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Opposite Telephone Office
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DOMESTIC AND IMPORTED LIQUORS
AND WINES
Also Pre-War Hill & Hill And Old Taylor
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JOHN LEPRI, Prop. DAN ALVICH, Mgr.
NOME MACHINE SHOP
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BOILER, MARINE, TRACTOR, ACETLYNE AND
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MATERIAL STOCKED: SHAFTING, STEEL, BRONZE,
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NOW IN SEATTLE IT’S
HOTEL
MAYFLOWER
4th AT OLIVE
R. P. WARD, Manager
Northern Light & Power Co.
AND
Alaska Telephone & Telegraph Co.
SeewM Venae and Lane’s Way
LIGHT, POWER AND ELECTRICAL SUPPLIES
LOCAL AND LONG DISTANCE TELEPHONE ERRVIC1
CHRISTMAS IN OLDEN
DAYS OF THE RUSSIAN
REGIME IN ALASKA
By Rev. A. P. Kashevaroff
(Curator of the Territorial Muse
um and Priest in charge of St. Nich
olas Russian Church.)
Christmas with the Russian popu
lation in Alaska was primarily a
religious festival. It was observed
more as a Holy Pay than as a secu
lar holiday. It begah on the eve of
Christmas with religtotis tobservanc
es. There was nothing undertaken
to mar this spiritual tbart dr to inter
fere with it. Church-services were
the order of the day and were at
tended by all who could leave their
duties at home. Some came to one
service and some to another. In fact,
all work ceased the day before
Christmas and was not resumed for
over ten days.
All these ten days were given to
having a “good time”. This period
between the 25th of December and
the 6th of January was called “Sviat
ki” which means “Holy Season”. The
housewife had worked for many days
in preparation for the holiday. Bak
ing, sewing, and preparing good
things to eat. The services in the
church were conducted each even
ing and each morning for three days.
This is the custom of the Russian
Church. All holidays begin the ev
ening before the day to be observed.
Between the services during the
day the church bells chimed, thus
reminding every one of the glad day.
On the evening of the third day
Christmas trees were viewed and
the children’s entertainments were
held. The children knew nothing
of Santa Claus. They learned this
when the American schools were op
ened. The preparation of the Christ
mas tree was a sort of a rite. No
child was admitted there until the
very time when the tree was lit.
Then the doors were opened and the
children marched in. During the
first three evenings of the Christmas
holiday children went from house to
house singing Christmas hymns.
There was always a star in each
group, carried by one of the boys.
This was a very necessary part of
the event. This star was very care
fully and ingeniously made. From
a double hoop about four to six in
ches apart, five or six points pro
jected. These points were made
from the hoops coming to a point,
thus forming a hollow horn. The
points were covered with light col
ored paper, decorated with tinsel or
fringe. A candle was attached to
the axel between the hoops. When
the candle was lit a soft light rad
iated through the points of the star.
The opening in front of the two
noops was covered with a picture
attached to the axel. So when the
star was revolved the picture re
mained stationary. The other end
of the axel was held in one hand
while with the other hand the star
was revolved. The children were
expected at every house. They were
treated to cookies and sweetmeats,
and often given money.
Quite frequently the grown-ups
entered into this. They also sang
Christmas hymns and greeted their
friends with the word “Sprazdnik
om”, which means the “greetings
with the holidays”. The grown-ups
were treated a little differently. Re
freshments were offered and par
taken. And why not? We knew
nothing fo prohibition in those days.
The singing of hymns was the uni
versal custom throughout the Ter
ritory. The people looked upon this
with reverence and solemnity. It
was a part of the Christmas celebra
tion.
Following the religious celebration
of three days the carnival season op
ened and continued until the fourth
day of January. The carnival was
in the nature of a good time and
merry making. The masqueraders
formed groups of ten or more people
going from house to house. Each
group carried some sort of instru
ment, a guitar, balalaika, accordion
or a mouth organ. The writer has
seen one group with a comb covered
with tissue paper, with which the
performer sang a tune. Later in the
evening all these groups would meet
at some big house or a hall where a
masquerade ball would be held.
After the transfer of the Territory
'it was surprising to note how quick
ly the American people learned to
celebrate the Christmas festival in
the Russian way. All joined in the
merrymaking with the Russians.
The custom of the merrymaking
was so general throughout Alaska
that it was carried on in the most
remote villages. The writer has seen
masquerading going on in the most
isolated villages of Kodiak and Prin
ce William Sound.
There was another curious custom
toward the end of the carnival. This
was the fortune telling season. The
young girls were the ones who gen
erally practiced this. They would
get together in the evening to par
ticipate on the fortune telling vigils.
NOME LAUNDRY
Joe Amarok, Prop.
All Types of Laundry
Work Done Cleanly and
Cavey’s Bakery
OPEN FROM 6 A.M. TO 1 A.M.
GOOD CUP OF COFFEE
BEST PASTRY IN NOME
Good Meals
|
istrial Workers
Of Alaska
First
Month
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PACIFIC ALASKA
AIRWAYS INC,
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BI-WEEKLY MAIL TRIPS BEWEEN FAIR
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TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS.
RADIO EQUIPPED PLANES
Office 1st Ave. and Stedman
NOME, ALASKA.
They would melt wax and then pour
in some cold w^U^rJlift the fantastic
shape and project their figure on the
• j
wall. All kinds of events were thus
-
to be foretold in the silhouettes.
Some venturesome maiden would
slip outside and stand by the gate
for the first man that goes by to
ask his given name, for that will
be the name of the destined future
husband. Then the maiden would
throw her shoe out into the road and
run and see which direction the toe
is pointing, for that is where he liv
es. Some of the more venturesome
would stand under the windows and
listen to the conversation going on
in the neighbor’s house for the first
phrase that will be heard will con
tain certain prophesy in the life of
the eavesdropper. There were many
other curious customs practiced and
all in fun, buf all are excited and
talk over this in great excitement.
The custom of exchanging pres
ents during Christmas was not gen
erally carried out. The people went
in for celebrating the holidays in
a friendly and congenial way. Great
er numbers kept open house where
a razuka or an appetizing lunch was
on the table for the visitors. This
consisted of smoked salmon, caviar,
' tea and cake.
After the carnival season was ov
er, the usual occupation and work
was resumed. In those days Alaska
people lived quietly, peacefully,
wihtout hurry, content and happy, j
There was not perceptible want, no
shortage of food. Every one had
j some sort of work to do There was
(the trapping, hunting for sea otters,
! cutting of logs for the frame houses
j and, when there was an opportunity,
many worked for the companies then
in Alaska.
Alaskan people knew no other life
and were satisfied with what they
had.
Trapper Fined
At Anchorage
Caught trapping during the closed
season near Anchorage, John Kal
assi of that city recently was tried
before United States Commissioner
T. C. Price. The trapper entered a
plea of guilty and was sentenced to
pay a fine of $100 or spend 50 days
in jail.
The jail sentence was chosen. His
trapping license was also forfeited.
Another man, George Vaipan of
Anchorage, was also apprehended
with a trapline out, but he proved
to the satisfaction of the court that
the traps were set for coyotes and
he was released.
. * ■
FOUND—Two keys attached to a
rubber band, owner can claim same
at the Nugget Office.
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And Lode
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For Sale at Nugget Office
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S. S. NORTHWESTERN .JANUARY 19
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S. S. NORTHWESTERN.FEBRUARY 9
S. S. VICTORIA.FEB. 18
S. S. NORTHWESTERN..MARCH 1
The Boat Train leaves Fairbanks for Sewardi for
each scheduled sailing of Alaska Steamship Co.
ships the day before departure from Seward for
ALASKA STEAMSHIP COMPANY
Jas. P. Daly, Agent.
General Agents for The Pacific Steamship Lines