Write-In Candidate
Answers Ten Questions
Hamilton
1. What is your position in re
gard to historic Alaska Native
land claims?
1 recognize the validity of Alaska
Native land claims. Since the Na
tives were here before the new
comers interferred, their claims
pre-date all our documented legis
lation and regulations governing
land in and around the Native vil
lages . . . but I am more bitterly
opposed to willful disregard to ab
original rights that will permit an
influx of fortune seekers to crowd
the Natives out of their time-hon
ored habitat.
2. What is your position in regard
regard to historic Native hunt
ing and fishing rights?
1 feel that the fish and wildlife
were put there for Native use and
I am for letting them have what
they need — when they need it —
and by whatever manner they care
to take it. One of my first official
acts in northwestern Alaska was to
flatly refuse to fill out the forms
for prosecuting a Native for killing
a cow moose “out of season” . .
because I had evidence that his
family was out of food, and under
that condition I contended that the
law of human survival held prece
dence over Game laws
3. What is the difference between
the Native’s aboriginal right to
hunt ducks and geese for food
and the historic rights to the
minerals underneath their land?
Though by existing law the Fed
eral Government owns the mineral
underlying all public land > . , I
do not regard the land in and :
around Native villages as PUBLIC
(according to common usage of the
word). I feel that Natives should
have the same right to minerals be
neath the surface of the land that !
they have to the timber and ber- i
ries that grow on it — and the an
imals that roam or fly over it.
4. If you are elected, what con- ,
Crete programs will you promote |
to better the economy of Native '
villages?
I would do everything within my
power to promote such activities as
agriculture, lumber industry, min
ing, fur farming, skin sewing, na
tive arts and crafts, commercial
fishing, canneries, gardening, rein
deer restoration, and the like in
those villages where it is best adapt
ed. Though Mr. Egan and Mr. Step
ovich may tell you what they pro
pose to do along those lines. I am
convinced that if a big and imme
diate improvement isn’t made over
what they have done, our Natives
(as well as others) in Alaska will
soon face starvation.
5. What will you do to obtain vo
cational schools in Alaska?
I am interested in vocational ed
ucation for Alaska’s Native chil
dren, but vocational education op
erated by a Governor who doesn't
know anything about public school
administration, would tend to im
poverish Alaska by erecting big.
expensive, impractical, lifeless in
stitutions too far from home. In
the hands of a common-sense man.
they would be economically-sound
and wide awake schools training
young Alaskans for the ever-grow
ing, ever-broadening variety of
technical and mechanical high-sal
aried positions right here in Alas
ka that are now being filled by
outsiders who do not spend their
money in Alaska or intend to re
main here. Native children are
highly intelligent ... I have taught
them . . . and I KNOW. (Neither
Mr. Egan nor Mr. Stepovich have
had this experience!. With adequate
training in technical and mechani
cal “Know-how”, our young Alas
kans will be able to creditably per
form the multiplicity of new occu
pations that are certain to evolve
in Alaska.
I am further convinced that vo
cational training should begin at
(Continued on Page 91
Sketch
Kivalina - Reindeer
Thrived There
Eighty five miles to the north of
Kotzebue is Kivalina. This little vil
lage has a population of about 150.
Kivalina subsists on hunting econ
omy.
In the '20s and '30s Kivalina was
one of the leading reindeer herding
centers. Big herds thrived there,
due to constant presence of the herd
ers.
Sometime in the '30s a directive
from Washington was issued that
the natives apply what was known
as open herding. This meant the
herds were to be left alone until
such times as butchering and mark
ing of the ears.
Without the constant care of the
herders the reindeer began to grow
wild and started to mix with other
herds. They were at the mercy of
the wolves. In time they integrated
into caribou herds.
The once healthy reindeer econ
omy disintegrated and left many
an Eskimo a poor one indeed.
During the winter the men of
Kivalina trap and hunt caribou. In
the spring sealing and oogruk hunt
ing is usually excellent. Salmon
fishing is sufficiently adequate in
summer.
OUTBREAK REPORTED
JUNEAU—The Alaska Depart- i
ment of Health and Welfare says
an outbreak of infectioius hepatitis
(jaundice) has been reported in the
village of Savoonga, on SI. Lawr
ence Island.
Arctic Survival
From Caribou - Parkas, Mukluks, Ice Cream
The majestic, restless animal, the
caribou, is classed by the Eskimos
as extremely important in survival.
This animal abounds in great
numbers in the central and north
coastal regions of Alaska and Can
ada.
To the ancient Eskimo, caribou
was most vital since it meant food,
sinew and clothing.
The Eskimo considers caribou
one of the finest items in his diet.
The obtaining of caribou meat is
something of an event.
Fresh caribou not only excites
the palate of the Eskimo but means
gift giving of pieces of it to friends
and the needy. The fat caribou is
most desired for fat is used in mak
ing the Eskimo dessert, Akootuk
or Eskimo ice cream.
This is how akootuk is made. The
fat or suet of the caribou is cleaned
and diced, put in a cooking pot,
and after rendering, it is allowed
to cool to the point where it will
not burn the hand of the woman
Dieoarinc Akootuk
The woman stirs and whips the
cooling fat vigorously. At intervals
small amounts of seal oil or whale
oil are added. As the whipping
continues, the suet slowly turns
gray. After further whipping, the
fat becomes snow white and of a
consistency similar to cake icing.
At this stage thoroughly cooked
finely ground caribou meat is add
ed little by little until the mixt<Urc
is quite thick, then diced caribou
meat is added.
After this, when desired and pro
viding the supply is available,
blackberries are added.
After Akootuk is allowed to
freeze, it is ready to be served as
a treat for all.
In the old days the sinew of the
caribou was a most needed item. At
oresent. although still being used,
I sinew is being replaced by dental
! floss, which the Eskimo woman
' finds Is a good substitute. The Es
kimo woman would have been hard
, put without sinew. She used it for
I thread to sew clothing for her fam
jily.
Sinew is taken from the legs of
| the caribou. But choice sinew is
j taken from the back, from a taper
ing layer that extends from the base
of the neck and flares out at the
j rump.
Heavy and thick at the base, the
sinew layer gradually thins and
flares out.
This layer of sinew is removed
and meat and tissue is scraped off
thoroughly. When ready to bp dried,
it is watered and spread on a flat
piece of wood.
When thoroughly dry, it is ready
for use as thread.
The skin of the caribou has many
necessary uses. It is ideal as win
ter clothing. After tanning, it is :
supple and pliable and makes light
and warm parka material.
In summer, the hair of the can- ,
bnu gets to be about half an inch or
jthree quarter inch in length. It is
then that caribou arc hunted for
clothing and of course for food
This precise thickness is considered
as ideal for parkas.
The thick winter coat of the cari- ;
bou has important uses also. It is
used as matting in the house and
for bench cushions.
The most important use of the |
winter coat is for sleeping bags. :
The ancient Eskimo used it as such
when away', from the village to
hunt, or at camps.
Skin from the legs of caribou are
"just what the doctor ordered" for
j mukluks.
Caribou was one of the most need
ed animals the ancient Eskimo had
‘ to have. Its meat, skin and sinew
were utilized in an ideal manne: •
and was vital in the survival of th-a
Eskimos in the Arctic. . '
Ralph J. Rivers
Democrat
to
CONGRESS
Keep liis experience anti
seniority in Congress
working for you.
Pd. Pol. Adv. by Rivers f. r
Congress Committee
sbhmhh mm—nWV'
' • t
«
PIONEERS FOR PROGRESS
The Peace Corn concept should be ex
tended to Alaska to help train Native Alas
kans to perform the jobs that need to be
done here—building highways, houses, and
defense installations, and operating the large
equipment that has been constructed.
| EDUCATION |
The federal government should provide
grants for public school classroom construc
tion and loans to private and parochial
schools for classroom construction. Present
law provides partial forgiveness of student
loans for those who later teach in public
elementary and secondary schools. This
should be extended to include teachers
for elementary, secondary and college level,
whether private or public.
RETIREMENT BENEFITS
Social Security and civil service retire
ment laws should be amended so that
these retirement payments will recognize
the high cost of living in Alaska.
ALASKA RAILROAD
The federal government should investi
gate the possibility of turning the Alaska
Railroad over to private enterprise and
offer federal lands as an incentive. This was
the policy that built the western states.
CUBA
I will support 100'i th President's de
termination to prevent the spread of Com
munism in the Western Hemisphere, and
1 will be present in the Senate when it
takes a stand against Communism.
CIVIL RIGHTS
j Stevens says. Every American must be
absolutely guaranteed the right to vote
and the right to equal educational oppor
tunities. All Americans must enjoy equal
job opportunities and be able to live where
their hearts desire and their means permit.
Every American should have equal oppor
tunity of public employment and equal
access to public facilities.
POWER
The immediate power demands of Alaska
should be met through utilization of our
coal, gas, oil, nuclear energy and hydro
electric resources. Generation and trans
mission grids should be constructed to con
nect tfjwer facilities and areas within
Alaska.
HIGHWAYS
Alaska is the only State not included in
me Federal Interstate Highway funds. As
your U.S. Senator I will work vigorously
to have Alaska included in these appro
priations.
ABORIGINAL RIGHTS
Legislation must be enacted to define
and satisfy our Alaskan Indian, Eskimo
and Aleut aboriginal rights claims.
FOREIGN AID
Foreign aid to friendly nations is one of
our strongest weapons to combat Com
munism. Assistance should be on a person
to person basis whenever possible.
FISHERIES
The fishing rights of Alaskans must be
clearly defined so that the Japanese and
Russian fishermen will not be able to in
fringe upon these rights.
RED CHINA
For the preservation of the Free World,
the United States slum Id do all within its
power to prevent the admission of Red
China to the United Nations.
VOTE FOR TED STEVENS FOR U.S. SENATOR
(Paid Political Adv.)