Salmonberries aplenty
8-24-08
by Robert Nick
When one travels the wetlands of western Alaska... tundra sloughs and lakes, in search of fish and game, salmonberries, blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and the tasty low bush red berries, the vast and magnificent panorama lies for miles with occasional rolling hills banking the rivers and lakes.
Such is the scene, and with the many days of rains during the prime growing period, freshness of all living plants and greenery brings about freshness to the air one breathes. No wonder our ancestors taught us to revere the land that brings about these wonders of the universe that feeds mankind throughout the world.
During the past few days and weeks, my wife and I, our children and grandchildren were out there with others that we see walking the tundra, mostly bent over, picking berries.
In an earlier article, I had said that the berries were not to be seen, but with the rains and the sunlight that gradually enriched their growth, they are out there, everywhere.
And as you read this, one can still pick them as they are now 100% ripe and very tasty. Of course, in the colder climate west and north, they are not quite ripe for picking according to friends that live in those regions. But they certainly will be picking them soon.
A friend from Scammon Bay told me on Wednesday… they are picking them now. So, there is akutaq aplenty in western Alaska communities.
We certainly have been blessed with these natural plants and fruits, but we need to go out and get them.
Due to some meetings I must attend for the improvement of living in this harsh land we call home, I took advantage of a prior week and picked for six days straight, sometimes picking for almost twelve hours. In some of the trips, the grandkids went along and picked.
One of my grandsons filled the bottom of his small bucket and told us that he “muiriq”. Even two year old Kentrell was wandering amidst pebbles of berries, picking the biggest and ripest. Of course, he stopped from time to time to eat a ripe berry.
The salmonberry patches that my wife and I pick again provided aplenty. So, there will be akutaq aplenty this winter.
Throughout the years, I sometimes eat at a “Nuliacungaq’s” house, and when I ask for “Akutaq” they never have any. So, if my “nuliacungaq’s” happen to eat at my house… ask for “akutaq” and you may have one with berries that I picked. Of course, there are still blueberries, blackberries and cranberries to pick when ripe.
Perhaps, the best part of all these outings, is the stress of everyday life that is mitigated (made less harsh), just by being out there in the wild (uninhabited and uncultivated region).
As my family knows, I spent a lot time in the wild as returning from these outings usually brings good healthy feelings and clearer thinking. So, the next time you feel stressed and sickly, spend time with Mother Nature and you will feel better.
Since many of you will be berry picking soon, I wish you a strong back and that you find tundra pebbled with these tasty berries.
Piurci...
Another school year is about to begin
8-14-08
by Robert Nick
As you read this, another school year is about to begin. And many familiar faces are again arriving at the Bethel airport and catching village bound flights as LKSD schools are about to open doors for another nine months of school for K-12 students.
The district’s new Site Administrators arrived prior to last weekend and had their in-service training from Monday to Wednesday and were joined by returning Site Administrators on Thursday and Friday of last week. All of the district’s 350 plus teachers will be arriving this week as schools in all 25 sites need to begin starting Monday, the 18th... and no later than Wednesday the 20th.
First of all, I would to express hearty congratulations to Gary Baldwin, the new Superintendent of the Lower Kuskokwim School District (LKSD). Gary began his employment with LKSD 29 years ago, then hired by the very man he is replacing, William Ferguson. Back then, William (Bill) Ferguson was Assistant Superintendent of Education for LKSD.
Gary began his employment as Principal Teacher at Akiachak. Akiachak and the Yupiit School District sites were part of LKSD at that time. Mr. Baldwin has since been teacher, site administrator, and Assistant Superintendent. So, he embarks on his new role as the educational leader of the LKSD with clear knowledge of our district - inside and out, so to speak.
I feel positive that his many years as Director of Personnel has aligned him well with the certified and classified staff of the Lower Kuskokwim School District. None-the-less, the support that we all can give him will all the more make for successful implementation of the mission of LKSD.
Parents of the district, I would like you to support your children’s education, as the well rounded curriculum of the district schools can prepare your child(ren) for life in the 21st century and beyond. The team of educational leaders with the support of your district school board, has done well in developing this course of study for your child, to become responsible citizens, wherever they choose to live.
How can you help? Make sure they get enough rest by going to bed early and prepare them for school early. Many of our schools feed them breakfast, so we don’t even have to feed them before they go to the school.
Make sure they attend school everyday and help them with their homework, for they do bring them home everyday. Ask them to return home right after school, so they may help out at home and do their homework early.
High School students, do the best you can to learn and finish at least high school. Not all of you will go to college. Some of you will learn trades that can be a means of supporting your families in later life. You have a splendid opportunity as Yuut Elinaurviat is nearing completion and will become the place to go to learn the skills for the many jobs in health care and building trades.
Again... welcome back Site Administrators and teachers for another successful school year.
Piurci...
Special session of the legislature
7-30-08
by Robert Nick
The special session of the Alaska State Legislature certainly is not experiencing a hum-drum airing. What with the Governor encountering untenable situations with her actions regarding the head of one of the more important departments of the State’s Administrative Branch, the Department of Public Safety.
It has been established for years that public health and public safety are high priority and key departments serving the citizens of Alaska. As the head of the Administrative Branch (Governor), one of three branches, the other two being the Judicial Branch, and the Legislative Branch (the Legislature), Sarah Palin needs the prayers and support of all Alaskans in her resolution of the situation in the Department of Public Safety. I wish her wise guidance in the days ahead.
As for the special session of the legislature, Saturday marked the eighteenth day, and in this day, both the Senate and House Finance Committee’s held hearings on Governor Palin’s short term (immediate) energy assistance proposals. The House Finance Committee held a hearing on HB4003, the energy relief bill... an $800 million Resource Rebate Proposal, along with the 9.6 million increase to the Power Cost Equalization program.
The major component of this bill is the $1200 rebate to all Alaskans that got a Permanent Fund Dividend check. This was proposed by Governor Sarah Palin. In addition to energy relief bill, HB4004 also aired discussion by members of the committee. The House Finance Committee also held a public hearing on these two bills due to be taken up sometime soon.
The Senate Finance Committee also held a committee review of Senate Bill 4005, the PCE increase for the remainder of the Fiscal year and the next fiscal year. This Senate version also had home heating assistance addition, supplementing the LIHEAP Program, a totally federally funded program.
Both the increase to PCE, and the addition to LIHEAP have proposed funding of $75 million each. If this home heating assistance is approved and funded, it would no longer be only for low-income families, as the income guideline would be increased to 250% of the Poverty. An example given... a family of three could have an annual income of $90 thousand and still be able to get home heating assistance.
These Senate and House versions still need further refining for final approval by both chambers. Also discussed at the Senate Finance, was HB152, the Alaska Home Heating Assistance bill already passed by the legislature. This was passed by the regular session and will now be implemented. This is the Alaska Heating Assistance Program (AHAP), and according to DHSS, eligibility requirements for this program may be eased to assist more Alaskans as we face this energy crisis.
It is hoped that these would be in place before the cold winter months rapidly approaching as the fall is almost upon us already.
A recent survey of heating fuel and gasoline costs on western Alaska villages shows that home heating is now nearing $10.00 a gallon. And it will rise higher before winter. Many of our homes use about 2 drums per month in the winter... imagine at $10.00 a gallon... it will be over a $1,000.00 per month just to heat our homes. Many of us are now paying $150 to over $200 a month for electricity. Energywise, we are in for a very, very hard time.
How about gasoline? I was told by a friend from one of the villages last Thursday that he need to add gas to his four wheeler, so he got 2.1 gallons and paid over $20.00 for it.
Therefore, I urge tribal and city leaders to send letters, resolutions, and e-mails to their Legislators to pass the energy relief bills immediately… with expedited implementation mandates.
Our state government has realized unprecedented revenue from oil exploitation - “Billions of Dollars”, and it is only fair to share the wealth with Alaska’s Citizens…
PIURCI...
Swallows have departed
7-23-08
by Robert Nick
July 18, 2008 dawned quietly throughout the village of Nunapicuar (Nunapitchuk). The usual chirping and aerobatic flying of the swallows was gone, as the swallows that reared their young in the village have begun their journey south.
This day was true for their departure, as an elder that spent many a day with my family had told us that this is the day that they depart. Therefore in this beautiful day that the Lord hath made, my wife went out early and came back in and told me, “The swallows are gone!” And I told her… Yes, I know… for I had missed them as I went out at dawn, three hours earlier.
The evening of the seventeenth had been a special evening for us, for the young swallows were chirping and flying around us, sometimes landing just a few feet away from us as we sat and enjoyed the evening near our fish racks. Sometimes they made me laugh, for they were almost crashing into me as I stood watching their newly learned aerobatics. These were young swallows that had spent the last few days, way up in the sky, flying gracefully this way and that.
Now, as I think back to that evening, through their chirping, they may have been telling my wife and I they are leaving us this night. And sure enough they did. Since then other flocks have been flying by, possibly on their journey south from the north. For the next few days they will be seen at the bluffs along the rivers, with their hastily made cliff shelters.
As a young boy, as my father and his brothers and sister, along with their children spent summers at fishcamp above Oscarville, my cousins and I would sit on the sandbar in front and watch these birds as they fly almost on the surface of the water, but never touching it. One of my older cousins once told us that swallows fly that way when there is a lot fish in the river. Throughout the years, I have noticed that to be the case, as there is a certain time in summer that they fly that way. And that is when there is an abundance of fish in the river.
These graceful birds have gone south and we will not see them until they return mid-May 2009.
Piurci…
Where are the berries?
7-16-08
by Robert Nick
On the way home Saturday from checking a whitefish net, I made a couple stops to check on the growth of salmon berries, but did not eat any (yet). Not quite ready for picking, but I have been telling my wife that we will probably start spending time with mother nature very soon, as sure as day they are out there on the tundra.
We may have to wander here and there for them, as the spring chill has lingered and may have hindered the early growth of the berries. Just as heat and drought prevent abundant growth of farmed fruits in the south, chill does the same here in our homelands.
As my family was traveling back from camping near Baird Inlet in early June, we missed the first bloom of the salmon berries. The tundra is usually pebbled with white dots (first bloom of the salmon berries), but not this time. As my wife and I were having dinner upon arriving home, she said, “The salmon berry flowers are gone!”
But I did start seeing them mid to late June. The rains and humid weather in late June was good for the growth of wild plants, and we had many wild celery (ikiituq) snacks. They too were stinted in growth.
An excellent meal supplement this spring was cooked “allngiguaq”, which I call wild asparagus. The grandkids started asking for sourdock (quagciq) akutaq, so we had it the other day.
These spring wild plants along with the berries are good for the health. I will always remember an elder’s comment years ago as we ate ikiituq one evening. He said to my wife and I, these wild plants that you gather are good for your health, so harvest them when they are edible.
Not-with-standing the lingering chill this summer, it was good for cutting and drying fish, as the flies that usually buzz around our hanging racks were/are gone. Most of us are now smoking our dried salmon and whitefish.
It was another bountiful harvest for families along the Kuskokwim River. Even the whitefish are in the tundra lakes in abundance. As our ancestors taught us, let us gather and harvest for the long winter months ahead of us.
Piurci...
A tribute to Mr. Education
7-9-08
by Robert Nick
As you read this short tribute to a man who had dedicated his entire forty year career to educating the region’s children, I wonder if a day will pass in this education giant’s life when he will wake up at his usual 4:00 am call to duty, and not think of teaching/education.
Throughout his many years as the Superintendent of the Lower Kuskokwim School District, many of his e-mails to his team of able educators and his Board of Directors were sent sometime between 4 to 6 am. I once asked his son if his dad ever takes a break from his work to sleep, I got this answer. “If dad is still awake at 9:00 pm, he is up late, and if he sleeps until 6:00 am, he slept in.”
Mr. William Ferguson and his wife Cauline first came to Alaska as young educators and did their first year as the Bureau of Indian Affairs school teachers at Kasigluk, now referred to as Akiuk School. At this time I had been a member and Chair of the BIA Bethel Agency Advisory Board for a number of years, and visited him at Kasigluk.
Both Bill and his wife were fresh out of college and were in a new world at Kasigluk, and embarked almost a lifetime of work at this small Yup’ik community in Western Alaska.
Traditionally in the early days, the first three decades, the Bureau hired married couples to teach in Alaska’s remote villages. Due to isolation in these school sites, lack of adequate (with water & sewer) housing, there were not many young single teachers in villages at that time. And the BIA had a two year turn around where moving back is paid by the Bureau.
As the Chairman of the Bethel Agency Advisory Board, I too, took my role seriously and visited many young new teachers in nearby villages with the thought of orienting them to the new realm of society they were entering.
With this thought, I visited Bill and his wife in the winter of 1968 at their new home in Kasigluk. As they welcomed me to their living quarters, the first thing I noticed was a stuffed Ptarmigan at a lamp desk and had this thought, “Why, these folks had stuffed and displayed my favorite winter food, instead of eating the delicious bird.” I am sure now, that this couple has had many delicious meals with this winter bird.
I enjoined an evening of sharing the way we live, our traditions and culture, which at that time were continually taught by our elders.
Well... Bill and his wife Cauline lived and taught at Kasigluk for the next 28 years. Does this not epitomize the dedication and commitment of this man, whom I feel fortunate to have befriended four decades ago? Mr. Ferguson, whom I tacitly refer to as the Superman of Education, spent a decade as Superintendent of the Lower Kuskokwim School District, the largest of the State’s 23 Rural Education Attendance Area school districts. LKSD is 22,000 square miles, is about the size of State of Virginia with about 3,900 K-12 students taught by 352 certified teachers of which 1/4 are Yup’ik certified teachers.
LKSD has the highest percentage of indigenous educators of the State’s 53 school districts. This, is a result of the mission statement which reads as follows. “The mission of the Lower Kuskokwim School District is to ensure bilingual, culturally appropriate and effective education for all students, thereby providing them with the opportunity to be responsible, productive citizens.”
Through the able leadership of Mr. Bill Ferguson, many federal and state education proficiency improvement mandates were implemented. Many of these mandates, the No Child Left Behind in particular, were unfunded, or minimally supplemented with services.
The 25 sites in the Lower Kuskokwim region are fortunate to have had this man as their school leader. I have always maintained that the success of education is having a dedicated and experienced leader that understands the educational needs of the region served.
Mr. Superman of Education spent 40 years of his life living right in the heart of our school district. I take this opportunity to extend profound gratitude for his life’s work.
In the last two decades, LKSD was lead by two of the most dedicated educators I have had the opportunity to work with. And I have worked with many Superintendents, both in Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Lower Kuskokwim School District.
I also want to take this opportunity to thank another LKSD Superintendent that also spent an entire career to teaching our region’s students. I first met this young lady (at that time), also back in mid-sixties, as she taught in the Bethel State schools, long before REAA’s came into being. This lady also devoted her entire career to educating the region’s students. Sue Cummings Hare is also a homegrown Educational Leader, which the region was fortunate to have as Superintendent of the School District.
From the bottom of my humble heart... I thank you Mr. William A. Ferguson and Sue C. Hare. May you both be in peace in retirement.
William Ferguson retired June 30, 2008.
Pride in our Native Heritage
6-11-08
by Robert Nick
Just as any sustenance livelihood of any indigenous first peoples in all places of the universe, the Alaska Native heritage shows in everything we do to survive in this harsh land we call home. And the activities of spring and summer are testament of the healthy lifestyles and pride of the Yup’ik and Cup’ik people of western Alaska.
Truly our forefathers were a proud and healthy example for us to follow and their many words of wisdom of living together peacefully, helping one another, make for healthy communities everywhere in rural Alaska.
As I was growing up, elders shared many traditional ways learned through ages of enduring hardships, experiencing food shortage, famine… and told us that we must live accordingly to survive.
One of the many traditions they taught is to be early risers. That means to be up early in the morning and start our food gathering activities while the animals and birds are roaming about their habitat. They would tell us that if we like to sleep late, we will miss out on the opportune time to catch anything.
As most small animals are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night and do their food gathering then, they sleep during the day. So, if you are a late sleeper and get a late start, you probably won’t see a lot of the small furbearing animals, because they are sleeping in their underground holes.
And the migratory birds which are flying every which way but loose in the early morning hours, are no longer flying for they are fast asleep also. Early rising also lets us do our chores energetically and tirelessly as we are well rested. So, rise early and watch the sun as it majestically rises in the East, emulating scarlet rays of energy to all of earth’s living beings, and you will be energized.
Another teaching of our elders is not to be lazy. If we do nothing, we will not accomplish anything. They tell us even though we do not feel like doing anything, we need to do our chores. And you wonderful, beautiful young men and women, there are always, always things to do at home, around the home and in our communities. There are elders living alone, widows and widowers needing a helping hand in all of our villages.
Remember the saying… “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Just a “Thank you” from an elder or anyone needing help has many, many rewards. If one keeps busy helping others, there is no cause to be “bored,” a feeling of being tired with repetition or tediousness.
What is tedium? It is a tiresome feeling of length and slowness, or in simple words... doing nothing. So, if one keeps busy, how can one be bored!?
Another teaching of our elders is to harvest as much as we can while the fish are available, and by golly and jolly... they are here again. We again have an opportunity to gather and store for the long winter months, which will surely be here again.
There was an elder who gave me much wisdom as I tried my best to provide for my family. Every fall he would tell me to winterize my motors and place my boats on dry ground, telling me that winter will not last... that summer will come again. By golly, summer is here again and the land and waters abound with the blessings of our maker.
So, fishers and gatherers of earthly plants and fruits, let us reap our blessings with thanksgiving.
Piurci.
Spring is about
rebirth of the Spirit
6-4-08
by Robert Nick
As I meditate on the annual activities of spring, I do declare that this season of the year certainly brings about a rebirth of the universal spirit.
It is a period of renewal of all living, breathing beings, from humans to the birds and animals of the universe, all plants and fruits that grow on Mother Earth.
And even the water bodies of western Alaska. Spring brings much needed respite from the long cold winter and its effect on us such as cabin fever, thereby bringing a much needed renewal of the human spirit for those of us that live in this harsh land of four seasons.
The snow has melted and the ice in lakes is gone and the water has risen and is now washing the land around us. The land is again turning green with the renewal and the growth of the living plants of the land around us.
We humans have quickened our pace as we are again busy with our subsistence activities. Even those in advancing ages are rejuvenated and invigorated with this new energy that comes with a breath of fresh air that spring brings.
White fish, lush fish, shee fish are hanging and drying in our racks and smoke houses. And as I write this, my family is making plans to make our first journey to our camp at Niugnilnguq located near Baird Inlet.
This camp, which my grandkids refer to as “PUKPAL” is on the tributary of the middle Akuluraq River just west of Pukpalaq Lake. And the prized fish, the pike, caught from Taklirlaq Lake westward to the Bering Sea has spawned and is now biting the fish lure with every cast from the bank of the Akuluraq River and the lakes shores.
My grandson, 8 year old Kenyon Alexie probably caught the most last year. When I told him yesterday that we are going to “PUKPAL”, he smiled from ear to ear.
My iluq called me from Toksook Bay yesterday and told me that Baird Inlet is still frozen and that I can probably drive across by snowmachine, but I think he was teasing.
The migratory birds have now laid their eggs and before long there will be ducklings all around us as we travel throughout the meandering rivers and lakes of western Alaska.
King Salmon are here again and will soon be hanging in racks at fish camps and villages along the Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers and their tributaries.
As the smelts made their way up last week, I heard a comment that they are going up fairly fast. Further comment was that when the water level is high they make their way up fast and that salmon will do likewise.
So fishers for salmon, catch and dry all you can as the weather which had been wet and windy for sometime is now sunny and clear. And it usually is good for a while, so hopefully we will have good drying weather for some time. Good luck fishing...
Piurci.
Bering Sea Pollock Fishery Salmon Bycatch
5-28-08
by Robert Nick
As the Chinook (king) Salmon are about to make their annual migration to their spawning habitats in the tributaries of the Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council is planning to meet in Kodiak, Alaska to address the Bering Sea salmon by-catch issue.
On the agenda of this meeting next month is consideration of a variety of alternatives that were reviewed, modified at the Council’s April meeting, for possible action to deal with the Chinook salmon bycatch that occur in the Pollock fishery.
These salmon bycatch numbers have been increasing in recent years due to fishing behavior of the three means used for harvesting the prized Pollock: Inshore, Mothership, and Catcher/Processor.
It is a known fact that most of the salmon bycatch occurs during the pollock fishery. As a result of this rise, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council needs to act in a manner that will result in the reduction of the salmon bycatch through establishing controls on the Pollock fishery. And this can only occur by adopting hard caps, as these caps will require modifications of how the three sectors do their fishing.
This year’s pollock “A” season is now done and the Inshore sector which had an allocation of 50% of the directed pollock harvest had a 66% of Chinook bycatch, while the Mothership sector, which had an allocation of 10% of the directed pollock harvest, had 7% of Chinook Bycatch. And the Catcher/Processor which had an allocation of 40% directed pollock harvest had 26% of Chinook bycatch.
With the 40% catch limit this year, king salmon bycatch has been reduced from previous years, but still is not acceptable.
The NPFMC will be reviewing ways a hard cap for Chinook Salmon could be allocated to further reduce the bycatch numbers per the current caps. Since the bycatch of salmon has occurred from the start of the fishery, one consideration would be based on each sector’s historical bycatch of salmon. Undoubtedly, the venue of options will be carefully reviewed at the June 2008 NPFMC meeting, as the initial review of the draft Environmental Impact Statement, which analyzes the impacts of the alternatives will occur then.
Therefore, I again would like to make myself perfectly clear... Tribes and all subsistence fishers for salmon must write letters and resolutions to the North Pacific Fishery Management Council requesting imposition of lower hard caps for the three sectors within the pollock fishery so that further reductions of Chinook bycatch may occur. Possibly a lower hard cap as low as 29% annual catch limit.
The managers of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands fisheries must institute a sensible re-building plan, just as the salmon users on the Kuskokwim and Yukon Rivers did with the Chinook and Chum Salmon Re-building plan during the past seven years. Piurci...
Governor Palin’s short term energy plan
5-20-08
by Robert Nick
Last Thursday Alaska Governor Sarah Palin announced her Administration’s proposal/plan to address the energy crisis that continues to escalate despite efforts by oil producing nations to slow down the sky-rocketing costs of energy by boosting production.
The last time I had time to listen to the news, the price of crude oil had reached $128 a barrel and still rising and that was a few days ago. As eighty five percent of Prudhoe Bay crude oil is exported, this is good for the State Treasury as each dollar (upward) adds millions of dollars in royalties to the State.
However, families across our great state are in a serious bind, especially those that do their subsistence harvest activities throughout the summer months. Additionally, electric utility bills are at all time highs, and I fear that some may face disconnects this summer.
I wholeheartedly agree with her statement that “the right thing to do is to return surplus monies to the resources owners through energy relief”. Afterall, Alaskans own the resources that are bringing these billions of dollars $$$$$ to the state treasury.
The short term energy plan that she plans to include in the special Legislative Session beginning on June 3rd, has two parts.
The first is through grants to electric utilities to reduce electricity costs by 60 percent. This includes all homeowners, renters, schools, governments and businesses.
All Alaskans, especially those residing in remote communities are experiencing the highest energy costs in the nation. As summer is now upon us, remote Alaskan villages will soon be supplied by the only fuel oil and gasoline supplier/deliverer, Crowley Maritime. And speculation is that the summer fuel deliveries will be at higher prices, which will soon be paid by all users.
In addition to the grants to electric utilities, there is a plan for conservation incentives for the utility companies. This incentive for the remainder of 2008 would allow the state to make year-end contributions for capital energy projects to electric utilities. This would give incentive for the utility providers to seek ways to reduce kilowatt hour sales from the 2007 levels.
This plan, short term it may be, would be a blessing from the sky and would tide us towards long term solutions that are in the works with the development of the statewide energy plan.
This longer term plan is being developed through the office of the State’s Energy Coordinator. Steve Haagenson, recently appointed by Governor Palin, is heading the process of developing a statewide plan to cut down energy costs and bring long-term solutions for the state. This first part of the proposed plan would cost the state $475 million dollars.
The second part of the proposed plan is to provide an Energy Debit Card to every qualifying Permanent Fund applicant. As all Alaskans have already filed their PFD applications, this card would go to each one that is qualified.
The amount of the assistance would be $100 per month for the next twelve months to each cardholder. For minor children, this monthly assistance would go to the sponsor of the child. This short term assistance through the Energy Debit Card will be used by the holder for buying fuels from heating oil sellers, gas stations, natural gas sellers, pay electric utilities, and other retail fueling stores. The cost of this assistance could cost the state $729 million.
This short term proposal by the Governor would mitigate the energy crisis for one year, none-the-less would help everyone greatly. Like the late U.S. President Richard Nixon would say, “I want to make myself perfectly clear,” this two-part short term energy plan proposed by the Governor Sarah Palin is still to be considered by the special session of the Alaska State Legislature that is set to begin on June 3, 2008 before it happens.
Therefore, I IMPLORE CITIES, TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS, REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, VILLAGE CORPORATIONS, REGIONAL CORPORATIONS, SCHOOL DISTRICTS, AND ALL ALASKANS TO WRITE LETTERS TO THE ALASKA STATE LEGISLATORS TO ACT AND APPROVE THE GOVERNORS PROPOSAL DURING THE SPECIAL SESSION IN JUNE 2008.
Finally, I urge all distinguished members of the Alaska State Senate and House of Representatives to open your minds, your hearts, your ears, and embrace the plight of the people you represent in our state’s legislative branch of government... PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE approve this proposal with expeditious and immediate implementation plans. Piurci.
Ducks are back
5-13-08
by Robert Nick
Mother Nature is again blessing us in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta with the return of the migratory birds to their nesting grounds in the wetlands of Western Alaska. And our God-given privilege to harvest these birds is enhanced by the migratory bird hunting agreement that allows us to hunt them as they arrive from their wintering grounds in the south.
These ducks will be with us for the next five to six months, laying their eggs, raising their little ones, replacing their wing feathers, fattening in the fall, and then migrating south again to their wintering grounds.
Many a family in the villages along the Kuskokwim and Yukon River has by now feasted on these fresh meats. In earlier times, before the stores brought food products to folks in the villages, the arrival of the birds pretty much assured survival until the arrival of fish.
Along with the return of the ducks to the tundra villages, the pike is now back in the Johnson River and its tributaries. Right behind, the broad head white fish and and ciscos will be arriving along with their spawners to lay their eggs and re-cycle.
A local teacher who did some research on the white fish once told me that there are five different types of white fish in the tundra area. In addition would be the Nanvarpak white fish, which in size is usually quite bigger.
I guess we all know smelts and the different species of salmon that come up the Kuskokwim River after break-up. All these fish are harvested by many families every spring and summer.
As I flew down to Bethel this Saturday, I saw many pike fishers along the shore of the Johnson River near the lake below the village. There will be many hanging in the fish racks tonight.
Many folks who had spent the day jigging for pike and the men hunting for ducks will be healthier, having spent the day outdoors.
Last Monday, I spent the day in a hastily made duck blind of willows and grass with my grandson. My youngest son and his friend were in another location nearby, also in their duck blind. Since I did not have a chance to do any spring hunting last year, I had such a good time that the day ended quickly.
For the next five months, I will be spending a lot of time with the family at our camp near Baird Inlet and just about everywhere in the wetlands that I can reach by boat.
Since there are hazards associated with spring travel, I urge all travelers to take extra care for safety and accidents that happen quickly and unexpectedly. And for hunters, always tell your family where you are going. Piurci…
Healing from emotional trauma
5-6-08
by Robert Nick
Ancestors of indigenous Alaskan Native people had traditions of healing through practices to promote the health of the body, mind, emotions and spirit. They did this by practicing traditional ways learned from the teachings of their elders.
These practices - litanies of remedies - must actually be practiced, for we cannot heal by words alone. And we need to understand one another as humans have energy attached to emotions. This is critical in order to heal.
Human emotions are felt by others around us so they can and are passed on to others, and the energy of emotions such as grief and anger can be passed on from one generation to the next without the younger generation understanding what they are feeling.
Traditional healers tell us that emotions can affect the body also, because of the relationship between all parts of the person such as the mind, spirit, emotions and body. And the most important relationship of our ancestors is… spiritual relationship with the Spirit of the Universe, which they referred to as “Ellam Yua”.
Another belief of our ancestors… we need to have spiritual relationships with our families, other people around us, our ancestors, all living beings, and all of nature (land, water, and air). In the traditional healing belief of our ancestors, the most important concept (thought-notion) to understand is that spiritual relationships connect all things. Therefore, when these spiritual relationships are interrupted this causes a “block” that can affect our spirit, our mind , body and our emotions.
For example, negative emotions such as anger fill one inside, displacing the spirit. A traditional healer said, “When we are angry we should not hold it. Throw it out. That is why we get anxieties - from harassing ourselves.”
When this interruption occurs, traditional healers seek to restore a person’s spirit by balancing the mind and body. This is done because these healers believe that each person holds the answers within. And the purpose of traditional healing is to help people find the cause of the illness and to help them restore healthy relationships within themselves, others around them, and all of nature.
Additionally, traditional customs and healing practices help people access their own answers and abilities to restore healthy relationships.
When we suffer from a traumatic event, it affects the body and spirit and we may experience physical, mental, or emotional illness. As our ancestors show us by their traditional practices for centuries, healing is the process of connecting to the spirit of all things, so learning and practicing traditional values is a critical part of the process.
As we now understand that Nature and all living beings are related, we can see the importance of respect for all things as part of our own health. These values include caring for others, sharing, and humility. There is also the value and healing nature of laughter.
Pain is very real to those who experience the loss of loved ones. A traditional healer said, “Unlike western medicine, traditional healers around the world trust that people have the ability to heal themselves. Some find healing by spending time outdoors through the serenity and peace of nature. Some find healing through connecting with others by participating in community activities. We must all understand that solutions to all physical, mental, and emotional conditions exist, and healing is the art of helping oneself or others to find them. And if we are not aware of the problem causing the condition, or cannot restore the personal balance on our own, we may seek assistance of a traditional healer, or an Elder in the community.”
Piurci…
A lost gas tank
4-8-08
by Robert Nick
Traveling on the ice road can have unusual handicaps as you will discover in the following story of a weekend trip to Nunapitchuk.
The winter was sometime in the late 60’s. One of my cousins and her husband decided to ride to Nunapitchuk, on possibly my late father’s Johnson River ice-road. During that time the ice-road would be two zig-zagging wheel tracks on the Kuskokwim and Johnson River, all the way to Nunapitchuk.
I believe my late father and his neighbor were the only ones with trucks at that time. As my late father had taught me to drive his old red and white Northern Consolidated Airlines truck, I used to haul gasoline in 55 gallon drums that he sold in the village. As I did not have a driver’s license then, the late Eddie Hoffman would drive down to the riverbank to fill the drums.
Well, the story goes…the couple decided to make a weekend trip following my two wheel tracks. Since they needed to leave after work, by the time they left Bethel it was dark. It was a pleasant but rough ride until they got to the Johnson River. There is a stretch below the big bend (igvaryaraq) to the mouth of Napakiak Slough, which we call “anumalleq”. Snow on top of the ice at this gradual bend is usually deeper, so if one is not using a truck, you would more than likely get stuck at this stretch.
When they got to this location, the bottom of their car started hitting snow as the bottom of their car was not high enough. They were riding along when all of sudden the engine quit. My cousin’s husband checked this and that and everything seemed to be okay, but the car just did not want to start. Finally, when every trouble shooting effort indicated no problem with the engine, the wife asked her husband... “Did you fill up the gas tank?” Her husband answered, “I filled it up full.” Then the wife asked him the second question, “How come the gas gauge is on “E”(empty)?”
The husband then started checking the fuel lines and after checking under the car, he peeked in the car door and after a short laugh, “Ehah,” he said, “The gas tank is gone.”
The gas tank apparently got pulled off when the bottom hit some hardened snow. He walked back along the tracks and found his gas tank back down the trail.
Them were the bygone, dog-gone riding days along the Johnson River ice-road. And I, having made many, many trips along that river road had many hilarious experiences. Piurci...
A wet acrobat
3-26-08
by Robert Nick
Unless you are an aerobatic pole-vault champion of the Olympic Games, oar-vaulting from the back of a boat can turn out to be a splashy plunge into the Oscarville Slough.
The following botched acrobatic maneuver is probably remembered by the many by-standers sitting on the bank of what is now called Oscarville Slough. And the remembrances probably got a laugh out of the many that apparently had a free show that sunny afternoon.
The year was probably in the fifties. Oscar Samuelson’s Trading Post was one of few near Bethel at the time. And many folks in fishcamps along the Kuskokwim went there to buy the few necessary items they needed like flour, sugar, tea, coffee and black bull tobacco.
Well, as the story was told, one sunny summer afternoon there were many folks sitting on the bank of the slough in front of Oscar Samuelson’s Store. As these men and women sat on the bank, teasing each other and just having a good old jolly time, a boat came around the bend, probably from the fishcamp at the upper end of the Oscarville Slough.
As usually happens in those days, there were many in the boat that came along for the ride. Well, it happened to be at high tide, so as the man of the boat unloaded his passengers on the sandy beach in front of the spectators, one of the men said to him, “Anchor your boat way out, the tide is going out.”
After his passengers got out of the boat, the man pushed his boat way out and threw his anchor, as it turned out, too far out. As he needed to get out of his boat, he started to push the back end of the boat towards the shore. When the anchor line got taut, he was still too far out to jump to the beach. Since he had no hip boots, he could not wade to shore. One of his spectators on the riverbank told him to pole vault to the shore using his oar.
Well, the man was very small (about 5 feet tall) and probably considered himself quite agile. So he pushed his boat as close to the shore as he can. Then using his long oar, pole-vaulted from the back of his boat. All this time his spectators were watching him, anticipating a gymnastic feat. Story has it the man did start rising in a graceful arc when LO & BEHOLD, as he reached his highest position, his oar snapped in half!
Well, the law of gravity took over and since he was still halfway from the shoreline, he plunged into the water still holding his oar. Story has it that a chorus of laughter was heard from the bank of Oscarville Slough.
Amidst all of the loud laughter, one man did say that he heard these sounds from the falling and plunging acrobat in split seconds... “Aaiieeehh!” as he was falling, and “Iihh…iihh!” as he surfaced from the water.
This story has been told many times throughout the years... Piurci.
ATG’s of Nunapitchuk
and Kasigluk
3-6-08
by Robert Nick
Another impromptu boyhood memory that brings a grin and sometimes a laugh even to this day is when our fathers and grandfathers were called to defend our nation. I guess, Alaska being a territory at that time, they were called the “Alaska Territorial Guard,” ATG’s for short.
My friends and I used to be fascinated by their drill exercises. A young man from Nunapitchuk was their Sergeant who commanded the marching maneuvers. A couple of my cousins, a friend, and I used to follow them around as they marched in formation between Nunapitchuk No. 1 and Nunapitchuk No. 2.
Well, in those winters in the forties, the month of March brought tons of snow to the region. And prior to the radio, and decades before television, the village and neighboring Kasigluk was our world and Bethel was far, far away. And there was no one at Atmautluak. Snowmachines were unheard of, and a mail plane came once a week piloted by Elmer Nicholson, weather permitting.
One sunny late winter afternoon, they had what they called a drill. The Sergeant was doing a good job with his commands and the men were turning this way and that way, and sometimes turning completely around.
As they marched, the Sergeant would holler, “Hut…tup…thrip…for... Hut…Tup…Thrip...For…” like a broken record. When he wanted the marchers to stop he would holler, “Platoon Halt!” and all would stop.
Well, luck would have it for free entertainment for us boys. In one of the stops, the Sergeant called on his second in command, a Corporal to take over. We, the boys, got even closer to see how he would do, as he had made us laugh before.
He marched in military dignity to the center of those men and faced them and commanded them to turn right into a straight line. He then commanded, “Forward march!” and they started marching in a straight line. The corporal started out, “Hut…tup...thrip...for... Hut…Tup...Thrip...For…” and said the command to turn left.
As it happens every winter, there were a number of long snow berms, some as high as 15 to 20 feet and stretching as far as 300 feet. As the Corporal started marching the platoon, “Hut…Tup...Thrip...For…”, getting ever so closer to one of the snow berms, he continued, “HUT...TUP...THRIP...FOR…”
As the marching line of men neared the berm, he appeared to be at a loss of commands, and as the platoon reached the berm shouted excitedly, “WHOOAAH!”
I guess he forgot the words to stop the marching men... “Platoon Halt!”
We boys burst out laughing and the men broke out of cadence and went every which way and loose, some snickering and others laughing loudly. The drill for the day ended with the ATG’s huddled here and there snickering. Them were the bygone military days.
Piurci...
More remembrances
of my boyhood
2-28-08
by Robert Nick
We all know that sound travels through barriers; walls, through space, and even water. I would like to share moments of my youth, some of which were laughing matters to my late sister Margaret, while a sad moment to her younger sister Marie.
One spring, not having gone to our spring camp at the headwaters of Kialiq River that spring, we were the only ones in the village along with our neighbor’s family.
One day, my late sister Margaret and her younger sister Marie wanted to go egg hunting at the small grass islands near the village.
As the wind was blowing from the south, I did not want to go. Going to the area of the islands would be easy as we would mostly be drifting with the wind, but getting back would be a problem as I would be rowing into the wind.
They insisted on going, so I took them egg hunting in my late father’s smaller boat. Sure enough, coming back we made no headway, so my late sister Margaret and I started pushing the boat into the wind with oars with her on one side of the boat and myself on the other side.
Well, as spring break-up brings flooding, the area where we went was submerged marshy muskeg (tussock) with small lakes. Although a hilarious laughing matter to my late sister Margaret, it was not so to Marie, and certainly not to me - hazard struck.
Although Margaret was afraid of falling into the water, I insisted that we stand on the front passenger seat to have more power to our pushing effort. As we moved closer to the end of the village, we somehow went above one of the small lakes when hazard struck. The oar that I was using made a bull’s eye to a hole and as I was holding it as hard as I could, I went overboard with it. Those small holes are deep, so I dove into the frigid waters holding onto dear life (the oar).
The water is cold in MAY. As I used to hear, if we fall into one of those holes to hang on to whatever we are holding (ayaruq) and that stick will save us. While underwater, I did not hear these words, “Man overboard!” But I did hear some sounds above me.
When I surfaced, I was still holding the oar and the sounds I heard were my late sister Margaret laughing at top of her voice and her sister Marie crying at the top of her voice.
I guess I was a sorry sight, wet from head to my toes. I was so wet that I could not even pull myself into the boat. I kept hollering at my sister to help me, but it took her a while to quit laughing.
She finally helped me into the boat. Now you can see that it certainly was no laughing matter to me then.
Well, we still had some ways to go so by the time we got home, we were all laughing. I still smile when I remember my two sisters then, one laughing and the other crying.
Piurci...
Remembering my past
2-20-08
by Robert Nick
Of late, as I hear these words: energy crisis, recession, inflation, high cost of fuel, the high electric bills, and so many more complaints, I sometimes think of my boyhood days.
We had no furnaces, no toyostoves, no oil stoves of any kind to heat our houses. The only heat came from a cast iron wood stove. And this stove is also where our meals were cooked. And I remember my maternal grandparents just had part of an old oil drum to heat the subterranean log/sod house, at what we now refer to as Nunapichuak #1. And I never saw a Coleman camp stove, except a few folks had a small kerosene camp stove.
There was no electricity. So many a night, a kerosene lantern gave a little light to the house where my parents raised me. Some nights, when there was no kerosene, I used to watch my mother pour some seal oil into a saucer and place some sort of cloth as a wick with the end lit, and that was our light till bedtime.
It sure was bright in the house when we had Blazo and were able to use our mantle lanterns.
There were no streetlights, and the nights used to be pitch dark, except when the moon lit the night, or the northern lights did their nightly dance on a frigid cold night.
Although not a laughing matter to me then and now for that matter, I am going to tell you a laughing matter.
One cold night at the house of a friend, he and I were putting together a puzzle with a kerosene lantern in our midst (the only light in the house) when his mother said to us, “I smell something burning.” She came closer and exclaimed, “Ukuuk,” (boys). “Your hair is being slightly burnt (singed).”
She told us to not to get too close to the lantern. When we both looked at her, she burst out laughing and said this to us both, “Your eyebrows are gone.”
As my friend and I went back to our chore, his mom would call our attention and when we looked at her, she would burst out laughing. I guess you would agree that this was one hazard of the kerosene lamp.
As the years went by, my late father was able to get a woodstove that had an oven, so it became easier for my mother to prepare our meals. I remember the stove well.
As a youngster I was always curious about things and I once asked my mother who made the stove. And she said “Lang” made it. And when I asked her how she knew, she pointed to the letters on the stove, which were “LANG”.
Of course being a wood stove meant logging in the summer and getting wood by dog team from the area throughout the winter. As my father was always hunting and fishing in my younger days, I had the daily chore of sawing the logs and splitting them and cutting the alder trees that he would get when not hunting.
The woodstove would be kept burning during the day, but with nobody to tend the stove, the fire would have burnt out by morning.
Everyday, we would wake up to a cold house. Then many a morning, my mother would call me and I would reluctantly hop to the stove and fire it up again. I used to make wood chips out of drift logs that I chopped and these I used as kindling for fire starter.
Today, I sometimes see folks buying fire-starters from the store, to make lighting the steambath stove easier.
Our ancestors were healthy, and rightly so, as they spent most of their time taking care of the everyday chores of living.
And there were no washeterias, or even washing machines in my boyhood days. So, our mothers did their washing in tubs, all rubbed by hand on a scrub-board, using a light brown soap called Fels Naptha.
When I think of all this and earlier folks of Alaskan Villages, we who live in this day are living in very, very comfortable habitations. So comfortable that when the house gets a little colder, we just turn up the thermostat. And when it gets a little hot, we turn the thermostat down. We spent our days on our comfortable couches watching TV. I guess one could say that life is easier these days. But…! An elder in our community used to tell us this, “Do not forget where you came from.”
Blackfish are surfacing
2-5-08
by Robert Nick
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| A Nunapitchuk man checks his traditional wooden blackfish trap in 1940. |
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| Robert Nick empties his blackfish trap near his village of Nunapitchuk as his ancestors did since before memory. |
“Nakirnerpak-gguq pug’uq,” literally translated… blackfish are coming to the surface along the riverbank about 4 miles below what is now Akula Heights, the lower site of Kasigluk.
This happens every year in February and folks from Nunapitchuk, like the man you see in the photo taken in the winter of 1940, would set their skillfully handmade blackfish traps along the shores of a bend in the river there.
Blackfish would literally thaw the ice along shore cracks, as ice always cracks every which way but loose, but usually would crack lengthways with the bank. This where the blackfish converge as they come up for oxygen, which they need to survive.
I have learned through schooling that water is two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen (H2/0). I am not a scientist, nor a biologist, but when the lake about six miles below Nunapitchuk freezes to the bottom and totally stops the Johnson River water flow about this time of winter, blackfish start surfacing in the rivers.
The water becomes brownish and foul tasting. I’m guessing that the oxygen content of the water is no longer providing air, so blackfish, the only fish that remains in the wetlands of Western Alaska in the winter, has to come up to the surface to breath and survive a little longer.
When one travels on the Kailek River in the spring, you can smell and see the dead blackfish along the shore cracks.
There are many stories about the little blackfish fish. As I have been fishing this little fish every year from September to May, it is a delicacy for the family. Even my little grandchildren would ask when I would check my traps.
Unlike the elder in the photo, we now make our traps using what is called galvanized cloth made of aluminum. Being aluminum, our traps don’t last as long as the wooden ones made by the men in the qasgiqs.
As a youngster, I used to watch my father make these traps. Unfortunately, I started spending my teen years wintering in boarding school at Sitka. By the time I completed High School, galvanized cloth had replaced the wooden traps, so I never did acquire the skill, as you can see me using aluminum traps in my photo.
One blackfish story is that one of the tundra elders had asked a preaching missionary if there were any blackfish in Heaven. When the preacher said there were none, the elder responded, “If there is no blackfish, then there is no point in trying to get there.”
Another blackfish story is one about what a friend said when he and I were checking one of my traps one night. As I sometimes covered the open hole with a piece of plywood, I would place it behind the hole so that the light from my headlights would reflect down to my trap in the water. As my friend and I were looking at the blackfish in the water, he exclaimed, “Qayumi,”(it is true), and he pointed to a little mouse swimming in the midst of the blackfish inside the trap. He told me, “Niitelartua can’giiret uugnarauniluki.”
After we went home, my wife cooked the blackfish and we had the delicious little fish, his comment totally forgotten, “EH!” Piurci...
Changes in arctic climate
1-22-08
by Robert Nick
As it often occurs, Western Alaska weather has greeted the Kuskokwim 300 racers with the warmth of southern winds that started mid-week.
Although some morning village flights were heard via their two-way radios that morning, freezing rain halted all by mid-day, Wednesday, January 16th.
As I traveled to Tuntutuliak by snowmachine that afternoon with my son, Patrick Robert and Megan Andrew, the warmth of the southern wind was great. Knowing that the Kuskokwim 300 and the Bogus 150 dog racers were preparing for their Friday evening start, my mind kept telling me, “Here we go again”.
Since we were slow going due to snowdrifts on the way down to the main coastal trail, strong south winds were blowing by the time we got to the Kuskokwim River. As it does when the south wind blows as high as it did, with blinding snow whipping our faces, we encountered overflows that we had to go around on the Kuskokwim and Kialeq River. Fortunately, four other travelers were ahead of us, so we were able to follow their tracks and drive our machine across and around the overflows.
At this same time last year, we had been traveling back and forth to Tuntutuliak in the frigid cold North Wind, which showed in my frostbitten cheeks for days afterwards. Albeit, frostbitten sometimes, it is always good and refreshing to travel here and there in winter.
Although one sometimes loses sight of the trail and ventures off course as I have done many times, main trails are marked these days. So unless visibility is so hampered by blowing snow, keeping on track is no problem.
In the days of the dogteams, a good leader never leaves the trail. My late father had one such leader that would follow a trail even though covered by snow. One handicap of such leaders is, when the driver knows a short cut, the leader will not leave the trail no matter how loud one says, “Gee or Haw”. I know, because I used to be that frustrated driver.
Well, getting back to the weather, the beautiful frosty white trees and overhead power lines are now showing true colors again.
Last week I spoke of the frosty trees along the Kuskokwim River, which would appear to truly denote the month of the Frost, “Kanruyauciq” in yugcetun. I have often heard this comment from elders… that the Gregorian calendar days that we use today are behind the true season days by as much as two weeks. Perhaps, the long-time observers are correct.
According to Elders, the month of October is “Amirairutet”. And the month of November is “Kerlurcarvik”. The month of December is “Cauyarvik.” While the month which we are on now, January is “Iralull’er”. And next month, February is “Kanruyauciq”. And the month after, March is “Kepnerciq”. Each name describes some change caused by climate change.
We are still in the middle of winter, so cold weather and blackfish will be around a few more months. Dress warm while traveling, and let others know where you are going… no matter which direction you go. Tennis shoes are not the shoes to wear when going somewhere in the winter.
Piurci...
Governor Sarah Palin
visits Bethel
1-15-08
by Robert Nick
As our State’s legislative body begins the abbreviated (90 day) session, the good news is that our state is six plus billion dollars richer. With this in mind, I would like to share with you all, two things that happened last week in Bethel.
Last Thursday, the day Alaska Energy Authority began a two day session on Wind Energy at the Cultural Center, Governor Sarah Palin visited Bethel and met with leaders of the regions non-profit service organizations.
At a luncheon at the YKHC Board room, the Governor, along with the Commissioner of Public Safety, and Commissioner of Economic Development, and Rural Affairs Advisor (Rhonda McBride), listened to the region’s leaders Gene Peltola, Ron Hoffman and Myron Naneng speak of regional issues.
As the group ate, with a beautiful cloudless view of the eastern sky, via the plush Boardrooms bay windows; and the frosty Kuskokwim River trees and the Kilbuck Mountains, with trucks and snow machines driving up and down the river, the issue of high cost of energy was a hot topic.
Rightly so, with sky high heating fuel oil prices, now more expensive than gasoline, and the high electricity rates of rural Alaskan utility systems, even in villages with AVEC power generation.
I had learned through research of the cost of producing electricity by the burning of fossil fuels, that Alaska Village Electric Cooperative provides the most economical electrical energy in rural Alaska. The dialogue between Governor Palin and regional leaders will no doubt have beneficial outcomes at this session of the Alaska Legislature, and the Administrative branch of government which the Governor runs with her staff of Alaskans with proven ability.
It was also good to hear the Commissioner of Economic Development speak of the need of vocational education in the schools, and for more efforts to address the dropout rates in high school and college.
I was fortunate to be at the luncheon, and spoke a little of village issues, high energy costs in particular. It was very heartening to listen to the Governor speak of her Administrations priorities: fully funding the power cost equalization program, enhancing and funding the state’s Municipal Assistance and Safe Communities (Revenue Sharing) Program, and services to senior citizens, and energy assistance programs, and vocational education opportunities.
Of course, education has been her high priority and she has done many things towards adequately/forward funding school districts across Alaska. I wholeheartedly commended the Governor on her excellent performance.
The second event that began that day was the Wind Energy Conference sponsored by the Alaska Energy Authority at the Cultural Center. It was good to see many village representatives in the two day conference.
I highly commend the energy experts from the many organizations that gave presentations on what has been done towards alternative energy systems, using wind turbines to reduce fuel consumption in particular. Perhaps the highlight of the conference was Chaniniq Wind Group’s presentation of what they are doing toward reducing consumption and reliance on fossil fuels. And that is construction of wind turbines that will reduce fuel consumption, similar to what AVEC has done in Toksook Bay and Kasigluk.
Both of these AVEC systems are benefiting members from four communities, Kasigluk (Akiuk & Akula), Nunapitchuk, Toksook Bay, and Tununak. The Diesel/Wind Power Plant in Akula has a tie-line to Akiuk and Nunapitchuk. The Diesel/Wind Power Plant in Toksook Bay has a tie-line to Tununak.
Utilization of wind energy in both of these systems has reduced fuel consumption by as much as 25 percent. This reduction in the burning of fuel is helpful, as members of AVEC, we have been paying the same rate for years and years, but the cost of fuel has continually increased our fuel surcharge per month.
About this time in past years, I was paying well over two hundred a month. We are now realizing considerable reduction to our monthly bills since the three wind turbines in Akula started.
The original AVEC Plant was in Nunapitchuk for over 30 years. With the move of the plant to Akula, the three wind turbines were built. The tie-line between the Nunapitchuk and Kasigluk, which was built at the start, (1970) was also upgraded.
Of course, this largest AVEC project did not happen overnight. It took years in planning, numerous meetings with AVEC members in Nunapitchuk and Kasigluk, City of Nunapitchuk, who was the grantee for the Denali Commission grant, and AVEC.
Similar systems in other communities would help other families throughout the delta and rural Alaska.
And this is how the State of Alaska, Legislators and the Governor can address the dire energy crises faced by rural Alaskans. And the start would be to develop a regional and statewide energy policy by working with all energy producers, agencies, corporations and individuals in the state.
After all, Alaska is a very energy rich state, and 85% of oil is exported. WHY NOT REFINE IT HERE IN ALASKA AND DISTRIBUTE IT STATEWIDE? I have full faith in her ability, so perhaps Governor Sarah Palin can work towards this.
Considering the wars in the Mid-East oil producing nations, OPEC Cartel future uncertainty, the natural disasters in the Southern Atlantic seacoast, Latin American governmental unrest... Alaska may one day become the only safe place to refine crude oil/natural gas for distribution worldwide. Why not start now?
Piurci...
A New Year begins
1-9-08
by Robert Nick
Wishing you all a peaceful beginning of the new year, I would like to begin my weekly thoughts of what is happening in the region, the State and the world in general. A lot has happened since I wrote my last weekly article in May, so I won’t bore you with what is now history.
However, I want to enlighten you all. Subsistence, or living off the land and waters of our homelands is again heading for more compromises - in the courts, and state and federal management bodies. Although, we who live in rural Alaska will be most affected, as we depend on the fish and wildlife of the land, folks living in urban areas will also be affected.
Rural subsistence priority (Title VIII of ANILCA), perhaps the most important law for those of us living in the two hundred plus villages, continues to be assaulted. It is now under sustained, well organized political and legal attack by our own state government, by our country’s (Bush) administration, and by private anti-subsistence hunting and fishing groups inside and outside of Alaska.
The suzerainty of powerful Nations has dominated weaker nations since time immemorial. And in our time, none is more powerful than the tribunal sovereignty of the United States Government. Therefore, SOLIDARITY of Native Tribes is a must for any course of action that would be needed to assure the continued protection of aborigines right of subsistence in the harshest land in our continent.
Since the passage of ANILCA IN 1980, there has been continued effort to repeal the amendment to a travesty of justice in a previous Law (ANCSA). The extinguishment of aboriginal hunting and fishing rights of Alaska Natives in this earlier Law was clearly recognized as needing a fix, and Title VIII of the ANILCA did this.
In this last frontier State of our great Nation, none is more recognized as the leader in the sustenance efforts of its aboriginal inhabitants (Alaska Natives) than the Alaska Federation of Natives. This united body of Alaska Natives has advanced and protected our way of life in Alaska. This united body (AFN) has championed what no other entity has done for us socially, economically and politically for the past four decades.
During the annual Alaska Federation of Natives Convention in October, it was announced that the need has come for all Alaskans to come together again for a Subsistence Summit sometime this spring. A statewide gathering on this issue would need much resources, i.e. funds, planning and operation. Therefore I am asking, imploring tribal/city governments, village and regional corporations, and any institution, and all others to contribute to AFN so that the federation can continue to stand on our behalf.
In this era of rapid change, we need to stand united, more so than at any other time in our history. We need the able staff of AFN to do the following: (1) continue to monitor state and federal regulatory systems and their decisions; (2) continue information networking with Native Institutions; (3) continue to provide information/advocacy pieces for the general public in Alaska and outside; (4) continue to lobby in Juneau and Washington D.C; (5) litigation in both state/federal courts to protect subsistence; (6) do public opinion polling regarding subsistence; (7) Plan and operate a special AFN Convention on Subsistence, on a date to be set by AFN Board at it’s meeting in Juneau on February 20-21, 2008.
Most importantly we need to contribute for the much needed administrative overhead to AFN for clerical support, space rent, phone, fax, copying, postage and other administrative services.
If a village institution/others can make a contribution for AFN subsistence defense, it can be done in one of two ways. If the institution/others does not need to take this contribution as a deduction on it’s income taxes, it can mail a check made out to “Alaska Federation of Natives” directly to AFN (1577 “C” Street, Suite 300, Anchorage, Alaska 99501), with a notation saying that it is for “Subsistence”. If the village institution/others do want to deduct this contribution from its income taxes, it should mail a check made out to the “Alaska Community Foundation” in care of AFN at the same address.
Subsistence is the key economic and cultural issue in determining the future survival of most Alaska native villages in rural Alaska. Therefore I ask you all to contribute, as the need is “NOW”.
Piurci.
More on Education Reform
5-16-07
by Robert Nick
Families are facing large challenges in this rapidly changing global economy. And the value of their wages is declining as the cost of living keeps going up.
In particular is cost of petroleum products, i.e. gasoline and heating fuel. Hardest hit in this quagmire are those living in the remote communities, where employment is scarce. Gone are the days when even meager wages were able to bring home the bacon, so to speak. And with massive layoffs in the automobile industry, many jobs are moving overseas. Many feel that the American dream is slipping away.
Fortunately, there is one member of Congress who understands the state of education in our country. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a Democrat of Massachusetts who has been a member of Congress for more than four decades, is again a key figure in the re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind education Law. As one of the key architects of NCLB, he know what needs to be done to address the crisis we are in today as we attempt to prepare our youth to 21st Century Skills and economic competitiveness. He understands that an investment in early childhood education is key in preparing our students so they may be able to compete with countries like Japan, China and India. He believes that pre-school must be accessible and affordable, and that Headstart is the answer and must have full support of Congress. Having been a headstart teacher and being a school board member for decades, I wholeheartedly agree with him.
Elementary and secondary schools need to provide strong science and math education to all students. And school districts must provide incentives to attract teachers endorsed in these subjects.
As a young, aspiring Senator, Mr. Kennedy visited Alaska almost 40 years ago and saw firsthand the need for Congress to do something and was instrumental in the passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. This act established the federal government’s commitment to education.
In his visit to the Bethel Agency area of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Mr. Phillip Guy and I along with the late Raymond Christensen, and many others met with him and spoke of the many needs of the region, a regional high school in this region in particular. As a result of his visit, the Bethel Regional High School dormitory facility was built.
Throughout the years, Mr. Kennedy has worked very hard for necessary improvements to the E.S.E.A Act. He was again instrumental in the re-authorization of the Act in 2001, requiring higher academic standards.
One of his priorities is to address the high cost of a college education these days. He fully understands the need of citizens to have a college education, so they may compete in the global economy and have a fair chance of the American dream.
We must all join Senator Edward Kennedy in our local schools so that all students may receive a high quality education, as achievement gaps are widening not only with ethnic groups, but with others countries abroad. And we must also focus on improving the lowest performing schools instead of simply labeling them failures.
As parents are a child’s first teachers, we must come forth and become more involved.
In closing, I again thank “Mothers” for being there for your kids everyday...getting your children up and being there in school for them at the beginning of their schooling...everyday should be your day. Piurci...
Tough choices
for tough times in education
5-9-07
by Robert Nick
As another school year comes to an end, the United States as a country has passed an important milestone. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. population has exceeded 300,000,000 people. This due to increased immigration will undoubtedly pose the greatest challenge since 1983 when there was a Nation at Risk.
As immigration is responsible for much of the growth, the number of English language learners has grown by 84 percent from 1993 to 2003. And with State exit exams projected to increase over the next five years, these students, if held to the same standards as native English speakers, are at risk of being denied a high school diploma.
It is easy to lose sight of important facts and figures like these, what with all other challenges we face in efforts of delivering a well-rounded education to children attending our nation’s schools. For this reason, the American School Board Journal publishes special reports on the state of education.
Issued annually as a supplement, Education Vital Signs compiles important data and puts it into context for school leaders. This supplement presents state-by-state figures on student enrollment, teacher salaries, per pupil expenditures, assessment scores, and other gauges of the health and well-being of our nation’s schools.
For recent immigrants, learning English presents additional problems. While it is one thing to pick up conversational English from friends or TV, it is quite another to be able to use the language in an academic educational environment. According to the Center on Educational Policy, by 2012, 87 percent of these English language learners will attend school in states that have exit exams. Unless changes are made to some of these tests, the center says, the impact on English language learner students could be devastating.
Although new strategies for testing English language learner (ELL) students are being researched, states with current or planned exit exams are moving ahead with policies to hold ELLs to the same standards as all other students and require them to pass exit exams before receiving a diploma.
Remediation programs that are targeted specifically to ELL students who fail exit exams are also lacking. Therefore, large numbers of ELLs could be denied a high school diploma, even after repeated attempts to pass the test.
Additionally, schools already are more diverse than the general population. In the period 1973 to 2004, the number of minority students in public schools increased from 22 percent to 43 percent. And this increase is expected to rise. For children under the age of five, almost 45 percent are now minorities, with seventy percent of the growth between 2004 and 2005 coming from Hispanics. Although achievement gaps between white students and Hispanics have narrowed over the past 30 years, the gaps remain large.
Why am I saying these?
Here in our home state, we are also bound by the same standards as elsewhere in our nation. The No Child Left Behind education law of 2002, and the state’s many initiatives to raise proficiency, dating back past three decades, have raised standards that must be met before receiving a High School Diploma. All of our high school seniors must pass the High School Graduation Qualifying Exam in math, reading, language arts and now science.
Many of our small schools students, especially in western Alaska enter our schools as English language learners as well. Therefore, the Lower Kuskokwim School District affords Yup’ik First language teaching in grades K-3, in addition to the English language learner model. Additionally, a number of sites now have English First language K-12 model. And with the exception of Bethel Regional High School, all LKSD schools use the Continuous Progress Model (CPM).
In my previous articles, I did expositions of all of these education reforms and what LKSD is doing to address ensuing challenges. Our school district’s programs are models followed by others in the state.
With declining state and federal dollars, school leaders today, nearly a quarter of a century after a Nation at Risk, are again faced with Tough Choices or Tough Times, according to The Report of the new Commission on the Skills of the American Workforce. This report for the National Center on Education and the Economy, aims to present a problem so critical that it simply cannot...will not be ignored. Therefore I expect more reforms, especially with the sweeping changes with the re-authorization of the No Child Left Behind education law due to happen this year.
In closing, I want to convey heartfelt congratulations to this year’s graduating students, whether from Early Headstart, Kindergarten, Elementary, Junior High and especially all of you finishing High School. May your futures be blessed with success. And to all of you proud and happy “MOTHERS”...a berry, merry and a very happy “MOTHER’S DAY”. We all love you so much…from ILUPERAQs to DAHs’...Piurci...
The fish, birds, and the bees are back
5-1-07
by Robert Nick
Many in the tundra villages are again eating fresh fish (white fish and pike). And the migratory birds have arrived from their wintering grounds. Thanks to the diligence of our elders/tribal leaders, many of which have passed on, subsistence hunting of these birds is now allowed from April 2nd to August 31st.
As these birds have come back to the wetlands of western Alaska to nest and lay their eggs, the Yukon Kuskokwim Goose Management Plan does allow for a short closure during the nesting period. This thirty day closure is announced through media and announcements within our communities. We are usually very busy with our summer salmon fishing activities then.
As the migratory birds relocate per winter and summer periods, the Migratory Bird Treaty is agreed upon by Mexico, Alaska, Canada, Japan and Germany and Russia. And I thank the governments of those countries for recognizing the need of the Yukon and Kuskokwim delta residents to harvest them in the spring and summer months.
As I have participated in the deliberations then, many an elder told of how the harvest of these birds was needed for their survival until the return of the salmon to both the Kuskokwim and Yukon rivers. These salmon also are returning to spawn (reproduce).
As is happening all over the world, the fish and game are now threatened by the pollution of the ecosystems that support their health and existence. Alaskan rivers and coastal waters are the last of the pristine waters that our forefathers protected as nature’s trustees.
For anyone who has not depended on the fish and game for survival on this harsh environment, it is hard to understand why we strive so hard to protect the land and rivers and coastal waters of our region. To understand any traditional harvest issue, one has to begin with historical context. To do this, I would like to talk briefly about the Columbia River.
Up until 1856, the tribes of the Columbia River Basin were the only trustees of the fish and waters. Under their stewardship, 10 to 16 million salmon returned to the Columbia River every year to spawn and reproduce. And as one Indian fisherman of the river said, “The Columbia River was once a...great table...where many tribes would come together and partake.”
These salmon that swim up the river die after they spawn. And the small fry that survive migrate back out to the ocean when they are about 4 to 5 inches and grow, and return again after 4 to 5 years.
One hundred fifty one years ago, the Columbia River tribes who depend on the salmon for their survival ceded 38 million acres of land in the Pacific Northwest to the federal government with a treaty that promised to protect not only the Indian way of life for those then living, but also for generations not yet born. By this treaty, the states of Oregon, Washington and Idaho became the new sovereign trustees of the rivers and fish across ceded territory in the Columbia River Basin.
It saddens me to say that today, as a result of federal and state trustees now presiding over the Great Table of the Columbia River, wild salmon runs in the basin are at 2% of their historic levels. And today, in addition to the very low salmon runs, the fish are contaminated by toxic chemicals present in the waters and sediments of the Columbia River Basin.
As we in the Kuskokwim and Yukon riverine villages await the arrival of the five species of salmon that migrate up our rivers to spawn, let us be thankful that the salmon that are returning to spawn and the tributaries where they spawn are not contaminated...not yet anyway.
Piurci...
The house of a swallow
4-24-07
by Robert Nick
As winter changes to spring, the weather is getting milder and spying a flock of geese flying overhead this past Sunday, my ears became keen to the chirping of swallows.
Of the many birds that nest in our surroundings, the swallow is one bird that does so in a shelter. Either in a little house that we make for them and attach to a perch, or on our own houses, or in enclosed shelters accessible through a hole...that is where she will nest.
And there is one such house, a duplex so to speak, which I made thirty years ago, and has been a summer home for swallows every year since. In fact, it is a two story bird house with a duplex on the bottom and a single one on top.
Many a beautiful sunny day, my wife and I would sit on our porch steps and watch the swallows as they start flying into their houses with a piece of grass in their tiny beaks. One at a time they would gather pieces of grass…building their nest inside the houses.
We certainly know when they arrive, as my kids and my wife would come in one day with the news. And through the month of May, June and part of July, we would hear their constant daily chirping, from dawn to dusk.
As their eggs hatch, their numbers around the house would increase. It is amazing to watch a swallow learning to fly, making short flights to a telephone wire or some perch and make nary a crash landing. Sometimes eliciting a short laugh from the watcher, usually my wife and I.
As the newborns start to fly, they like to swoop down to whoever is walking near…sometimes making us duck down. Sometimes I would hear someone exclaim, “ee’eh” or “a’laeh”.
As their last month with us nears, they would fly further away. Then starting the second week of July, they would start soaring way up in the sky and do their flying aerobatics all the day long. Then about the 15th of July, I would tell my wife the sad news...the swallows will be leaving us in a few days. In most summers, the day is usually July 18th. After their departure, no longer is their daily chirping heard, nor the peace emanating from the shadow of their wings.
Their short visit with us is purposeful. A Psalm of King David of yesteryear tells us “Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young.” (Psalm 84:3)
Likewise, man hath done as the swallow. And as the swallow, we lay our young and rear them. As the swallow hath done, let us make our house, a “Home” for our young, where we may rear them according to a righteous purpose.
In closing, I recite another Psalm of King David. “And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” (Psalm 55:6)
My friends who are missing their loved ones...be at Peace. Piurci...
Empowerment of YK Delta Tribes
4-18-07
by Robert Nick
In an effort to become more informed on impacts of mining, Kuskokwim River tribes from Napaimute down to Kuskokwim Bay, Nelson Island, and a few tribes of the Yukon River met in Bethel last week. I want to thank AVCP and the six villages that planned the conference. It was superb and the information presented was topical to the region and very appropriate.
With the imminent activities/issues that are about to befall Native Communities in Southwest Alaska, Bristol Bay and the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta in particular, the theme said it all, “MINING IMPACTS TO NATIVE COMMUNITIES.”
Especially fitting to the occasion was a delegation from the Bristol Bay region, led by Bobby Andrew of Dillingham. I want to commend Mr. Andrew for the highly charging presentations of what they are doing in the Bristol Bay region. His very elaborate and comprehensible report will no doubt empower the tribes in the Y/K region.
Although one views the effects of any mining activity to just the Kuskokwim River watershed, the Yukon River watershed and the coastal communities will most certainly be affected also. The information presented by the various speakers need not be simply learned, but tribes must act to protect our environment, our land, our rivers and water bodies, our fish, and all of the furbearing animals that we consume to live.
Let us never forget that our Ancestors were the stewards of Nature’s Trust. By that, the real leaders, the Elders, saw to it that the lands and rivers that we eat from are protected from pollution. This practice has come down from the beginning of time.
One thing happened that should polarize us as we watch the rest of the world suffer from not exercising Natures Trust. Indigenous peoples throughout the world, including Alaska’s first peoples, gave this up to the governments of their land.
In our case in Alaska, we gave this up to the United States government. And this government has vested the fiduciary duty for the protection of our land, and its resources that we use to subsist on these lands to the Environmental Protection Agency. This Agency, although well meaning in its purpose is over-regulated and being an arm of government heeds to its mandates. And so does the Department of Environmental Conservation of our own state government.
During the three days, much of the discussion was on the imminent and potential impacts to the air, our rivers, lands and their resources, all of which are renewable. Renewable, meaning properly managed, they would be available till the end time.
Of particular concern to the tundra villages of Nunapitchuk, Kasigluk and Atmautluak is Barrick Corporations interest in having a Lighterage Dock at the Johnson River Crossing, or near Fowler Island. This barge/dock would allow ocean going barges to come up and off load fuel and equipment to be barged up further using smaller barges for the Donlin Creek mining operation.
Knowing the narrow channel in the area, it would be off-shore, meaning it would be in the deep water part of the river. Knowing that the Valdez Port is zoned, and that Homeland Security would require protection, it will more than likely be zoned off for river traffic.
This area is the fishing grounds for not only the tundra villages, but many other villages. The Kuskokwim River is also used by river boats from the entire lower Kuskokwim Bay.
What is important now is for tribes to be informed as we come closer to Barrick Corporation’s decision on the feasibility of moving forward on its plans. They still have a lot of challenges, such as power needs, transportation needs and so forth.
Again, I want to thank AVCP and the facilitators, especially Rose Kalistook, for the very successful conference. You are empowering the tribes of the Y/K delta. Piurci...
Consortium for Digital Learning
4-10-07
by Robert Nick
In a continuing effort of forming collaborative partnerships to make education and overall well-being of our children a top priority, the Association of Alaska School Boards initiated the Consortium for Digital Learning.
This four year project was made possible by the 24th Alaska State Legislature’s awarding of $5 million in capital funds to AASB. This program is up and going this school year in 18 school districts, LKSD included. These funds assisted participating school districts by providing 75% of the initial costs, including initial technology hardware, ongoing staff training, and to provide technical assistance over the next four years.
In this innovative initiative to further improve statewide student achievement, each student was provided a laptop computer with wireless capability to continue the learning day beyond the normal class attendance of the participating student. Nine schools in LKSD established 1 to 1 learning environments to Junior High students. This allows communication and collaboration among students, teachers, and connects parents more closely to the educational process of their child.
Providing the students with access to the wireless computers extends their learning environment process outside the classroom and into their homes.
And the sharing of lessons, homework and school projects stored on the laptop computers engages parents to have a more active role in their child’s academic learning.
In this time of knowledge based economies where the computer is the industry tool, schools can further help prepare students gain familiarity with technology tools they will need later in life. It will also help in building skills needed in their work and life. Such assets as communication, problem solving and critical thinking, which are helpful to take part in today’s economic development opportunities and to live successfully in today’s global economy.
All schools within Alaska now have computers, and so this statewide initiative will no doubt prepare all students for the many challenges they will encounter in this 21st century.
The No Child Left Behind Act, which is up for re-authorization by Congress this year will undergo changes where the federal government may/will impose more challenges for public schools to equip children with skills needed to succeed in life and improve their nation and the world.
Thanks to the Association of Alaska School Boards; parents, teachers, elders, faith communities, community organizations, tribes, and cultural groups have joined together to make education of our children their top priority. As our ancestors have done for us, it truly does need to have the whole community to educate a “child.”
Indigenous traditions and cultures
4-5-07
by Robert Nick
This year’s theme of the annual gathering of cultures and traditions of indigenous peoples from Los Alamos, Mexico; from the Hawaiian Islands; Saint Lawrence Island; the Tsimshian Dancers from Metlakatla/Anchorage; and Y/K delta tribes certainly says it all… “Together into Our Future”.
I will most certainly agree that we are at a period of time where our people must look to who we are. We are indigenous to the lands where we live, wherever we come from. And our ancestors have developed litanies of how we can live on these lands. They taught us how to hunt and fish. They taught us how to prepare and care for these bounties of the land. They taught us how to clothe ourselves with the skins of the fish, birds, and all of the furbearing animals that we harvest.
They taught us how to preserve these food sources. They taught us how to live during periods of famine. These periods have special traditions that must be adhered to if one is to survive when these lands and waters that so abundantly provide our daily foods are lacking of them. These periods in the life of man started with the beginning of time. In the greatest literature of history, the BibIe, famine is defined as “extreme scarcity of food” when everyone is hungry.
A few recorded causes say lack of rain (climate change), insects, and warfare led to famine. And during the famine in Canaan, Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to buy grain.
During the past two centuries, our ancestors in the Y/K delta experienced famine. I wrote about this in the words of an elder from Napaskiak, in a previous article. Our ancestors tell us that when our people no longer follow the teachings of our elders, the “Spirit of the Universe” lets us experience a short period of famine. They tells us that hunger is the greatest pain that man experiences, so by hunger we are admonished.
The dictionary says to admonish is to bring to someone’s mind. So by this experience we are told that we have become lawless (ellangcarluta). As this has been experienced by man since the beginning of time, many indigenous peoples can relate to this in their homelands.
These litanies also tell us how we can live together peacefully as a community of peoples. No matter where one resides, unity and harmony brings about the peace that we so desire amongst us.
In my native language, this year’s theme says “Pillgutekluta Ciunerkamtenun”. When we say ciunerkamtenun (one word), it translates “to our future”. So when we say “pillgutekluta ciunerkamtenun”, then it becomes “into our future”.
So, let us look back to 2001. It is that year that we in the Y/K delta started a program that we appropriately called “Kinguliamta Ciunerkaat”. This effort of our communities started a new chapter of litanies for our future generations. And these are none other than our traditions and cultures that have been passed on from generation to generation. Best practices (atu’urkaqegtaaraput) were told by our elders in the many meetings that we held in our communities.
In one of the many articles I wrote then, I stated that when all else fails, let us go to grandpa and grandma, and our elders, for they know best.
As I watched dancers Saturday evening at the CAMA-I Dance festival at Bethel High School, I again was reminded of who I am and where I came from. Let us never forget who we are and where we came from.
And I want to thank the dancers from Hawaii for their departing words of wisdom. In the final dance of their performance Saturday evening, they eloquently told us who they are and where they came from. And they told us they perform this wherever they tell their traditions and cultures in dance.
Finally, I want to join the “Bethel Council on the Arts” in Honoring of the regions Living Treasures: “Massa” Martina Aparezuk and “Igvaq” Pauline Hunt and the Honoring of our Living Treasure: “Cakaitelleq” John Thompson of St. Mary’s. Quyana Caknerpak John… We all love you...
Communities helping
kids succeed
3-27-07
by Robert Nick
It has been 16 years since the Association of Alaska School Boards began efforts of Shared Responsibility of Educating Alaska’s Children and Youth. Leading the cause is AASB’s declaration that “Children, their Health, Safety, Education, and Future... are Alaska’s top priority. Since then much has occurred towards improving schools and student achievement in Alaska’s Schools. I wrote of the many initiatives in previous articles in hopes of engendering collaboration of parents, community organizations, and school boards across Alaska. The vision/mission is to engage all that share our passion and goals of helping kids succeed in school and most importantly, “In Life”.
In 2001, Alaska’s Senator Ted Stevens recognized the power of community engagement and asset building as key to enhance student achievement and general well being, and was able to cause a direct federal appropriation of $14 million over seven years to AASB to develop and sustain a community engagement and asset building initiative in Alaska. As a result of this assistance, AASB created Alaska ICE, and Quality Schools/Quality Students (QS2). These two initiatives have become successful advocates for Alaska’s youth. The success is due to the active involvement of a wide variety of folks interested in the future of our children. These wonderful folks included parents, teachers, elders, faith communities, tribal and cultural organizations who have joined school districts and made the safety, health, and education of our children their top priority.
Today, through Quality Schools/Quality Students, 18 school districts across Alaska have partnered with all concerned in an effort to improve school and student performance. And Alaska ICE provides these districts with focused intensive support to more fully engage adults and community organizations in assisting kids succeed both academically and socially, and these efforts are getting positive results. And Alaska ICE is working with Alaska State Board of Education in developing guidelines for statewide standards at current and future residential schools, such as Mt. Edgecumbe. This is being done to incorporate Resiliency in Residence Life project’s successes to the boarding schools in Alaska.
Perhaps the most noteworthy effort is being done by the Anchorage School District (ASD). Partnering with AASB, ASD is developing the School Climate and Connectedness Survey. As the school district experiences a high drop out rate of Alaska Native students, this effort could develop positive measures to improve this national wave. As a lot of districts experience this problem, steps taken by ASD could well be incorporated by other districts across Alaska and the Nation. There are many other innovative initiatives through partnerships with many entities, and increased recognition of youth who are contributing to their community are resulting in more positive adult perceptions of youth.
This is the sixth year of the seven year grant and I want to implore the 18 School Districts across Alaska to keep up their excellent work, as our children are our future, and the future is always built upon the past.
As our ancestors, who are the pillars of life today, let us try our utmost to insure a future life of peace, happiness, success and prosperity to our beloved children and cherished grandchildren. They deserve nothing less.
Remember, our ancestors raised us through two most important sponsors... family and community.
The serenity of tranquil seas
3-22-07
by Robert Nick
T’was a beautiful sunny windless day on my only journey to the Bering Sea along with Charlie Mute and his son Don, and my brother Nick. For years and years, my iluq’s from the coastal villages... Newtok, south to Quinhagak asked me to go seal hunting (qamigaq) with them, telling me that if I went once, I will yearn to go again and again.
So it was in the spring of 1980 I finally went on a memorable journey which to this day I still remember every spring when seal hunting time approaches.
The day started with a hefty south wind, and being prone to seasickness, I hoped the weather would calm down before we launched our boat into the Bering Sea. As we left Kipnuk on a snowy windy day, being a believer in a higher power, I humbly asked our maker to calm the winds and to give us a beautiful day. As we arrived at the waters edge, there was a boat already in the water and as I slowly approached the boat, I recognized an old friend having a quick lunch prior to venturing out to sea in search of seals and eider ducks.
Despite the raging south wind, the tranquility of the moment as I stood at the bow of his lund boat was memorable, which to this day, I remember quite vividly. My friend, now deceased, stood tall in front of his motor wearing what used to be a white qaspeq, but not quite then, with a skinned frozen white fish in his right hand and a jar of seal oil in his left hand. He would take a bite of the white fish in his right hand, and take a big drink of seal oil from his left hand. When he finally recognized me, he stopped chewing and looked to the sky and laughed. It was more like a ho! ho! ho! than a laugh. He certainly must not have expected to see me there at the sea’s edge.
Amidst his big bites of the white fish and swiggin’ his seal oil, he would look at me and make his slow laugh again. Another friend later told me that he does that type of laugh when he is awed by something very unexpected. That moment is etched in my brain and will be a lasting memory.
As my party had a quick lunch, my apprehension grew, because the wind had picked up more since we arrived at the sea’s edge. My thoughts were in my earlier prayer to a higher power, and lo and behold, as we left the small cove and ventured out to the sea, the wind ceased.
Throughout the day, the power of the sea was marvelous. It’s calm serenity. It was a day to be remembered with the brilliance of the sea as we went in search of seals and the migrating eider ducks would darken the sky as they journeyed north to the breeding grounds.
As we meandered here and there, we would sometimes meet other hunters. And like the surprise shown by my friend earlier in the dawn at the water’s edge, they would also laugh at seeing me way out there in the seas. One friend looked at me and after a hearty laugh, he said to me, “No wonder the weather calmed down…you must come out to the sea more often…you bring calm seas.”
Throughout the day, the waters were like a shining sheet of glass as my brother and I, sitting at the front of the boat tried out our marksmanship with our 12 gauge shotguns. We must have been doing great, as I would hear our driver utter, “WA HOO” as a staccato of shotgun blasts filled the serene air. We saw numerous seals that day and got a few. So it is that man ventures out to sea in search of food for the family since the beginning of time.
In closing, I thank Charlie and Don Mute for the experience of a lifetime. Piurci...
Changing Times
3-7-07
by Robert Nick
All land in the Universe is haunted by memories. Not only memories of our own, for we had inhabited this region only lately. Although about ten percent of our population has been around for six decades or more, we have seen many changes occur...some to our benefit/comfort in our everyday living.
Although, not much was recorded of our past, some memories are those of the long-vanished people who had lived in this region. And the people that lived in this region who dwelled in many riverine communes that meander from Bering Sea, east to headwaters in central Alaska and Canada, lived richly and well as long as they had wild country abounding in fish and game.
We have heard a lot of stories of such peoples in them days. Although there were no media such as radios, TV’s and newspapers, talk went up and down the river, and coast to coast, as some communes lined the ocean shores. And where travelers stopped, there was always somebody with a story to tell.
Stories of successful big game Hunters (nukalpiaqs) were told in Qasgiqs. And in earlier times when warring occurred between communal groups in the Yukon, Kuskokwim and Bristol Bay…great elusive warriors were favorite stories. Well so much for memories, lets ponder about today.
Although memories live on, times and circumstances do change throughout the history of the world. This new millennium is apt to bring about circumstances never before experienced in the magnitude we are seeing them today. The State of Alaska is viewed as the last frontier in experiencing these changes. And we could very well be less prepared to address the adverse effects, especially in small rural communities where indigenous cultures and traditions are alive and are still practiced.
Foremost is the way we live in rural parts of the state, where our very existence is from the land and waters surrounding our communities. And we need to understand these changes as they have occurred throughout the rest of the developing world. Countries like Ecuador, Nicaragua, Central America, and Venezuela, to name a few were most affected by the exploitation of their rich natural resources, oil in particular.
Of course we know about the oil in the Middle East. in Saudi Arabia, Iran and Iraq. This black gold as it is called is the cause of the conflicts that have gone on there for over half a century.
Here on the home front, as oil reservoirs do go dry, Prudhoe Bay is now pumping about half of what it did at in the beginning. So other areas such as Bristol Bay are being looked at for future well sites for oil.
Another sought after natural resource is gold. And we know that there are plans for mining that mineral resource in our region and in the Bristol Bay region. And there is mining activity occurring in other parts of the state as well. These will bring about changes in the coming decades. These changes do bring employment to the areas of development and can bring economy to the locality if local people are hired.
Piurci...
Global warming
2-20-07
by Robert Nick
We who inhabit the Western and Northern regions of Alaska experience four seasons in a single year... summer, fall, winter and spring. So I guess one could say that we are adaptable to climate change. And we have done this by preparing for each season and none is more apt and able than the Eskimos of the Arctic and sub-Arctic region.
And we do this by harvesting the migratory fish and birds that migrate to our lands and waters where we live. I need not talk of why, how and when, because we all know and share. However, there is one condition that is different… the weather is getting warmer in these seasons and they are calling it global warming and Alaska is warming and melting faster than any other place in the world.
So, should we be concerned? You bet your “kameksaks” that you have not put on in many decades and may not need no more, we should be alarmed.
All who is who in Alaska should talk about what we need to do to prepare for a melt-down. Low lying communities (flood plains) should start planning where to move. Agencies that sponsor infrastructure development should start planning for the future state of affairs, for the Congress/Administration of the country is doing almost nothing.
Based on historical weather data, Alaska’s annual temperature has gone up 3-5 degrees Fahrenheit, with winter temperatures rising up to 10 degrees. It is speculated that the Arctic region could go up to 18 degrees (Fahrenheit) warmer by 2100. And we may have only 64% of our current winter snowpack by then. If global warming intensifies, scientists are predicting that the Artic will be ice free in the summer of 2070 or sooner.
So again, should we worry about our food sources that we gather and harvest in preparation for the long cold winter months? Let us hear what an Elder from Napaskiak told us…
“The fish in our rivers and lakes survive in median water temperature between warm and cold.” So if the water temperature rises above the median, the fish will die.
Scientific data tells us that the recommended temperature for salmon spawning is 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and warmer temperatures cause diseases for fish and reduce availability of nutrients and oxygen.
The water temperature of the Yukon River has warmed by 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the last 30 years, causing the “Ichthyophonus” to infect Chinook salmon. Based on reports by fishermen, 40% of the fish caught are now infected with “Ichthyophonus” and are inedible (cannot be eaten). We had this in the Kuskokwim River in mid to late nineties with El Nino, warming of ocean water temperature.
So what needs to happen?
Man needs to decrease the amount of heat trapping gases in our atmosphere, as the accumulation of these gases known as greenhouse gases are increasing the protective atmospheric blanket around the earth and this is causing warming of earth’s temperatures.
The leading greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, and as an industrialized nation, the United States accounts for more than 20% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In one year, 22 tons of carbon dioxide are produced by the average American, more than six times as much as the average man living outside of the U.S. And we do this by heating our homes, generating electricity, and powering our cars, and this carbon pollution and other gases we emit today (2007) will stay in the atmosphere until our grandchildren become adults.
So, we need to change how we produce and consume energy today, as scientist predict even more devastating consequences for the earth.
Only “WE” hold the solution to protect our environment, our natural food sources, our health, our economy, our community infrastructure, our planet, and our very existence on it.
State of apathy
2-13-07
by Robert Nick
Echoing the words of the late Jimmy Chimeralria of Napakiak… “We are in a state of Apathy (ilacingukut)”… not only in our small rural communities, but throughout the world. What then is “APATHY”? The English dictionary tells us it is: (1) lack of emotional responsiveness; (2) lack of interest or concern.
Since there are so many words that can describe the state, I add these words, also from the dictionary: impassivity, insensibility, disinterest, disregard, headlessness, indifference, and many more that describe human attitudes.
Let us ask…why are we in this state? Again, the late Jimmy Chimeralria tells… “Nobody is telling us the traditions of our forefathers, or those that were here before us.” Yugcetun… “Qanrucestairucamta-wa, wall’u, Qalarucestairucamta-llu elluarrluta, ilakuyulluta-llu ilakuralriani cali-llu nunalgutkuralriani yuullerkamtenek.”
So very true are these words that have been passed on through generations of human lifeways. Yugcetun… “Anglilli ilumulria ciuliamta qanruyutaitni ukanirpak.”
Let us briefly delve into the past, outside the realm of our communities and our country. As we enter the year 2007, it is now Two Hundred Twenty years since (1787) the original thirteen colonies adopted what is now the United States Constitution, amended as needed. As nations have risen and fallen since the beginning of mankind, history has a very telling story of civilization throughout the world. So about the time the Nation of these United States began some 220 years ago, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh said these words of the fall of the Athenian Republic about 2000 years earlier: “A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government. A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority will always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.”
Again as the history of the world order of civilization tells us, the average span of Nations in terms of years of the world’s greatest noteworthy civilizations from the beginning of history has been about two hundred years. And the citizenry, people that were countrymen of the greatest nations throughout history have always progressed through the following succession: (1) Bondage to spiritual faith, (2) Spiritual faith to great courage, (3) Courage to liberty, (4) Liberty to abundance, (5) Abundance to complacency, (6) Complacency to Apathy, (7) Apathy to Dependence, (8) and then from Dependence back to bondage.
Therefore, based on these historical events, it is noted by a school of law professor, that we are now somewhere between the complacency and apathy phase of Professor Alexander Tyler’s definition of democracy, with some forty percent of the nation’s population already in the governmental dependency phase.
If the current number of illegal immigrants (about 20 million) are granted amnesty and citizenship by the United States Congress, and are allowed to vote, then the fall of one of the greatest nations... the United States of America ...will surely be added to the history books as a fallen Nation.
As most of us know today, the Soviet Union, once a super-powered nation is virtually unheard of today. And the Middle East, once the mecca of peace is totally torn in war, despair and poverty. This state brought on by having been under dictatorship for about half a century.
Finally I want to close with the wisdom of my ancestors... “When the world is about to experience a great famine (hunger), people get to the state of ‘APATHY’”. Yugcetun... “Ellam-gguq yui kaikata’arqata yuut ilacingtuut”. And another... “When the people become so disobedient, lawless and the social order of communes collapses, the spirit of the Universe punishes them by hunger… the most excruciating and painful suffering man can experience.”
The ancestors of Western Alaskan indigenous peoples feared this above all. So much suffering is experienced that a few fortunate survivors of “Famine” openly state that they wish to die before another one occurs.
Piurci... Next week: Why it is so important to preserve the fish and game in the Yukon Kuskokwim delta...
From a Northern chill to Southern warmth
2-6-07
by Robert Nick
It seems like just a few weeks since my last article, but it is last year and we are already in the second month of a new year. And what a year 2006 has been. It certainly was an adventurous journey for mankind.
The cold spell we had in December and January probably had a few records broken, for I saw many young men and even women with the marks of the northern chill bites. Even I had the marks on both cheeks for a spell in mid-January.
On a late night ride home to Nunap’ from Tunt’, the northern chill was exasperated by snow from the wake of seven snow machines traveling in front of me as if running from the Southern warm weather that has followed the Northern.
Now it is the opposite with record high temperatures in the last few days. And possibly a solar storm with lightening on the evening of the February 1st. Four local men were driving home from a day of pike fishing near Aropak Lake about 90 miles Northwest of Nunapitchuk. As they were traveling east at Long Lake, some time between 7:30/8:00PM, a very bright flash was seen high in the southeastern sky, followed by two more reddish flashes not as bright as the first. These flashes were also seen by more folks in Tuntutuliak.
As I was driving home from checking my blackfish trap at dusk that day, I observed the eastern horizon to look as if thunder was about to happen as it does in summer. Perhaps, these flashes seen an hour and a half later were actually lightening way up in the solar system and high enough so that no thunder was heard, as does in a summer thunderstorm. Well so much for the weather...
Word has it that pikes are biting as if a hook is the only edible thing, because pike bite anything that moves in the water and on the surface.
It certainly was nice to eat fresh pike from Akagculleq.
Beaver dams have made fishing to move away from once likely spots. However, since the pike are there still, another canal type creek to a large lake and then to Aropak Lake are good spots.
Another local man that spent his early years at Chocfagtulik told me, if they are biting now, they will be so for a while. So pike fishers, go get ‘em.
To my “Iluqs” and “nephews” that go there to fish, if I eat one of your catch...I will call you a “Nukalpiaq”.
Remembering a great man
12-14-06
by Robert Nick
At a period of renaissance for the 49th State of the Union, called America, a young man arrived in Western Alaska with his family and along with his wife, Nancy, taught my siblings at the BIA Day Scho
