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^ *n fti ;U&U MU Ut kah neek Informing and Reporting
Unungang Toonooktakuks The Aleuts Speak _ **r*ffc j
Vol. 1, No. 17___ _ Monday, June 3, 1963 Fairbanks, Alaska
to $ WO,000 /little ‘Radioactivity Study Set
INTERIOR INDIANS MEET
PROUD MOMENT — Ambrose Towarak, of Unalakleet, is seen
proudly wearing his cap and gown after the commencement exer
cises at the University of Alaska. He received his diploma with a
bachelor of education degree. His proud mother, left, flew from
Unalakleet, as well as Al White, Principal of Unalakleet Covenant
High School from which Mr. Towarak graduated, to see him
receive his degree. —Tundra Times Photo i
Editorial
Ducks and People
Some people who dispense news to mass audiences
can create some woefully erroneous impressions upon their
readers, impressions that have no true bearing on the
status of a people about whom they write. For instance, the
duck situation in Alaska is becoming a vehicle for some
writers and used as a springboard to create questionable
impressions. This makes it doubly hard for those who have
tried to point out that the imposition placed on taking of
ducks by inappropriate laws and erroneous interpretation
of present law is playing havoc cn the economy of natives
of Alaska.
The writers play up isolated incidents, like the case
of an Eskimo man who shot ducks uring a fiberglass boat
powered with a high-powered motor and equipped with a
radio. The way this has been publicized, one would think
that all Eskimos hunt ducks in this manner.
This paper will not necessarily sympathize with the
Eskimo man who hunted with such means. He certainly
did not represent some thousand Eskimos, many of whom
lived in abject poverty.
This situation is certainly true in Barrow. The news
writers will say that there are well-to-do Eskimos there.
That is true, but the percentage is very small in the 1,500
people living there. Among this group, there are many
desperately hungry families who are used to eating duck
meat.
Querying the Fish and Wildlife agency, both its re
gional and state headquarters, we have found that the
Eskimo mentioned earlier was one and only case on rec
(Continued an Page 2)
AEC Steps
Up Study
Of Fallout
Senator E. L. Bartlett was ad
vised this week that the concern
he has been expressing in Senate
speeches on radioactivity dangers
in the Arctic has directly resulted
in a permanent program of research
starting with an initial $100,000
study.
The Atomic Energy Commission
is contracting with the Public
Health Service to send two radio
logists from the AEC’s Hanford Lab
oratory and a radiobiologist from
Colorado to work with the Arctic
Health Research Center at Anchor
age.
The program will include expand
ed studies among the Eskimos to
find out what aspects of their diet
will give the most radioactivity,
studies of the cause of increasing
disease among the caribou, study
of the number of barren does and
(Continued on Page 7)
Game Officials
Give Advice on
Animal Orphans
Spring is here, and wild animals
are industriously producing off
spring. Young hares, foxes, moose,
bears, and many other animals are
everywhere.
Each spring the Alaska Depart
ment of Fish and Game is beset
with calls about natures’ orphans
and what to do with them. Most of
the animals involved are not truly
orphans, but have just been left
temporarily while the mother is out
foraging. It is always best to not
disturb or molest the animal.
Some of the animals are truly
orphans and will perish in the wild.
This is a natural situation which
will always occur. It may be pos
sible to save some of the animals
by holding them incaptivity, but
the rate of survival is so low, that
the animals’ chances are better in
the wild.
Everyone should be aware that
it is illegal to capture and hold
wild animals without an appropriate
permit. Permits are issued for spe
cial purposes to museums and other
organizations concerned with pub
lic education. Permits must be ob
tained before capturing the ani
mals.
Several captive new born young
animals have already been reported
to the Department of Fish and
Game, and some of them may find
homes with scientific or educational
institutions. Wild animals must
grow and mature quickly to sur
vive, and most people find the amus
ing young animal is soon too large
and troublesome to keep. Give the
animals the chance they deserve
and leave them in the wild.
Conference on Problems,
Revived Festival to Draw
Many Alaskans This Week
Historic Tanana this week will
host two important meetings — the
second Tanana Indian Conference
and the Nuchalawoyya, an ancient
festival revived last year.
Delegates from about 30 villages
are expected to gather for the 3-day
conference on native problems and
afairs, acording to Alfred Ketzler,
chairman of the Dena Nena Henash.
Interior Indian organization.
Subjects to be discussed at the
meeting, starting Wednesday and
lasting through Friday, include
economic development, land claims,
education, and the proposed Ram
part Dam.
I Imediately thereafter will begin
| the Nuchalawoyya, featuring games
and festivities such as native dan
cing, foot races, canoe racing, walk- '
ing a greasy pole across a creek,
and Indian arm wrestling.
Charter Planes
A special charter plane will take
about 35 persons to Tanana from
Fairbanks on Tuesday for the con
ference and a charter flight from
Anchorage will take about 30 per
sons for the weekend festival.
Also on hand for the Indian con
ference will be many state and fed
eral officials.
Altogether it is estimated that
there may be 150 visitors at Tan
ana this week and the figure may
run higher.
Many visitors in light planes
from nearby communities are ex
pected to visit this historic settle
ment at the confluence of the Tan
ana and Yukon rivers during the
week.
Special Guests
Many special guests have been
invited, including Robert L. Ben
nett, area director of the BIA in
Alaska, Lester Oliver, tribal chair
man of the- White River Apaches,
I William Paul, Sr., president of the
Alaska Native Brotherhood, and
Graham E. Holmes. Assistant Com
1 misioner of the Bureau of Indian
Affairs (Legislation).
James Gamble, of the U. S. Sen
ate Committee on Indian Affairs,
Washington, D. C. who was invit
I ed to the meeting has indicated he
will not be able to attend because
of Senate hearings which he must
attend this week.
j Other guests who will attend are:
Steve Hotch, Klukwan, 1st vice
president of the Alaska Native Bro
therhood; Mrs. Joseph (Elizabethi
Williams, Saxman, grand president
of the Alaska Native Sisterhood.
William Byler, executive direct
or. Association on American Indian
Afairs, Theodore Hetzel, of the
Indian Rights Association, Phila
delphia, Ross Miller, Industrial De
velopment, BIA, Alaska.
Frank Anderson, BIA economic
development officer, Fairbanks
District; Neal Jenson. Housing De
velopment Officer, BIA, Juneau;
and Arthur Nagozruk, BIA tribal
operations officer.
Roscoe E. Bell, head of the State
(Continued on Page 7)
GRAD AND PROUD PARENTS — Louise Tansy, of Cantwell, is
shown, with her beaming parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jake Tansy, shortly
after she received her bachelor of education degree at the com
mencement exercises at the University of Alaska on May 27. Miss
Tansy completed her studies at the end of fall and winter semes
ter. Site was assigned to Kotzebue public school system and came
back to receive her degree. She taught second grade and had 29
pupils. —Tundra Times Photo |