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Elder of the Week Eugene Pete, Sr., 81
8/27/03 by Carin Finch Eugene Pete Sr. was born August 15, 1922 in Scammon Bay. He married 16-year-old Anna Raphael when he was twenty-four and they lived off the land at Newnockock. Later they moved to Nunam Iqua to work at the saltry and commercial fish. Eugene is known for making strong sleds, blackfish traps and spears, which he sells when he wants money. "The young people really like them, they go fast," says his wife Anna. Just like Eugene, she adds, "He runs around like he's younger than me. I have him sweep the floor ‘cause I can't do my work. He dumps all the buckets and he's 81!" The young people are slow to keep up with him. Schooled on the land, Eugene continues to hunt seal, catch fish, and run around by boat and snowmachine. Long time ago he had a dog team and went to St. Mary's and won the race. "He is a lost and found man", says Anna. Maybe four years ago, his snowmachine got stuck in a creek when he went to check his blackfish trap. It was windy and foggy and no one knew where he was. People from as far away as Emmonak searched for three days. He was finally found rolled up in a tarp, little bit cold, but safe. His granddaughter Amanda says, "At Christmas, Grandpa always gives me gloves and scarves and hats so I will stay warm." Eugene has five living children, six deceased, sixteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. He takes a sauna every night. The hot steam makes him sleep.
Elder of the Week James Petluska, 82
8/13/03 James Petluska was born December 20, 1920 in Eek and he grew up on the other side of the Kuskokwim River at Tagyaraq. "My family moved to Eek when I was about 15 years old because they built a Moravian Church here," he recalled. Living a traditional life of hard work and subsistence activities, James had to contribute more than his share in those earlier years. "I didn't go to school because my dad wasn't able to do heavy labor, so I had to provide for the family," he said. "In those days we did not have an oil stove and I had to go out almost every day to get wood for the stove." James later worked as a commercial fisherman, and spent most summers fishing the waters in Bristol Bay. He was also a member of the Alaska Territorial Guard. Providing for his family didn't leave much time leftover for outside activities. "I never stayed in the village because I was always hunting," James said, his eyes lit up as he spoke about going out hunting and trapping. "We caught everything, even walrus and beluga whale that you no longer see out here." Every year on November 16, when fox and mink season would open, James would take off early, walking with his dogs to set his traps around Eek, and then he'd go up the Eek River to hunt wolverines, mink and otter. One time he remembers coming home with a lynx. 1998 was the last year he fished in Bristol Bay, but still went out hunting until last year. He now spends most of his time with his seven children, 14 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren. While his health doesn't allow him to go out hunting any longer, he still finds much enjoyment in his golden years, particularly the good long steam he takes every single day without a miss.
Elder of the Week Peter Isaac, 75
7/30/03 Peter Isaac was born in 1928 on Nelson Island. In his early days, besides subsistence hunting and fishing, he made extra cash by trapping fox, mink and muskrat. In addition, he also crafted handmade wood fishtraps to catch all kinds of fish. Isaac said he never attended school and instead, learned life skills through hard work. "My dad never let me go to school," he said. "He kept me out on the tundra, so I never had any schooling." Isaac got his first paying job in 1944 while in Bethel working for the Alaska Steamship Company at the old airport where he unloaded barges for 60¢ an hour along with 10 other workers. Throughout the next several years he worked in various temporary jobs including helping Johnny Samuelson. "I helped Johnny when he needed barge items unloaded in Brown Slough," he recalled. When the state began construction of the first regional school system, Isaac put his craftsman skills to use and was immediately hired on to help build the Kasigluk Elementary School. He later received permanent work as the janitor for Kilbuck School in Bethel where he worked for 20 years and then retired. He says he doesn't have a lot of extended family anymore "besides my wife Betty and my kids." Together, Peter and Betty Isaac raised eight children and they have numerous grandchildren (he couldn't remember how many) and 14 great-grandchildren. Today, Isaac enjoys the quiet life of a retired elder and says that besides spending time with family, his favorite activities include visiting with friends at the Bethel Senior Center.
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