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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.
Address all mail to Box 1287, Fairbanks, Alaska. Telephone GL 2-2244.
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 Ketzler) ;
HOWARD ROCK, editor; Thomas Snapp, assistant editor; contributing editors,
Guy Okakok, Martha Teeluk. and Alfred Ketzler.
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Muktuk Sale
"Muktuk For Sale," was emblazoned at our booth this
weekend at the Tanana Valley Fair in Fairbanks. The re
actions to it by the public was something to see and the
reactions to the actual sight of muktuk by the crowd were
priceless. The actual taste of muktuk for the first time by
those who bought samples was hilarious. The Candid
Camera folks would have had a field day had they been
there to witness the multiple expressions on people's
faces. There were all sorts of expressions, undecided, ap
prehensive, wonderment, nauseated, and pleased.
There were remarks of, "Well, I'll be darned," "It's
not bad at all," "How long do I chew it?" "It tastes some
thing like walnuts," "It's little like coconut, isn't it?" and,
"When do I swallow it?" Outside of the squeamish ones,
the whole affair was one of hilarity.
The most curious ones were the young non-native
teenagers who seemed to have the attitude, "I'll try any
thing once." One teenage boy bought a sample and started
chewing on it in a half-hearted manner. As he chewed, one
could tell that he was communicating mightily with his
tastebuds. His jaws kept time with his apprehension, so as
his taste sense told him that it was not bad at all, his jaws
speeded up accordingly. Soon, as his enthusiasm reflected
on his face, he shouted, "Hey Smitty, come here and try
this muktuk. It's good!"
As soon as the young fellow had his friend to take
a sample, he would call others to try it. When they refused
he would exclaim, "Chicken!" Our young friend would
leave for a few minutes and come back with more of his
friends and dared them to taste the muktuk. "It's good,
try it. Aw come on, it's not gonna kill you. I tell you, it's
good. Chicken!"
And so it went—a most amusing milestone that was
established by the staff of the Tundra Times. Point Hopers
can bask in reflected glory that the muktuk sent to us
from there has made a dent on transition in reverse and
civilization has taken a taste of one of the most desired
foods of the ancient Eskimos and those of the present day.
We think that the Eskimos have done quite well in
influencing civilization. For instance, the other night, this
writer was quite impressed to see a TV film of a group of
youngsters in New Zealand demonstrating kayak maneu
vers before the Consort of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip.
The kayaks of New Zealand were somewhat modified but
they, unquestionably originated from the Eskimo kayak.
The practical Eskimo parka has made considerable in
roads into civilization. The popular jacket, definitely de
rived from the parka, is in wide use by non-natives in
Alaska and what's more, it is beginning to be in demand
in winter resort areas in the lower states. The white winter
uniforms of the Army personnel were derived from the
Eskimo hunters who adapted the white cloth when huntinq
in winter. I
Natives of Alaska have contributed some of their
culture and the non-natives have found them practical
and good for living in Alaska. It is very satisfying to note
things like this happening.
And now, the Tundra Times, had the temerity to sell
muktuk at the Tanana Valley Fair and had the most amus
ing experience while doing it. We had a good product to
sell and some of our customers actually said, "It's good."
They are not too far wrong because, men like the late Otto
Geist, Viljalmur Steffanson, and many other well known
people, loved muktuk.
! Like our young friend at the Fair said while persuad
ing his friends, "Don't be chicken, it's good!"
NORTH STAR
AWARD
Did acclaim due Claire Okpeaha
skirt around him? Okpeaha was the
hunter who had camped 13 miles
southwest of Barrow at the time
Will Rogers and Wiley Post met
their death in a tragic plane crash.
He had raced those 13 miles to
Barrow, first by kayak which he
was forced to beach because of
floating ice, and then ran on, most
of the time on soft gravel, to re
port the crash that killed the two
famous men. This dramatic dash
took place 28 years ago on August
15. 1935.
While having a quiet meal in a
tent with his family, Okpeaha
heard the roar of a plane engine.
The weather was bad. It was rain
ing hard and a stiff east wind was
blowing. “I wonder whose plane
this could be, flying in this kind of
weather,” Okpeaha said to his wife.
Obviously having seen Okpeaha’s
camp, the pilot circled and then
landed the float plane on a lagoon
by the camp. After beaching the
craft, two men got out. One of them
had a patch on one eye. They ask
ed Okpeaha, who had walked to
the plane, where and how far Bar
row was. Okpeaha pointed north
east and told them the distance as
best he could.
The weather being bad, Okpeaha
invited the men to his tent to have
some tea but they refused, saying
they wanted to get to Barrow as
soon as they could. The men thank
ed Okpeaha, boarded the plane,
started the engine, taxied and took
off. While still flying low, the plane
started to turn and then suddenly
nose-dived, hit the ground and
somez-saulted, landing upside down
in a creek nearby.
Okpeaha ran to the wrecked
plane and called repeatedly but
thez’e was no answer. He ran back
to his camp and told his wife that
he must go to Baz'row and report
the crash. He got into his kayak
and headed for Barrow but floating
ice became so thick he had to beach
his kayak and started to run.
When he reached Barrow, the first
thing he did was notify the late
Charles D. Bi’ower, commissioner
at the time. Brower got all the in
formation together from Okpeaha,
and this was taken to an Alaska
Communications System radio op
erator who flashed the news to
the world. The ODerator became a
hero overnight and later toured the
states as the man who notified the
world of the death of Will Rogers
and Wiley Post. Claire Okpeaha,
who expended great effort to report
the tragedy, was forgotten.
Now an old man, Claire Okpeaha
lives at Barrow; the man who of
fered his hospitality to the ill
fated men a very few minutes be
fore the tragedy — the last person
in the world to speak with Will
Rogers and Wiley Post.
And so to Claire Okpeaha, the
man the world forgot, whose heroic
dash of 13 miles to Barrow, noti
fied the world of the tragic crash I
of Rogers and Post, goes the Tundra
Times twenty-second North Star
Award with our belated wishes of
Godspeed.
POEM
Village of Tigara
By Howard Weyahok
What meanest thou, O Tigara,
To me, thy native son?
Conceived was I upon thy tundra
soil.
I suckled the milk of my mother's
breast;
I nourished upon the meat
My hunter father brought.
Ah, Tigara!
Whate’er the world did know of
thee
Or do not know of thee, thou art
mine—
My village, my home, my refuge.
Editorial
- ■ , . \
Great Frieml
The death of Oliver La Farge, Pulitzer prize winning
author of "Laughing Boy," for which he won the coveted
prize, and President of the Association on American Indian
Affairs, Inc., was a great friend of Indians in the lower 48
states and Indians and Eskimos in Alaska. The efforts he
put forth in their behalf were of inestimable value. He
spoke out forcefully against the injustices done to them and
he despaired for them on those injustices.
When he became interested in the land problems of
the natives of Alaska, he voiced his opinions with fervor
and with all the intent of a man who cared for those he
sought to help.
He once said, "We can have all over again in Alaska
what happened in the Northwest Territory, in the South,
in fact in every part of the old 48 states, wherever the
natives of the land stood unaided against the furious land
hunger of the white man." i
Yes, Oliver La Farge was a New Yorker and he was
branded an "outsider" by many fellow American citizeps
in Alaska because he cared enough to expand his energies
on behalf of the native peoples of Alaska. His knowledge
of native problems was more complete and more vast
than the majority of Alaska non-native residents who
dared to say, "We have the natives in our own backyard
and we're the ones who should handle their problems."
Some of these people who have uttered such statements
are the ones who created the problems of the natives.
Oliver La Farge had intimate knowledge of the native
situation in Alaska. He made it his business to know all
there was to know about it and in doing so, his utterances
carried authenticity and weight necessary to bring out the
problems in their true magnitude.
It is not easy to lose a man like Oliver La Farge, whose
dedicated efforts for betterment of the natives have count
ed so much. It was always a comfort for us to know of
his presence as we natives tried to work to solve our prob
lems. We did not feel "unaided." His stature as a widely
known citizen did much to make our problems known to
the general public.
Although we will sorely miss his great contribution
to our cause, it will inspire us to work unceasingly and it
will give strength to those who will carry on his work in
behalf of the natives of Alaska as well as the Indians all
over the United States.
_ 1
Editorial
t -Met
It is deplorable that there is talk going around in the
State that there would be "little conflict" if the Indians in
the Rampart area were to be moved to Minto area so
"they can live directly off the land" in the event Rampart
Dam is authorized.
It can be presumed that such an idea had been
bandied about by the dam proponents, otherwise one of
them would not have mentioned it in his talk during a pro
motional trip to the Gulf of Alaska. This was bourne out
by Joy Morgan of the Copper River Current, in her col
umn, "Copper Nuggets," who wrote:
"I also wonder about the feelings of the people living
in the 22 villages, numbering some 2,000 persons, who
will be moved to other locations. According to one Fair
banks C of C member, these villagers pose no problem,
as they live off the land anyway, and what difference
what land is used for settlement?
"We have a number of homesteaders in our own area.
Would they mind being moved by the powers that be in
Washington? I rather think they would!"
These ideas, if they exist, are cold and totally imper
sonal. They are devoid of human feelings. If the Indians
are to be moved in the manner mentioned, the probable
consequences they would suffer are frightening. Such
means of relocating them suggests they would be moved
around like pawns, completely at the will of those who
would build the dam at any cost.
Such ideas suggest of medievalism and in 1963 at
that. A realistic, practical, human approach should be made
toward the Indians who might have to be uprooted by
Rampart Dam if and when it is approved.