern Alaska among the Gwich-in people, who speak both English and their own tongue. I was wondering what ethnic group the indigenous inhabitants of King Cove and Sand Point were, and what languages they spoke. Thanks, FD.
I recently read a memoir by an anthropologist who had worked in northern Alaska among the Gwich-in people, who speak both English and their own tongue. I was wondering what ethnic group the indigenous inhabitants of King Cove and Sand Point were, and what languages they spoke. Thanks, FD.
Jan 20th, 2022, 10:18 AM
#22
Hi gardyloo --
I recently read a memoir by an anthropologist who had worked in northern Alaska among the Gwich-in people, who speak both English and their own tongue. I was wondering what ethnic group the indigenous inhabitants of King Cove and Sand Point were, and what languages they spoke. Thanks, FD.
I recently read a memoir by an anthropologist who had worked in northern Alaska among the Gwich-in people, who speak both English and their own tongue. I was wondering what ethnic group the indigenous inhabitants of King Cove and Sand Point were, and what languages they spoke. Thanks, FD.
In places like King Cove and Sand Point, there's also a very strong Scandinavian heritage resulting from the communities' ties to the Seattle based fishing and fish processing industries, which historically were dominated by (mainly) people of Norwegian heritage. So while you'll see surnames like Shelikoff or Dushkin all over, you'll also see a fair number of Gundersons, Samuelsons and the like.
One of the pictures above shows the bishop's house in Unalaska. I had the occasion to be poking around the dilapidated building with a local (named Shaisnikoff) one day and we found a locked closet. My friend had no qualms about B&E, so she forced open the door and on the floor we found a stack of books, dated 1890-something and published in Saint Petersburg. Upon examining them we found that they were apparently prayer books, all using the old Slavonic alphabet that the Orthodox church used prior to the Russian revolution. I can read a little Russian (very poorly) and I could make out that on one of the facing pages it was liturgy written in old Russian, but I couldn't make heads nor tales of the facing page. Turned out the pages I couldn't read were printed in Aleut but using the Russian/Slavonic alphabet for the transliteration. We sent a copy of the book to an Aleut scholar at Brown University in Providence and she wrote back that nobody had (evidently) seen this before, and did we have any more?
We sent some of the books to the Orthodox Metropolitan's office in Toronto, sent a couple more to the researcher, and left the rest with the regional Aleut nonprofit corporation for their curation. It seemed to be an example of some effort on the part of the Orthodox church to preserve the Aleut culture (or was it?) but nobody in Unalaska speaks Russian today.
If interested, here are a couple of pictures of some Aleut workers at a whaling station at Akutan taken around 1915 as best we can determine, and another man in a bidarka. Note the man wearing a sealskin parka, and the bidarka (kayak) is also skin covered, both very traditional among the Aleuts.
Here's another (?) bidarka with some drying salmon (or possibly seal or whale meat)
Last edited by Gardyloo; Jan 20th, 2022 at 10:21 AM.
Jan 20th, 2022, 11:00 AM
#24
Thanks for posting these truly amazing photos Gardyloo. Keep 'em coming as far as I'm concerned.
A few months ago I happened to read "Where the Sea Breaks Its Back", by Corey Ford. As you probably know it's about Vitus Bering's second Kamchatka expedition. Aboard was the naturalist Georg Steller (Steller's jay, Steller's sea lion, among others). Amazing story combining exploration, shipwreck, survival, medicine, natural history, and Russian politics.
They stopped at some of the remote places you have photographed here. When I read the book I had never heard of them, and spent time online looking up further information, which is scant. Seeing your photos here now is just fascinating.
Happy Birthday.
A few months ago I happened to read "Where the Sea Breaks Its Back", by Corey Ford. As you probably know it's about Vitus Bering's second Kamchatka expedition. Aboard was the naturalist Georg Steller (Steller's jay, Steller's sea lion, among others). Amazing story combining exploration, shipwreck, survival, medicine, natural history, and Russian politics.
They stopped at some of the remote places you have photographed here. When I read the book I had never heard of them, and spent time online looking up further information, which is scant. Seeing your photos here now is just fascinating.
Happy Birthday.
Jan 20th, 2022, 11:38 AM
#25
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In 1978 my sister and I took the ferry (SS Matanuska) from Seattle to Skagway. Slept on deck in reclining lawn chairs, under heat lamps, wrapped in our sleeping bags, for three days.
We then hiked the Chilkoot Trail, and were surprised by snow after our first night. We were the last folks to make it over the pass that season. Thank god for cairns marking the way!
A fabulous trip, especially the late afternoon that we approached our campsite to find a couple of campers cooking freshly caught trout, with enough for us!
I fell in love with Alaska, saw fabulous northern lights, and could have stayed in Palmer (I think).
We then hiked the Chilkoot Trail, and were surprised by snow after our first night. We were the last folks to make it over the pass that season. Thank god for cairns marking the way!
A fabulous trip, especially the late afternoon that we approached our campsite to find a couple of campers cooking freshly caught trout, with enough for us!
I fell in love with Alaska, saw fabulous northern lights, and could have stayed in Palmer (I think).
Jan 20th, 2022, 01:42 PM
#27
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panecott--We were just up in the Brooks Range this fall again. We drove up the Dalton to Coldfoot and then our family who lives in the bush flew their bush plane over and picked us up and we headed back to the homestead. When we arrived in Coldfoot, the Alaska State Trooper that was there had a bit of attitude towards us until he found out who our family was
We spent a few weeks at the cabin for the moose hunt with the family. It IS a very different way of life up there for those that live in the bush full time. I love to visit, but doubt I could live it like they do. Our uncle is 79 and lives in his cabin by himself and does everything, and no roads in/out, no village, etc.
We spent a few weeks at the cabin for the moose hunt with the family. It IS a very different way of life up there for those that live in the bush full time. I love to visit, but doubt I could live it like they do. Our uncle is 79 and lives in his cabin by himself and does everything, and no roads in/out, no village, etc.
Jan 20th, 2022, 04:55 PM
#28
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Gardyloo, Happy belated Birthday!
Thank-you for sharing your wonderful photos and descriptions. Your comments helped us a decade ago plan a 2 week trip to the Kenai Peninsula and Denali. It was all a great trip with a magical experience of flying the Alaskan range and Denali in a 12 seater plane on a calm, gorgeous visibility day!
Keep the photos and stories coming, it’s fascinating!
Thank-you for sharing your wonderful photos and descriptions. Your comments helped us a decade ago plan a 2 week trip to the Kenai Peninsula and Denali. It was all a great trip with a magical experience of flying the Alaskan range and Denali in a 12 seater plane on a calm, gorgeous visibility day!
Keep the photos and stories coming, it’s fascinating!
