Cuntira Ctmcs
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; Vivian P. Spurgin, office
manager; contributing editors, Guy Okakok, Martha Teeluk, and Alfred Ketzler.
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-Editorial
Important Legislation
Not too long from now, a bill will be introduced in
Congress that will try to settle Alaska native land prob
lems. We don't know just what will be proposed in it. We
hope it will be fine, of course. As soon as drafted legisla
tion is available to us, we will try to let our readers know
what it's all about as best we can so they can think about
it to determine whether it is good or not. We think that it
will take plenty of hard thinking and consideration. It is
important that natives all over Alaska get i*eady to think
about it now. We natives cannot afford to give this legis
lation a passing glance.
You see, Congress is finally going to consider legisla
tion that was promised and has been pending since way
back in 1884. That's quite a while all right—nigh on to 80
years now.
Within the last few years especially, many natives in
Alaska have begun to find out that their lands were very
important to them when the state and private citizens
started to make claims on the lands they have always
thought of as theirs. Claims should not be made on our
lands, they said, because we are so used to the lands
around us. They said, "We had this land, our grandfathers
had it and their great grandfathers had it." Yes, they come
right out and said, "It's our land."
We think they're right, these natives. We think that
when the United States handed the Czar of Russia $7,200,
000, the right to own the land inhabited by natives was
not included. We think that the U.S. bought the right to
rule. The Organic Act of 1884 also said that the natives
were not to be disturbed on the lands they actually used.
The natives have used the land all right, even way,
way back before non-natives even knew Alaska existed.
And yet modern men say, What would natives do with the
land?" Such a question. They just can't help but think in
terms of temperate zones when it comes to land in Alaska.
All they can visualize is that tall corn cannot grow in the
Arctic regions, so what aood is it?
Yet, why do non-natives want the lands used by the
original inhabitants? The ansV/er to that is so obvious that
it doesn't need much explanation, the principle reason is
oil and other minerals.
Such a situation. While the natives are being told that
they can't do much with the land they have lived on for a
long time, that same land is being taken over by the peo
ple who ask, "What can they do with the land?"
What did the natives do with land? It made them sur
vive since time immemorial. They used it all right. To
them, land was life. Our ancestors fell in love with it and
this has endured to the present day. They have lived inti
mately with it for centuries. It has nourished them and it
is doing the same for them today. No wonder they say, "It's
my land."
Well, the natives will have to take a close look at the
bill that is being prepared for introduction in Congress.
They should make up their minds now to study it. We
have been told by reliable sources that there would be
hearings in Alaska to discuss the legislation. These hear
ings will be of prime importance through which natives
can express their opinions as to the merits of the bill.
They should not let this opportunity pass by.
Many natives are good thinkers and some are good
speakers too. They should watch for the time to speak out.
They can't afford to stay quiet when legislation is about
to take place that will have immense bearing on the future
existence of the natives of Alaska. 1
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.)
Early in July, Leslie Immingun,
who lived at North East Cape on
St. Lawrence Island, took his wood
en boat with a motor and went
hunting for dog food. He took his
little son along. Jimmie Immingun,
who is six years old.
While maneuvering the boat,
probably in choppy water, the elder I
Immingun last his balance and was
thrown into the sea. Little Jimmie
tried to rescue his father but he
was unable to maneuver the boat
too well and couldn't get close
enough because “the motor was too
strong.” He threw a line toward his
struggling father but the rope fell
short. He tried again but failed.
“Little Jimmie was pulling the
rope in on the second try but when
he turned around again for rescu
ing, his father disappeared,” wrote
John Kulowiyi of Savoonga.
Little Jimmie Immingun managed
to turn the boat around toward the
shore and “made a good landing."
He then started to walk “for help.”
He walked five miles, a great dis
tance for a six year old boy.
“We have rio full details of the
hunter. No one else was with them
when they were out hunting," said
John Kulowiyi.
No details—and many of us may
have some reservations as to the^
account of the tragedy as related
by little Jimmie Immingun. The
writer of the North Star Award
have a strong feeling that little
Jimmie's account was a true one. ^
The boat had been beached and
Jimmie's father could not have
drowned from a beached boat.
“The motor was too strong” could
have come only from a^ six year
old boy. This probably meant that
the boy had trouble maneuvering
the boat and “couldn’t get close
enough" when he threw the rope.
At any rate, the drama of a little
Eskimo boy who valiantly tried to
save his drowning father seemed to
have taken place off the Island of
St. Lawrence. Eskimo children have
deep attachments to their parents
and this alone would make the Tun
dra Times believe little Jimmy Im
mingun’s account of the tragedy in
the Bering Sea.
And so to Little Jimmy Immin
gun, East Cape, St. Lawrence Island,
for his heroic efforts to save his
drowning father, for his epic dash
of five miles on the island for help,
goes the Tundra Times twenty
first North Star Award with our
deep sympathy for Jimmie and his
family.
Poem
Messenger
By Howard Weyahok
Out of the leaden rainy skies
Zomed «a plane In ’35;
Its metal floats touched down
Upon the water of a melting lagoon
A dozen miles from Barow town.
“Whither Barrow town?" asked man.
flyers
Of Okpeaha. camping Eskimo man.
“Northeast a dozen miles.” said he.
Partake of tea with me.” Okpeaha said.
“Nay, in haste for Barrow town are
we.”
The motor roared, the plane skimmed
And lifted in the rainy air to go—
Then plunged in lightning speed.
Upon the barren ground below!
Okpeaha dashed to broken plane
And found two flyers dead.
He dashed to launch his kayak
And paddled hard to Harrow town
To take sad news of death
But stopped by floating ice.
He beached his craft, ran with speed
On beach to Barrow town.
The bearer of the said report
Did learn of the two who died:
The man with patch upon the eye
Was Post, His flying fame far furled,
And the man with a happy face
Was Rogers whose words of mirth
Gave happiness to the world.
Editorial
Native Assertions
(Continued from Page 1)
for themselves, too, because they must have proof that
they made out each document.
If things go wrong because of sending them to
wrong departments, it may be necessary to draw up new
claims.
There is another very important matter the folks in
Rampart area should know, and that is, that they should
not sign any papers, except claim papers, of course, of any
kind from Federal and State agencies unless they first
obtain and consult legal counsel. It is hoped that legal
counsel may be available in Interior Alaska in the near fu
ture. Until then, natives in the cPam area should not sign
legal papers, otherwise they might be tricked out of things
that are important to them.
Dam Proponent Says 2,000
Indians to Move to Menlo
(Reprinted from the Valdez Newsl
Wednesday noon found 16 present at the regular Chamber of Com
merce meeting. The Rev. Dennis R. Walker introduced as his guests. Dr.
and Mrs. Paul H. Barbour, visiting house-guest of the Walkers. Mr. Tom
Paskvan, Jr. was present representing the Fairbanks Chamber of Com
merce, and especially the Committee for the Promotion of Rampart Dam.
A movie “Adventure on the Move” filmed in Norway, was shown. It
was very pertinent to the discussion that followed.
An American who left Norway when he was a young man. return
ed to visit his relatives and friends. In the course of doing so. we were led
through many of the larger industries of Norway, especially, those in
dustries relating to the use of cheap electricity.
Mr. Paskvan explained some of the effects of Rampart Dam on Alas
ka. The presence of such low cost electricity would encourage industry
and produce conditions conducive to large scale development. Deep
water ports, a good supply of fresh water, ores of diversified types are
present; oil — and we certainly have the room for expansion.
The Corps of Engineers are making a study which will be complet
ed in approximately ten days. Estimated cost for electricity would be
two mills at the dam and three mills at tidewater. Rampart would not
only effect the State of Alaska but in additicn, would influence world
trade, our commodities would be in demand. All the power would be
absorbed. A large group of Fairbanks influential citizens are serving
to assist promotion of the dam.
Mr. Paskvan advised there is a model of the dam in the Fairbanks
Chamber of Commerce building. Legislation regarding Rampart wculd
pay for itself within 50 years; the Lake would cover 11.000 sq. miles,
being about 10% larger than Lake Erie. Within 37 years. 2,000 A. D.,
the U. S. will require five times as much power as it does now.
When Dennis Walker asked about the relocation of the Natives in
the area, to be covered Mr. Paskvan explained there are approximately
2,000 who will have to be moved — from eleven villages. It is anticipated
they will be moved into the Minto Arep. He said Natives of the area
have agreed to this; they live off the land so there would be no con
flict.
He also mentioned that, contrary to some reports, the small migratory
birds would be taken into consideration. During the incubation and
hatching period the lake could be held at a constant level, thus avoiding
the drowning of all these small waterfowl. The information passed on
to us by Mr. Paskvan was very informative. When no more questions
were placed, the meeting was adjourned.
Editor's Note
(Editor’s Note: We would like to comment on couple of things
about what Tommy Paskvan reportedly said in a talk to the Valdez
Chamber of Commerce. His version of the relocation of the Rampart
area Indians seems to be off the track. The Valdez News eported,
“It is anticipated they will be moved into the Minto area.”
On February 12, Richard Frank, Chief of Minto, in a talk given to
a group of sportsmen, biologists, conservationists, and fish and game
agents in Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce buHding, said in part:
“We have relatives at Rampart and other villages that we would
like to move to Minto if Rampart Dam goes through.
“We don’t know how to dig oil wells; we just know' how to fish,
trap, and hunt. If Rampart is built, there will have to be some place
for our relatives to move where they can live directly off the land.”
Chief Frank was obviously thinking of Minto people’s “relatives"
in the Rampart area villages, not the entire 2,000 natives living there.
To relocate the entire population of the inundation area toi Minto area
seems inconcievahle to us. For one thing, the ecology of Minto area
w ould not support 2,000 more people. Villages are alw'ays located in
areas where animal and fish resources will support them adequately.
We are hoping that there is no “anticipation” to move th eentire
population of the flood area to Minto. We have had some assurances
and one of them came from Senator Ernest Gruening himself in an
exclusive interview' with the Tundra Times. He said, “They would be
given the opportunity to move to a location of their own choos-ng.
presumably on borders of the lake that would be formed.”
It would seem inconceivable also, that all villages in the Inunda
tion area will choose to go to Minto when and if they have to move.)