Cuntira Cirncs
Owned, controlled and edited by Tundra Times, Inc., a corporation of Alaska
natives. Published at Fairbanks, Alaska, twice monthly, on the first and third |
Mondays.
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Entered at the Post Office at Fairbanks, Alaska, as second class matter under
the Act of March 3, 1879.
Tundra Times, Inc., publisher (Howard Rock, Martha Teeluk, and Alfred Ketzlert;
HOWARD ROCK, editor; Thomas Snapp, assistant editor; Vivian P. Spurgin, office
manager; contributing editors, Guy Okakok, Martha Teeluk, and Alfred Ketzler.
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Editorial
Native Potlatch
The native folks of Fairbanks and those visiting here
for the big Winter Carnival and dog races certainly had a
nice time at the recent potlatch held at the Eagle's Hall,
owned and operated by the Pioneers of Alaska.
The audience was larger than expected. The atmos
phere of the whole affair was one of good fellowship.
After one had been there a while, it made one feel, "I'm
glad I came."
The feeling this paper got at that gathering was,
that native folks were kind of hungering for a chance to
get together in a body. Once they were together, there
was an air of spontaneity that was contagious and the folks
just couldn't help but have a good time.
Natives are by tradition neighborly but when living
in cities natives don't always get the chance or fully grasp
a sense of neighborliness. The "get together" seemed to
show that such functions are needed, especially in cities
where many natives live.
Some of us in big cities tend to "just live." In doing
so we become insignificant, except perhaps in bars or
cocktail lounges where some of us tend at times to get
obnoxiously significant.
The gathering at the Eagle's Hall seemed to prove
that native folks in cities need to get together, to assert
themselves a little more in clean fun and fellowship.
The potlatch seemed to point to other possibilities
that could be developed. The entertainment that was pro
yided, although not polished, was enthusiastically re
ceived. If entertainment at such affairs could be developed
and executed in a more polished manner, such affairs
could turn into fine drawing cards.
Why not? By developing such affairs natives could
make a fine contribution to the city in which they live. In
doing so they would be learning to work together. Such
things are greatly needed in cities and could become good
morale builders, needed by natives within the confines of
cities.
While the potlatch was an unqualified success, there
Were a few things we thought could be improved, borne
natives invited their non-native friends but were unable
to get them admitted since the gathering was advertised
■"for natives only" and regulations to that effect were
pnforced.
For better public relations purposes, it would seem
to us that more liberal rulings could be made to avoid any
unpleasant relations that might arise. Hospitality is an
established trait among natives which should never be
sidetracked.
Minto dancers were wonderful performers arid what
a fine contribution they made. While Minto had some time
to prepare for their dance, the Eskimos were not notified
until that evening. Even under this handicap and lack of
drums, the group did a creditable job of performing. With
time to prepare, they would, no doubt, have made a fine
contribution to the gathering.
A few shortcomings of the "get together" will, no
doubt, be corrected the next time around. The values of
the potlatch far overshadowed its weaknesses. Those who
were responsible for planning the potlatch, Ralph Perdue,
et a I, are to be commended heartily for a job well done.
The assemblage of natives was a most refreshing af
fair and was unreservedly enjoyed by those who attended.
NORTH STAR
AWARD
(In each issue, the Tundra
Times will single out for a North
Star award one who has made an
outstanding accomplishment or
done a meritorious act.)
“It had been raining and the trail
was icy. It cut the dog’s feet bad,”
said Franklin Dayton.
Dayton, a dog racer himsef, was
talking about the dogs of Leo Kris
ka, 1961 Anchorage Fur Rendezvous
dog mushing champion.
Hughey Kriska. Leo’s brother,
who was trapping and hunting with
the Daytons, had driven a 10-dog
team to Koyukuk to report that
Mrs. Jane Dayton, who was preg
nant, was seriously ill with severe
pneumonia.
Upon learning of the emergency.
Leo Kriska dashed from Koyukuk
to Bishop Mountain with his 14-dog
racing team. He had wanted to use
his motor snow traveler but it had
broken down.
Kriska was not at Dayton camp
10 minutes when Jane Dayton gave
birth to a premature baby girl. He
then dashed back to report the birth
and to radio Galena Air Force Sta
tion for help.
The message was sent to the Air
Force Station by Wien Alaska Air
lines radio at Koyukuk. The Air
Force dispatched an H21 helicopter,
piloted by Capt. C. J. Hermann and
Lt. N. T. Williams, along with
medic. M.Sgt D. J. Harden.
The stricken woman and the baby
were taken to Galena Air Force
Base. Harden is said to have ad
ministered oxygen to Mrs. Dayton
and again on the flight from Galena
to Fairbanks.
The premature Dayton baby died
three days after arrival to Fair
banks, but Mrs. Dayton recovered
at Fairbanks’ St. Joseph Hospital.
When rain fails on the snow and
then freezes, many sharp crystals
form. When one drives his team on
it, the sled pulls easily, but the
crystalized snow is wicked on dogs’
feet. It wears off and cuts the tough
leathery palms in relatively short
time and soon the feet are tender
and begin to bleed.
Such was the kind of snow on
which Leo Kriska drove his team
during his mission of mercy. He
knew what it would do to the feet
of his racing dogs; wear and cut
them. His dogs would never be fit
to race in the North American Sled
Dog Championship race in Fair
banks that was to take place little
over a week.
There was sizable prize money to
be had if one raced and won in the
North American. A racer of Leo
Kriska's caliber had definite chances
to reap some of the prize money.
He had been vigorously training his
race team to a fine point of readi
ness. In spite of all this, Leo Kriska,
upon finding about the suffering of
fellow humans, went to aid them.
And so to Leo Kriska. great dog
musher, for unselfishly sacrificing
his chances at the North American
Sled Dog Championship races to
aid the suffering, goes the Tundra
Times thirteenth North Star Award
along with our congratulations.
ESKIMO POEM
Motion
By Steve Lisbourne
Student, Mt. Edgecombe
From Point Hope
Wind and rain and clouds all move.
So does the earth itself
Revolving, ever going around
To give the people
Sunlight and Moonlight.
Sun in the daytime gives happiness
To people and to the plants
That must have light to live.
Shining like a glowing star.
Moon lights a pathway in the dark.
Editorial
Project Chariot
We just can't understand why the Atomic Energy
Commission is going into business of biological investi
gations at Ogtoruk Creek area (Cape Thompson area). A
tew days ago the Bureau of Land Management sent out
a news release titled, "Project Chariot Reduced in Size."
The BLM should have reverted the withdrawn area
back to the public domain in its entirety because the A.E.C.
doesn't really need a withdrawal permit to do research on
biology. It can use the land like any organization that does
biological research.
We have heard that A.E.C. now wants to put fallout
seaward. In that case they do not need large area of land.
On the other hand, the northeast border of the proposed
area to be left after the reduction of the withdrawal, is right
on the Kukpuk River. This area is a traditional place of
fishing where Point Hope people get thousands of grayling
annually. That area is said to be within bounds liable to be
affected heavily in case of a shot.
We have found out that A.E.C. has no intention of
abandoning the proposed experiment at Cape Thompson.
By publicizing the 96,000 acres as an area of biological in
vestigation, we have strong reason to suspect that that
agency is using the reduction to pull the wool over our
eyes.
If the Cape Thompson area is to be used for biological
investigations only, it could be turned over to the National
Science Council. Under A.E.C. domination, the A.E.C. will
control the expenditures and control the research. Under
the National Science Council, a more healthy scientific
climate would prevail.
Editorial
The Cutter Bear
The demise of the very famous old ship, the Revenue
Cutter Bear, left many of us with a feeling of having lost
a dear old friend, whom we have known ever since we
could remember.
The Cutter Bear was indeed a dear old friend to many
natives all along the far reaches of the coast of Alaska.
She was a messenger of goodwill for the new world civ
ilization; she represented the kind and the merciful; she
offered haven to those who were lost and stranded.
She was claimed by the sea on which she made fabu
lous exploits during her ninety-year life span.
Built in Greenock, Scotland, she sailed out of St.
John's, Newfoundland for eleven years; then she was
bought by the United States. She wasted no time in per
forming a mission of mercy, a rescue expedition to Elles
mere Island in the Arctic.
Later on, she was assigned to Alaskan waters where
she served for 40 years patrolling the Bering, Chukchi,
and Arctic Seas. In those waters her fame began to assert
itself. In the years of 1897-1897, she rescued some 500
whaling men off Point Barrow. She rescued ice-locked
ships. Many times she transported seriously ill persons to
hospitals.
After her long service in the Alaskan waters she was
retired, but not for long. The late Admiral Richard Evelyn
Byrd reactivated her out of retirement. She acted as a
flagship for the Byrd Expedition to the Antarctic.
During World War II, the Cutter Bear was on active
service on U.S. Neutrality Patrol when the United States
entered the conflict.
After this vital service, she was shamefully disgraced
by being sold for fur-sealing. The proud old ship did not
deserve such a fate. She was found, all but abandoned, on
a beach in Nova Scotia.
The Revenue Cutter Bear, to this writer's young eyes
when he was a boy, was a wonderful sight to behold. She
was like an apparition—beautiful, proud—as she swayed
gently with the swells of the Chukchi. She was beautiful
to see, when before a gale, she knifed through stormy
waves under full sail.
Her departure into the deep on which she bravely
sailed, will not erase the memory of the great deeds she
performed during her eventful career in the Arctic.
These memories of the historic old ship, along with
her deeds of mercy, will not be easily forgotten by those
who have had more than a passing, glance of her. She was
loved by Alaskans. She was missed when she no longer
appeared oyer the horizon of the Arctic seas.