Wainwriglit Items
News from the
"Northern Light Express"
Wainwright School Newspaper
On October 27, a detachment of
eight men arrived in our village
and moved into the National
Guard Armory. Their uniforms in
cluded a beret, setting them apart
from the regular Army.
These men came from Ft.
Bragg, North Carolina. They were
a group trained in unconventional
warfare. This means they are
trained to fight an enemy behind
his lines. Some of these men had
already had action in the Near
East fighting Communist forces.
Sgt. Edmunds stated that their
purpose was to train the National
Guard and to learn how to sur
vive in the arctic.
During their stay, the village
often heard the firing of guns and
jarring explosions. Dog teams
could often be seen rushing across
the tundra with machine guns
mounted on them as Special
Forces and National Guard men
worked together learning how to
fight an enemy in the arctic. Spe
cial Forces taught our men about
weapons and fighting methods and
our men taught them how to build
snow houses, travel, and hide on
the tundra.
The people of the village soon
came to know and like these men.
They behaved like gentlemen in
our village. An Eskimo dance was
held in their honor, and they
danced as much as we did. Ser
geant Edmunds and his men wish
to thank all the people for their
help.
by DAVID RODFISH
The storm which did so much
damage to Barrow gave gifts to
Wain wright.
After the storm died down and
the tide went out, tons of coal
were found piled up at the edge
of the water. So much coal was
gathered for winter that every
sack in the village was soon used.
Some people have gathered
enough for fuel all winter.
Large piles of strange looking
sea-life also washed in. Delicious
shrimps were collected by the
sack full. Children found octo
pus, crabs, sea worms, jelly fish,
sea cucumbers, and many other
things. The upper grade classes
have put many of these things
into alcohol and preserved them
for science class.
Mr. and Mrs. Bane reported
that they ate many fried octopus,
clams, etc., but some of the chil
dren didn’t like the idea of eat
ing the octopus.
Where to Buy
The Nugget
Kotzebue —
N. G. HANSENS
Nome —
NOME DRUG and
U. S. MERCANTILE
Shishmaref —
WALTER NAYOKPUK’S
Teller —
TELLER COMMERCIAL CO.
Unalakleet —
LIFFICK S JEWELRY
Kicina —
BLANKENSHIP TRADING
Gambell —
NATIVE STORE
Some of this sea life was used
for dog food.
— By ROGER KAGAK
One polar bear has been seen
and several tracks have been
found on the ice near the vil
lage.
Alva Nasholook Jr. saw a polar
bear coming down the beach. He
hid and waited for the bear to
get close, but a plane scared it
off.
It is believed that a bear came
close when the dogs near the cliff
became excited. The people are
hungry for bear meat.
—By EVA JAMES and JOEL.
TAZRUK.
During the months of October
the Wien pilot reported a large
herd of caribou migrating toward
our village from the north. By the
last of October these herds were
within 15 miles of the town. Dog
teams soon began returning loaded
with meat.
Many men returned to the vil
lage with reports of caribou in
herds of thousands. Some hunters
killed as many as 30 caribou and
a few even more.
The caribou have now moved
inland and south, but there are
still many scattered herds in the
area.
A small cat train arrived in
Wainwright Nov. 15, after a five
day run from Barrow. The train
brought a small house to be used
by A.R.L. scientists.
The train was made up of one
cat, one weasel, and seven men.
The men reported seeing and kill
ing several caribou along the
way. The weather was good, but
the trail was bumpy.
— By: DAISY NAYAKIK.
Dogteam racing has become the
main recreation of the village this
year. Every weekend, weather al
lowing, a race has been held. Sc
far three races have been run
with courses ranging from 20 tc
30 miles round-trip.
The first race was held Oct.
26 on the Kuk River Lagoon. First
place was won by Felton Sego
van, 2d—Benny Ahmaogak. and
3rd—Mr. Bane.
The second race was held on
Nov. 9 on the lagoon. First place—
Felton Segevan, 2d—Barry Bod
fish, 3rd—Rossman Peetook.
The third race was held on Nov.
16. on an overland trail. Half the
teams went to the wrong turning
point. 1st—Berry Bodfish, 2d —
Steve Ungudruk, 3rd — Rossman
Peetook.
On Nov. 20, Berry Bodfish, Ben
ny Ahmaogak, and Rossman Pee
took left the village to mush to
Barrow where they will try to
win back the racing flag. Villag
ers gave them food and support
for the trip. The race was to be
held November 24.
—By: DAVID BODFISH.
While up inland at the fish
camp, Leo Panik shot a wolverine.
Several wolverines have been seen
in this area. Oliver James almost
shot one nearby.
— By: MURIEL AHMAOGAK.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NUGGET
POLET’S
Eskimo Arts & Crafts
• MUKLUKS
• FUR SLIPPERS
• AFTER-SKI BOOTS
• IVORY CARVINGS
• ESKIMO DOLLS
Otto & Kathie Schulz
Phon* 2651 Box 401
Pt. Hope Report
By POINT HOPE
CORRESPONDENT
Elijah Attungana killed three
walrus on Dec. 3, but two of them
sank, and he could not retrieve
them at the time. Sometimes a
storm will wash such walrus up
on shore.
— • —
One local person killed a polar
bear on the ocean ice near the
village on Dec. 3. Every home is
sharing in the meat.
Northwestern
Alaska
News Briefs
Miss Marian Bryan, PHS Nutri
tionist, was to return to the vil
lage December 9 for a few days.
The BIA inspection team will
come to the village the week of
Dec. 9 to inspect the new school
and teachers’ quarters. The school
has been in use for two months.
The teachers will move into the
new quarters after it is inspected.
— • —
Mr. Herb Buroughs, BIA Em
ployment Assistance worker from
Nome, was expected to arrive in
the village.
Notes from Teller
By TELLER CORRESPONDENT
rr
Rev. Wilson of Nome visited the
Teller Lutheran Mission Church
last week.
P
a
n
P
U. S. Army Special Forces
troops from Ft. Bragg, N.C., have
been conducting special training
for our men who are members
of the First Scout Battalion, 297th
Infantry of the Alaska National
Guard. The Guardsmen from Bre
vig Mission unit also participated
in this training and commuted by
dog team daily. Participation by
all troops was excellent.
o
J
Cl
t
r
t
Q
Albert Oquilluk is building a
new house, and it is going to be
very nice. 1
Frank Topsekok built a new ;
house and he has done a fine job. j
He is a very good carpenter. ]
Mr and Mrs. Johnny Foster
have been remodeling their home
and they have added two bed
rooms. They are nice, clean com
fortable rooms.
Edward Keelick is helping Bob
Blodgett put the interior finish
in the “guest cabin” that Bob is
preparing.
i _
Chester Topkok, Wayne Top
kok, Ernest Weyanna, Frank Top
sekok, Isaac Okleasik and John
Kinok have been netting white
fish with fine results.
Our town was saddened today
by the news from Kotzebue Hos
pital that Solomon Kopok passed
away. There is an empty place
in our community. Solomon will
be missed by all of us. He had a
genuine happy smile for every
one — always. Solomon is sur
vived by his brother Ralph Kopok.
Thomas Menadelook has re
decorated his house and it looks
verj' nice. It is so bright and '
cheery.
Edward Kakaruk got a new
News from Noorvik
i
i
By NOORVIK CORRESPONDENT
Homer Russell, the Kotzebue
Cab owner, and his taxi driver
took a trip here from Kotzebue on
the 24th of November. Homer
drove his cab here to visit his
dad and friends. Noorvik was his
home before he went into business
in Kotzebue. The rather amazing ’
part of this story is the fact that
the trip was made without ben
efit of any roads. The entire trip
was on bay and river ice. It is the j
first time that an automobile has j
been in the village. Some of the
people said it was the first time
they had ever seen a car.
* * *
The Noorvik Community Coun
cil met in October and selected
a group of young people to work
as a Medical Fund Drive Com
mittee. This committee, which the
Council selected with the aid of
the Principal Teacher, decided to
have a movie each Friday. This
committee also sells refreshments
and popcorn. The money col
lected will be spent on vitamins
for the pre-school children and
fluoride for the village drinking
water.
• » •
The last weekend in November
there were two dogteams from
I
in Unalakleet IT S
Ruthie’s Cafe
LODGING — :: — MEALS
Phone 624-3131
Selavvik, Charlie Mitchell and Eli
Knox. They came over to pick up
some groceries and returned to
Selawik Monday, Dec. 2.
• • •
Monday, December 2, Doctor
Mentzer and Nurse Fran Pagen
koff arrived from the USPHS
Hospital in Kotzebue to hold a ,
week long medical clinic. They
plan to give everyone in the vil- 1
lage a physical checkup and test
eyes. They are planning to return 1
to Kotzebue December 6. <
• * *
Mrs. Pauline Gooden has been ,
visiting here for three months. She i
left for her home in Fairbanks on t
Tuesday, Dec. 5. She had been
staying with a distant relative, (
Alice Reed. f
• * •
The men in the village are \
working very hard to bring the 1
advantages of a Boy Scout troop
to the boys 11 to 17 years. 1
The Adult Committee has been
formed under the chairmanship f
of Alfred Wells. Robert Newlin l
has been selected as Scoutmaster ;
with the assistance of Walter
Pungalik, Billy Sheldon and
Thomas Pungalik as Assistant
Scoutmasters.
The boys have been working
very hard to pass their Tenderfoot
requirements so that a charter ap
plication may be submitted. The
2nthusiasm shown by the boys for
the first four meetings is a good
sign that scouting has come to
:he village to stay.
Fine Job Printing at the Nugget
motorcycle this fall and he Ls re
ported to have ridden it to Igloo
and back on the river ice. That
must have been quite an ex
perience!
Steve Okbaok has been helping
our school teachers, Mr. and Mrs.
Jim Rossi build a new dog sled
out of hickory.
Bob Blodgett visited Josie Ok
baok in the M-M-M Hospital and
reports that Josie is looking much
better and is resting well.
Bruce Tweet has been out of
school with the flu.
A fur buyer from Anchorage
came through this week buying
seal skins, only he did not buy
any as he does not pay any better
price on the average than the
local stores pay. And the seal
skins stay in the community until
our skin sewers make parkas,
mukluks and slippers out of them
which are then sold. This is a
nice home industry for our people.
Johnny Kakaruk and his two
sons, Francis and Wilford are busy
butchering reindeer. They have
their reindeer herd close to town
out on the new Nome-Teller road.
Ida Weyiouvanna of Brevig
M is s i o n was in town on
business. She came over with Har
ry Olanna’s boys and their dog
team.
Our youngsters are busy learn
ing their parts for Christmas plays
at school and at the mission. Our
Lutheran Missionary Miss Bertha
Stedje always produces interesting
Christmas plays with our local
talent.
Father Nevue has not been up
from Nome for quite a while. It
would be nice to have a Father
all the time.
GAMBELL VOTES YES
FOR INCORPORATION;
NIX TO SALES TAX!
Gambell Village became incor-<
porated on Dec. 12, following an
election Nov. 30. From 78 ballots
cast there were 42 in favor and
36 voting against incorporation in
this closely contested issue. In
I another issue, as to whether the
1 newly formed city should assess
| a 3 per cent sales tax, the voters
: turned thumbs down — but defi
| nitely — with 52 to 26 declaration.
The five City Councilmen elec
ted and the number of votes gath
ered, are as follows:
Conrad Aozeva 57; Merlin Koo
nooka 53, Franklin Kaningok 46,
Wilbur Booshu 44, Roger Silook
43.
The president of the City Coun
cil will be chosen from the above
five members. The Council may
increase the size of its body to
7 members if they so decide.
Legalized Christmas
Christmas Day did not receive
formal recognition throughout the
United States until the late 1880s.
WE REPAIR ALL MAKES OF
16MM SOUND PROJECTORS
For Free Estimate
Ship Your Projector via
Parcel Post to _
Mel Hostetler, Service Mgr.
PICTURES, INC.
811 8th Ave„ Anchorage *
Bell & Howell Disi. for Alaska