Inupiat Paitot Dena Nena Henash
“People's Heritage” “The L<md Speaks”
1 TUNDRA TIMES
"The Eskimo-Indian All-Alaska Newspaper”
Owned, controlled and edited by Tundra Times, Inc., a corporation of Alaska
natives. Published at Fairbanks. Alaska, twice monthly.
Address all mail to: Box 970, c/o Jessen's Weekly, Fairbanks, Alaska. _
” Tundra Times, Inc., publisher I Howard Rock, Martha Teeluk, and Alfred Ketzlerl;
HOWARD ROCK, editor; Thomas Snapp. assistant editor; Lois Jensen, office man
ager; contributing editors, Guy Okakok. Martha Teeluk, and Alfied Ketaler._
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
6 months $ 2.50
Regular Mall, State . 1
1 year 6.00
Air Mall to States . « monlhs «-«®
Less than 6 months, 3Gc per issue . 1 year l~.0t)
Vote Wisely
iContimied from Page 1)
for your interests in the past? Or has he promised
much in the past but done little to carry out those
promises? Is the candidate experienced and capable
enough to represent your interests? Do you think the
incumbent should stay in office or do you think his
opponent should take his place?
You and you alone will be voting for the man of
your choice. You should feel free to vote as you please,
which means that you should not be burdened or dictated
to by your party affiliation.
If you are a Democrat and think that a Republican
candidate is a better man for office, feel free to vote for
your choice. If you are a Republican and think a Democratic
candidate is a better man for office, feel free to vote for
your choice.
To vote wisely is to consider wisely the qualifica
tions and the will of the candidates while at the same time
thinking of your welfare, your hopes, your future.
Cast your ballot and make that ballot represent your
best judgment and your hopes for a better life.
An Editorial
Unrealistic Game Laws
Game laws and their relation to natives in central and
northern Alaska was one of the most predominant subjects
at the recent Inupiat Paitot meeting at Kotzebue. Eskimo
delegates from many areas of the state came to the meet
ing with instructions from their respective villages to pre
sent the most pressing problems.
Although there was no effort and no communication
between villages on what to say at the meeting, game
laws were most mentioned and criticized. That which was
presented was not a coincidence or an accident. It was the
grim story of economic strangulation created by misplaced
game laws in our state.
If there has not been any realization on the part of
all Alaskans over the effect of these laws, it is about time
that they are awakened to the dangers. The existing game
laws are nothing but handovers from the lower states
without-consideration for Alaska's geographic location in
the frigid zone.
Alaska is being victimized by game laws enacted tor
the temperate zones of the lower states. Whoever heard
of fowling season opening when ducks and geese have
all gone south? Yet that is exactly the senseless picture in
the Arctic areas of Alaska.
The fair-minded citizens should assist the natives to
protest the unrealistic laws as applied to natives who hunt
fot subsistence, remembering that the laws were enacted
for the benefit of the sportsman who hunts for fun and for
relaxation.
Natives want the taking of game for food to be the
primary consideration in the making of game laws. If
game must be limited for conservation purposes, the na
tives feel that the limitations should be placed upon sport
and commercial takers of game.
In the lower states, residents do not have to depend
upon game for food. Alaska is different and so should be
some of her laws.
The natives are not asking to be coddled. They are
only asking for simple justice. Their economy has been
hurt by misplaced game laws. They want and need to hunt
as they always have—for subsistence.
NORTH STAR
AWARD
(In each issue, the Tundra Times
will single out for a North Star
Award one who has made an out
standing accomplishment or has
done a meritorious act.)
It is a sad but nevertheless true
fact that many of the persons being
graduated from Teachers Colleges
are not fully prepared for class
rooms in the villages of Alaska.
Training schools are just not pre
paring teachers for multi-class and
bi-lingual teaching.
A successful teacher in the vil
lages Alaska must be able to im
provise and adopt teaching methods
which ideas can be conveyed to his
pupils.
Such a teacher is Harold Kaveo
look of Kaktovik (Barter Island).
Without direction from BIA educa
tion supervisors, Kaveolook on his
own devised experience teaching
methods that have been extremely
successful.
He makes “foreign” textbooks
seem alive by changing the strange
characters, places, and things in
stories to those with which his stu
dents are familiar. A highway be
comes a dog sled. Fairbanks may
take the place of Chicago. Utilizing
a special skill, he quickly sketches
familiar pictures to illustrate the
new stories that evolve.
Last year Kaveolook was singled
out by the BIA for his efforts in
starting the school at Barter Island
and his unusual teaching ahility
Although he has only a gth grade
formal education, he is considered
to have high school educational de
velopment because of his extensive
reading and correspondence study.
Next summer he plans to attend
the University of Alaska for addi
tional formal training.
It is rare to find an individual
who through initiative, study, in
terest, and hard work overcomes
great odds to become a really suc
cessful teacher. And so Harold Kav
eolook of Kaktovik goes the Tun
dra Times third North Star award,
along with our congratulations.
Thanks Given
To Kotzebue
By MARTHA TEELUK
Contributing Editor
On behalf of the Tundra Times
and the delegates who attended the
recent Inupiat Paitot conference, I
want to express heartiest gratitude
to the people of Kotzebue who were
our most gracious hosts during the
meeting.
Thanks should go especially to
Mr. and Mrs. Tony Joule, Mrs.
Evelyn Mullally, and Mr. and Mrs.
Louis Reich who put forth so much
effort in preparing the special ban
quet and also to Mr. and Mrs.
Fletcher Gregg who extended their
wonderful hospitality to us during
our stay. Also we thank all the peo
ple for their genuine friendliness.
Some of us were total strangers but
we seen felt like we were among
friends.
Many new tmngs were kmiku
at the conference and we appreciate
all those who introduced new ideas.
Before the meeting. I, for one, was
only partially aware of the prob
lems that exist among us.
But after listening to village re
ports, it seemed as if my eyes were
opened, especially after the dele
gates chose me as a member of the
Inupiat Paitot executive committee.
We want to express appreciation
to the Kotzebue school principal, to
Father Bob Jones, and the various
BIA and BLM government officials
who took time from their jqbs to
come, to listen to our problems. It
meant a great deal to us.
Notable among the guests were
James Officer, Assistant Commis
sioner of the BIA; Dr. Paul Phil
lips; Dr. John Abrahamson, Arthur
Nagozruk, of the BIA, and Dr. Hen
ry Forbes and Arthur Lazarus, of
the Association on American Indian
Affairs.
(Continued on Page ft)
Candidates for Governor
Answer Ten Questions
i
i Egan
1. What is your position in regard
to historic Alaska Native land
claims?
The question of historic Native
land rights, aboriginal and other
wise, is cqiquh'x. At (he risk of
oversimplification, however, let me
outline my basic views.
First, I believe that Natives have
a legal and mqral right to the pos
session of lands which they have
occupied since time immemorial.
Second, in addition to simple pos
session, I believe it to be both de
sirable and necessary that occupants
of aboriginal lands receive title
to the lands as soon as possible.
Natives need clear title to the land
they occupy so they will be safe
in improving their properly, build
ing on it and vising it in any manner
they see fit. Without title t.hey are
not safe in improving their lands.
2. What is your position in regard
to historic Native hunting and
fishing rights?
The question of hunting and fish
ing rights is basically a legal one.
So far as the Indians in Southeast
tern Alaska are concerned, the
Court of Claims is in the process
of determining compensation due
them for their land losses and for
Federal abolition of exclusive hunt- ]
ing and fishing rights priot to
Statehood. This matter is being re
solved through judicial determina
tion and may set the pattern for the
resolution of similar problems else
where.
3. Wnat is tne amerence oeiween i
the Natives’ aboriginal, right to j
hunt ducks and geese lor food 1
and the historic right to the min
eral underneath their land?
Natives should have all of the
property rights any other person
has who obtains title from the fed
eral government. There is no ex
cuse for limiting property rights on
the basis of aboriginal background.
Aboriginal hunting poses a separate
problem. As you know, ducks and
geese are controlled by Federal au
thorities under treaty,
of the Interior has permitted Na
of the Interior has pedmitted Na
tives to take ducks and geese as
part of their aboriginal heritage.
Federal agents revoked that policy
in spite of the fact that the birds
were necessary to the subsistence
of Eskimo people. I was the first
to protest this action and have con
tinued to seek either a new inter
pretation or a new treaty.
4. If you are elected, what con
crete programs will you promote
to better the economy of Na
tive villages?
It is my belief that the growth of
the economy of Native villages in
the state depends upon promotion
of new business enterprises and of
creation of new opportunities with
in the villages. The 1962 Legislature,
at my request, created a new de
partment of State government, the
Department of Economic Develop
ment and Planning, to work toward
this end. A representative of this
department has completed a report
regarding action which could be
taken in various areas. Additional
ly, the Rural Development Agency
has, during this administration for
the first time, launched a great
many projects to improve communi
ties through construction of new
walks, wells, streets, and other im
provements. Because of intensive
research, the Department of Fish
and Game was able to open up new
fisheries along the Northwest coast
at Bethel, Golovin. Kotzebue and
as well for other nearby villages.
These State agencies together with
the Bureau of Indian Affairs are
working closely together to develop
jobs in the villages.
5. What will you do to obtain vo
cational schools in Alaska?
The 1961 Legislature authorized
the sale of $1,500,000 in bonds for
construction of a vocational school.
(Continued on Page 12)
Stepovich
(Editor’s note: Due to u mis
understanding, Candidate Mike
Stepovich answered the ten
questions in letter form, rather
than taking the questions one
by one. In order to be fair and
impartial, the Tundra Times is
also printing, upon his request,
a copy of a letter sent by him to
many villages which generally
covers the questions ask.ed.)
First of all, I consider that the
most difficult problems the Native
people face are the lack cf educa
Mnnnl opportunities, and also the
inability of many of them to find
employment. I am certain that the
lack of educational opportunities
is the main reason why many of
them cannot find regular employ
ment. I might point out that a high
school education is a requirement
for obtaining many jobs. Yet, the
state does not make it possible for
all the Native people to obtain a
high school education.
With regal'd to aboriginal rights,
I feel that Alaska's Native has been
treated unjustly. They have been
given little or nothing to compen
sate for the fact that the white man
took away their hunting grounds
and their fishing in many cases. I
would like to see this injustice cor
rected.
I want to see immediate establish
ment of more vocational school fa
cilities for the Natives. They must
have ttys if they are to earn good
money, and support their families
well.
If Rampart Dam is constructed,
I believe all Natives now living in I
this area should be paid for the M
loss of their traditional land, and ■
given assistance in finding new |
homes. Furthermore, they should be I
given first preference for jobs that I
they might want on dam construc
tion project.
With regard to the hunting of
ducks and geese, I believe the Na
tives have a right to take what they
need for food. The scarcity of some
game fowl has not been caused by
the Natives. Thousands of hunters
in other States kill ducks and geese
for sport each year.
I hope this answers your ques
tions.
Sincerely yours,
Signed
Mike Stepovich
* * *
Dear
It is my firm belief that the peo
ple in the villages need a positive
development program, not a series
of stop-gap temporary solutions to
many permanent everyday prob
lems.
"Here is an outline of my program
to begin solving the complex prob
lems of the Native and Eskimo vil
lages on a permanent basis.
1. Erect two large schools — one
vocational to teach and develop
both older and young villagers in
various crafts. The other — a high
school to accommodate at least five
hundred students. These schools
would be so located as to serve the
greatest number of villagers, but
I not in a large city. • '
2. Use the influence of my office
as Governor to be sure that vil
lagers are hired for local projects
whenever possible.
3. Train and hire qualified Na
tives and Eskimos for any state
jobs in their locality.
4. Promote small industries wneu*
ever possible in the villages.
5. Institute construction of need
ed state facilities in the outlying
areas such as small air strips, ac
cess roads, etc., to the extent that
the state budget will support these
; projects and where the need for
them is the greatest.
6. Assign two state troopers to
make regular stops at the villages
to insure the keeping of law and
order in the outlying areas.
(Continued on Page 12)