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' The Native All-Alaska Newspaper"
Owned, controlled and edited by Tundra Times. Inc., u 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
Ihe Act of March 3. 1879. _
Tuiuir.i Times. Inc., publisher 'Howard Rock. Martha Teeluk. and Alfred Ketzlert ;
HOWARD ROCK, editor: Thomas Snapp, assistant editor; Vivian P. Spurgln. office
manager; contributing editors. Guy Okakok. Martha Teeluk, and Alfred Ketzler.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
6 months $ 2.50
Regular Mail, State . \ y«“ar
1 year 6.00
Air Mall to States . ® month9 ®'®j?
Less than 6 months. 36c per issue . 1 year
CHRISTMAS OBSERVANCE
(Continued from Page 1)
In winter in the Arctic, the earth tilts northward
away from the sun. As winter progresses the sun rises
later and sets earlier each day until the time comes when
it no longer appears over the horizon. The sunless days
last for weeks at a time depending on one's geographical
location in the Arctic. In Barrow this condition lasts for
54 days.
Then one day the sun returns with just a sliver of light
over the horizon, the signal for the ancient people to put
on the festival for the return of the sun.
On this day people long ago donned their fineries.
They gathered in the kalagees and held special dances that
had been handed down from generation to generation. J
They held contests of skill and endurance. Strong
men pitted their strength against one another in wrestling
matches. Sages of the villages told their legends to rapt
audiences. The best kinds of native foods were brought to
the kalagee for great feasts.
Young men, who had been training their dogs for:
dogteam races, hitched them and raced.
When the natives acquired the custom of celebrating
Christmas, they embraced the inspirational and spiritual
value it offered. In the ensuing festivities, ancient customs
were fused with the Western custom.
Therefore, in many native communities today, what
has been described in observance of the return of the sun
has largely been carried over to the observance of Christ
mas Day. It is the natives' way of showing their reverence
to the Birth of Christ, in a manner, which, to them means
the most.
In this manner they express best the feeling of re-1
joicing in homage to the One Who Came for their salva
tion. It is the epitome of their demonstration of faith in
God which they have embraced with all the profound
meaning in the heart of man.
Editorial
Cooperation
"I hope your publication will serve to cement our
people together," recently wrote John Hope, newly elect
ed Grand President of the Alaska Native Brotherhood.
When Tundra Times was in its planning stages, such
a sentiment, as Mr. Hope expressed, was one of our fore
most aims.
Many times our aims and our hopes of attaining them,
seem to be merely remote possibilities,- but when steps,
however modest, come to fore, one cannot help but feel
humbly grateful.
We were extremely encouraged at the fine response
our paper has had on the Pribilof Islands. It was with much
pleasure that we added the name, Aleut, along with the
names Eskimo and Indian, on our masthead.
In the case of Mr. Hope's wish, we of the Twndra
Times feel that his remark is a definite step forward—a
step that needs to be nurtured and developed. All the
natives in Alaska cannot afford to overlook unity because
In unity there is strength.
We should cooperate to develop unity into a definite
reality. When developed, it will help, to a great degree,
in resolving the many problems that face the natives of
Alaska today.
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.)
It has been suggested a number
of times in the past few months
that peace corp type people are
needed in Alaska's remote villages
. . . "resourceful people” trained
to assist villages in cutting through
red tape, to utilize government ser
vices to give technical assistance.
At the present time scattered
throughout Alaska are some highly
dedicated people who on their own,
during off duty hours, are provid
ing this kind of needed assistance.
Take the small community of
Buchland, Alaska. There the Bureau
of Indian Affairs teacher-principal
has assisted the village in compiling
a detailed Fact Survey. The survey
will be important to economic de
velopment officials at both the state
and national levels. The compiling
of the report has been beneficial to
the people of Buckland in that it
has helped them to focus upon their
problems.
The bia teacher not only has
given of her time and energy for
this important work but has assist
ed the village to begin an arts and
crafts program. Reindeer hoofs are
used in making some items. Fair
banks gift and souvenir shops have
started receiving some of the handi
craft items.
Often villages ask for help but
are given the wrong kind, the kind
of help that in the long run turns
out to be a hindrance and a back
ward step, causing the village to
become more dependent.
But not so at Buckland. There
the right kind of assistance is be
ing given. And so to Mrs. Joran
Paullin, principal-teacher at the
BIA School at Buckland goes the
Tundra Times sixth North Star
award with our congratulations.
Eskimo Poem
Arctic
Christmas
By Howard Weyahok
When Christmas Day comes nigh
Deep in Arctic country.
Hearts are filled with hope,
Kind people even kinder,
Smiles brighter—from the heart.
Nice children even nicer—
They want to please their mother,
They want to please their father.
They want to be good in Santa's
eyes.
Mother with warmest feelings
j Is busy with her fingers
j Making nice looking parkas:
One for father, one for son,
And one for the little girl.
Mother is making fancy mtikluks too
For everyone in her house.
She is happy in her work
Because in her heart
She loves her own.
And father, in his own way.
Is thinking nice things for Christ
mas.
Praying each morning, earnestly.
To get the caribou, bear, or fox,
So he can take his share
Proudly to the meeting hall
Where there will be a feast
For all the village people.
Yes, deep in Arctic country,
Kind people even kinder.
Who deeply love their God,
Love Him, yet even more.
And on the day of His Son’s birth
They kneel before the altar,
To honor their bfeloved Saviour
Who came on Christmas Day.
Editorial
Village Development \
The little village of Buckland, Alaska, should be com
mended for making positive efforts in the interest of
Village Development by formulating a complete "Com
munity Fact Survey."
About a year ago the Buckland Village Council ap
pointed a seven-member Development Committee to com
pile the detailed report. This steering committee had many
meetings compiling necessary information, meeting with
government officials, and exchanging information with
the village council.
Teachers Helped
The principal-teacher of the Buckland BIA school,
Mrs. Joran Paullin, helped record what was said at meet
ings and helped the committee to express the information
and ideas gathered.
Included in Part I of the survey was information on
the location and description of Buckland, population, busi
nesses, local government and services, culture and recrea
tion, transportation, communications, and public utilities,
housing, natural resources, health, education and welfare.
Part II of the survey concerned opportunities for eco
nomic development, with sections on resources near the
village, businesses and projects suited to the area, other
opportunities for employment, factors or problems that
hinder development, and specific help and assistance to
start new businesses and projects to make jobs.
Ambitious Effort
This ambitious effort should be noted by other vil
lages and towns in Alaska. It is a positive step in the direc
tion of establishing groundwork for developing resources
for which a village is best Suited.
The information is precisely the kind of information
sought by the State Department of Planning and Economic
Development and by the economic officials of the BIA in
Washington, D.C. in formulating an over-all development
plan for Alaska.
Buckland is located on Buckland River in the Kotzebue
Sound area 30 miles from Escholtz Bav and 70 air miles
from Kotzebue and has a population of 73.
No Airstrip
Although serviced quite regularly during winter and
summer by an airline's bush planes that land on snow
and water, depending on the season, Buckland has no
air transportation in spring and fall because of processes
of freezing and thawing. This situation exists because there
is no airstrip.
Other than air transportation Buckland is accessible
by water and by dogteam.
Buckland has no light plant, which the village feels
it needs, "to increase its sense of well-being."
According to the summarization of areas for possible
"opportunity for economic development," the village of
Buckland lists the following possibilities:
Resource Possibilities
"Timber—Spruce available 50-60 miles up Buckland
River.
"Coal—Evidence present in Buckland River 30 miles
upstream.
"Herring, salmon, smelt—Not fully utilized; amounts
available in excess of local subsistence.
"Manpower—15-20 men available for labor and semi:
skilled employment if jobs were available.
"Gold—Deposits believed to exist on upper Buckland
River.
"Gardening—Soil in village found to be suitable for
vegetables and greens.
"Reindeer—Good possibility if properly managed and
marketed."
Sets Example
In making surveys of possibilities of economic de
velopment, Buckland has set an example other villages in
Alaska should seriously consider.
The village has paved the way for itself to available
assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs' Economic
Development Program, that is willing to grant money and
give technical assistance to initiate small industries in vil
lages where resources are available and feasible.
People in native communities have been complaining
of shortage of jobs. They should take steps forward, as
did Buckland, and work to develop small industries after
taking careful studies of available resources in and around,
their villages.