,r TUN RA TIMES
Inupiat Paitot 3BJL > , . Dena Nepa Henash
"People's Heritage" — ^ J ^ "The land speaks"
c ’
Vol. 1, No. 4 Monday, Nov. 19, 1962 Fairbanks, Alaska
Interior Alaska Missionaries Meet Here
RCA TRAINEES—Eleven young men posed for this picture shortly before boarding a Pan American
jet on their way to Los Angeles to attend the RCA Institute. Left to right, front row, Caleb Pun
gowi, East Cape; Ernie Ailak, Nome; Ihomas Oktuck, Teller; Floyd Nagozruk, Nome. Back row, Vir
gil Naylor, Noatak; James Bell, Nome; Aaron Bell, Nome; Chester Ballot. Kotzebue; Thomas Glazier,
Tanacross; Thomas Pungak, Golovin. Theodore Kaufman, Fairbanks, was not present in this picture.
See story on page 5. —Staff Photo.
Editorial
Changing Cultures
There is a silent struggle that is going on in northern
Alaska that most people are not aware of. It may not seem
to be a serious thing to most people, but to the natives,
who are enmeshed in it, it is a serious thing indeed.
The struggle is the interchanging of two cultures. One
is the relentlessly driving modern civilization and the other
is the ancient, the so-called primitive culture.
Up to now it would seem to be an uneven struggle,
and in many aspects it is.
What makes it unique is that the ancient culture is
resisting the onslaught of civilization on some facets of its
complex nature.
In the case ot the Arctic people, it is a wen Known
fact that they do not feel civilization is adverse altogether.
They have accepted many of the fine things civilization has
had to offer.
On the other hand they, the Eskimos especially, are
resisting those things that seek to undermine their culture.
Unfortunately, some religious denominations frown
upon Eskimo dancing.
The Eskimos are puzzled why the dance is frowned
upon, especially after scrutinizing some of the provocative
civilized dances. This makes them feel that some parsons
should divert their frowns toward the dances their civili
zation tolerates.
Unfortunately, though, some parsons have been suc
cessful in prohibiting the Eskimo dance, leaving a void,
and not offering anything to take its place.
To take the dance away from the Eskimo is to take
some of his spiritual being. In conversion he may be
purer, perhaps, but he is out of his natural self. To coin a
word—he is no longer himself. He is detached from one
of his accustomed facets of his culture.
(Continued on Page 2)
BEAUTIFIED WEAPONS
According to Hclge Larson, the
noted archaeologist, the ancient
Eskimo had reason to beautify or
decorate his weapons. His harpoons
were decorated with intricate de
signs and so were his other weapons.
The reason: animals do not like
to be killed with ugly weapons.
Churches Cite Needs,
Form Advisory Committee
To Aid Development
Ten Catholic and Episcopal mis-4
sinnaries, representing 116 years of
work in Alaska's Interior bush coun
try, met in Fairbanks Wednesday
through Thursday and offered their
assistance to the public and gov
ernmental agencies in solving the
area's problems.
The missionaries organized into
a group to be known as the
Churches Socio-Economic Advisory
Committee to make available fac
tual information on the socio
economic conditions of the Tanana
Yukon Valley. The churches repres
ented have been active in this area
| for many years.
Elected co-chairman of the com
! mittee were: Most Rev. Francis D.
i Gleeson. Catholic Bishop of North
I ern Alaska (now at Rome) and
Right Rev. William J. Gordon.
| Bishop of Alaska for the Protestant
Episcopal Church. Father Jules M.
Convert. S.J., Kaltag, was elected
executive secretary.
According to Father Convert, the
actions and recommendations of
the group will not be guided by
race or religion but with genuine
concern for the people of the In- j
terior.
According to the committee, six
things are presently urgently
needed:
1. Assistance to the heads of
families and young men to earn in
come. It was suggested that voca
tional training through public works
programs bo undertaken.
2. The establishment of village
labor pools, similar to union halls,
where the names and qualifications
of natives will be available.
3. That area residents doper '\ng
on hunting for their subsistence be
given prior right to the game that
is available.
4. An effort should b, made t
provide villages with sufficient ir.;l
safe sources of power.
5. Land surveys in villages should
be speeded up so all residents \ U
be guaranteed reasonable space for
I expanding their residential lots.
6. The need for technical and
financial assistance to encourage
1 small industries.
| The committee went on record as
j favoring the Rampart Dam as a
j project definitely in line with nor
mal development but said since the
i project would deeply (affect the
i people living in the area that the
human element should be given as
much attention by the experts as
the technical aspects of the project
itself.
The committee said it would like
to see provisions made for the relo
cation of the affected villages both
above and below the dam site.
It strongly urged the establish,
ment of a regional high school as
well as a vocational training school
for the interior. It felt that board*
(Continued From Pg. 81
Anaktuvuk Pass Man Has Many Talents
SIMON PANEAK—The vice president of Anaktuvak Pass, Simon
Paneak is a merchant, an ornothologist, and also acts as the village
doctor. A delegate to the recent Inupiat Paitot conference at Kotze
bnt he stressed the need of his village for a small light plant. !
—Staff Photo
Ky l nomas !*napp
Times Staff Writer
Simon Panoak. vice president o"
remote of village Anntuvak Pass,
is a man of many talents, Hi "s a
, hunter, a merchant, a doctor, and
ornothokgist.
He speaks and writes Engli-h
well although he rc\ • r saw a "o: •
native person until after he w 20
I years of age.
A delegate to the recent Inupi L
Paitot meeting in Kotzebue. Pa
j neak described how for his people
moved around frem place to place
until finally settling down at the
] pass in 1948.
A state school was built there and
Paneak says that is the principal
reason why his people have re
mained there — so their children
could obtain an education.
About 100 people now live at the
village. The principal food of the •
village is caribou which populate
the area in great numbers.
Many of the villagers have never
seen an automobile although they
are tamiliar with airplanes. The
village has a landing strip where
C-46's have landed. The closest to a
car that has been brought to the
(Continued on page 6i