V OLUME 16, ISSUE 10 N OVEMBER 2011
News from the Kanatak Tribal Council Kanatak History 2 The week of October 17-24 was extremely busy for Kanatak tribal members, as many attended either the AFN Youth & Elders Conference and/or the Alaska Federation of Natives Conference. Tribal members spotted at one or Alaska Native History 3 both of the conferences include Joseph Kalmakoff, Brittany Arey, Chaz Alutiiq Basketry 4 Shanigan, Stacey Shanigan, Terrence Jason Shanigan, Shawn Shanigan, Kathy Lakoduk, Isaiah Garner, Jeanette Shanigan, Samantha Shanigan, Native Body & Soul 5-6 Alex Giacometti, Henry Forshey, Chris Forshey, Tess McGowan, Don PAWS McGowan, Nicole Breneman, Ranae Booher, Tony Forshey, James Shani- Tribal Happenings 7-9 gan, Heather Kalmakoff, Savannah Shanigan, Nathan Shanigan, Frieda Byars, Christine Leyland, Gus & Toni Yovino, and Jennifer Rubino, Many Kanatak Programs 10 of the same tribal members were in attendance at the Kanatak Annual Meet- ing on October 23 in Wasilla, Alaska, where once the ballots were officially Struttin’ our Stuff 11 counted and the election certified, Henry Forshey and Tony Forshey were elected to terms on the Kanatak tribal council. The following council mem- Right-Clicked photos 12 bers were elected to offices: Henry Forshey, president; Alex Giacometti, vice-president; Terrence Jason Shanigan, secretary-treasurer. There was a Kanatak Kids 13 drawing for a number of door prizes, donated by Jeanette Shanigan, Gus Yovino and the tribal council, at the annual meeting which were won by the Letter from President 14 following tribal members: Tim Forshey Sr., Shawn Shanigan, Isaiah Garner, Chris Forshey, Ranae Booher, Tess McGowan, Jason Shanigan, Gus Contact Info 15 Yovino and Kathy Lakoduk. Ida Roehl from BBNA also attended this meet- ing. Thanks to Samantha Shanigan and Jeanette Shanigan who prepared tasty snacks and food for the meeting
There were also tribal council meetings on October 24 and November 6, 2011. At the October 24 meeting, tribal council equipment (i-phone, laptop) was procured for Tony Forshey; check-signers, debit cards for council mem- bers and other financial matters were settled; there was a discussion of light- ing and a security system for the tribal office; sale of the large boat Little Star was discussed again; supervision of tribal employees was determined. At the November 6 meeting issues related to personnel, timecards, mileage, and council debit-card usage reports were discussed and settled. The BIA Providers Conference (Nov. 28—Dec. 2, 2011) in Anchorage, Alaska was discussed and it was determined that all council members should attend. Terrence Jason Shanigan asked that the Native Tribe of Kanatak partner with him on the PAWS program (see pp. 5-6) and requested funding for supplies (straw, dog food, meat products) the council agreed to $2,000 in funding. There was also additional information discussed for security/lighting and contractors.
Additional details regarding these council meetings can be found on the Kana- tak website (News) in the meeting minutes for the various dates. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 2 Kanatak, Historically Speaking...
Wilbur Erskine, an influential Kodiak merchant who owned waterfront property in Kanatak, and five other men from Kodiak prospected near Kanatak and filed 12 claims in the Becharof oil field. In 1921 oil was discovered at Mt. Demian, 12 miles northwest of Portage Bay. In 1922 Standard Oil Company landed the first drilling equipment and supplies. Apparently, it took 17 days to lighter everything ashore to Erskine’s property across Kanatak Creek from the village. Erskine had invest- ed in Standard Oil and was serving as its land agent. Within two or three weeks the small village of Kanatak was transformed into the typical boomtown with a population of nearly 200. The original village on the east side of Kanatak Creek became known as “Old Town.” The newcomers occupied “New” or “Company Town,” a collection of tents, log cabins, and frame buildings on the spit near the old Russian Orthodox church. Drilling on Standard Oil’s first well was begun in March of 1923. But thick, tough sandstone slowed drilling to only inches per day. By this time “Old Town” had 73 buildings and “New Town” included 59 buildings; the population had swelled to 250. Standard Oil spent three years drilling their first well. But the depth of 5,043 feet only produced a dry hole. None of the wells drilled by other oil companies produced either. Oil fever waned, and by 1926 the oil companies and non-local population began to disperse. However, the school (1923-24) and the post office (1922) which were opened during this time period remained. The 1930 census lists 72 inhab- itants.
Kanatak Connection through Memories
Sophia Kalmakoff Rane remembers: “There was a large hall in the village where dancing took place, and my mom would play her accordion (or maybe it was a concertina). I was very small, and there were padded window seats where I would fall asleep, and wake occasionally to see her and others dancing. I thought she would never stop.” N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 3 Alaska Native History or How Did We Get Here? AMERICANS COME TO ALASKA Great change for Alaska, begun with the arrival of Russians in the eighteenth cen- tury, continued with the arrival of Ameri- cans in the nineteenth century. A number of Americans flocked to Alaska and par- ticularly to Sitka before and after the Oc- tober 1867 transfer ceremonies. Accord- ing to one source, more than 30 ships sailed from San Francisco to Alaska in July of 1867. Those aboard were eager to share in the supposed riches of Alaska. By November of 1867, there were about 115 American civilians in Sitka willing to sign a city government charter. Only a few Americans went to other places in Alaska such as Wrangell, Kodiak, Kenai, and the Yukon River valley, although interest in taking fish, fur-bearing mammals, and Castle Hill or Noow Tlein in Sitka is the location where, in 1867, the whales in Alaskan waters remained high. Russian flag was lowered and the American flag was raised, marking One historian has concluded that, in the the transfer of Alaska to the United States. This photo is dated 1898. years immediately after the 1867 transfer No structures remain today. It is now an Alaska state park located at ceremonies, "Sitka was for all practical Lincoln and Katlian Streets. It was declared a National Historic Land- purposes the American frontier in Alas- mark in 1962. ka."
The United States purchase of Alaska was the final step in the country's steady expansion across the North American continent. In 1803, less than 15 years after George Washington became the first President of the United States, the new country bought 827,192 square miles of additional territory from France. Known as the Louisiana Purchase, the addition included lands from the Gulf of Mexico to what is now the northwestern United States. In 1818, the United States agreed upon the 49th parallel as its boundary with Canada. In 1819, the United States bought Florida from Spain. In 1842, the U.S.-Canadian border was amended in a treaty. In 1848, the U.S.-Mexican war ended with the United States taking land that became the states of Texas, New Mexico, California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming from Mexico. In 1854, the U.S. purchased additional southern territories in today's Arizona and New Mexico. As a result, by the time the United States purchased Russian interests in Alaska, the geographic area, including what are known as the "Lower 48" states, had come under United States control.
The annexation of Alaska took the United States flag beyond those boundaries for the first time. Newspapers of the time gave four reasons why the United States bought Alaska. These were: (1) to maintain Russia's friendship (England's government had been sympathetic to the Confederacy during the recent American Civil War, France had sent troops and set up a dictator in Mexico during the same war, and Russia was a potential ally against either country); (2) to facilitate acquisition of British Columbia; (3) to derive economic benefit from Alaska's resources; and (4) to move closer to the markets of Asia. Individual Americans, however, ap- pear to have come to Alaska right after the 1867 purchase for three more personal reasons. Some came be- cause the government sent them. Soldiers, sailors, and other government officials fell into this category. Some came because they wanted to earn livelihoods in trade and commerce. Merchants, traders, and smugglers fell into this category. Some came because they wanted to earn livelihoods exploiting Alaska's natural resources. Catchers and salters of fish, fur hunters, prospectors, and miners fell into this category.
N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 4 Alutiiq Basketry
Very few classical Alutiiq baskets are preserved today. Museums around the world hold just a handful of ethnographic and archaeological examples of this beautiful and functionally important art. Despite their rarity, baskets were an integral part of Alutiiq households. They held small objects, were used as cooking, drinking and eating vessels, and functioned as containers for food storage and collecting. Very large baskets, fitted with leather straps, even acted as backpacks for the clothing and bedding of travelers. The tight weave of these baskets protected their contents from rain and sea spray.
Most Alutiiq basketry was made from spruce roots, dug from the forest floor, cleaned of their outer coverings and split into flexible strands with a fingernail. Other common weaving materials included beach rye grass and baleen. Spruce root baskets were woven upside down, with concentric rings of ex- tra twining to reinforce their base. Some were painted, or finely decorated with overlays of other weav- ing materials, for example, maidenhair fern. Today, basket weaving is experiencing a revival. Elders are passing down the art to their families, counselors teach weaving to participants at Alutiiq heritage summer camps, and artists share their skills at community workshops. Traditional forms are reappear- ing, but have been supplemented with tiny baskets made into popular forms of jewelry - necklaces, pendants, and earrings.
The Tlingits of Southeast Alaska also wove twined spruce-root baskets, however the two basket styles have been found to differ in several ways, most notably in design motifs and their placement on the baskets. Probably, the Tlingits in Sitka were inspired by Alutiiq basketry be- cause of the frequent relocation of Alutiiqs during the Russian occupa- tion of Alaska.
The Alutiiq word for basket is inartaq. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 5 Keeping Body and Soul Together, the Native Way P.A.W.S. = People Are Worth Saving
In 2004, two life-long friends, Thomas Akelkok and Ter- rence Shanigan found themselves as colleagues working as Alaska State Troopers. Thomas, a Yupik Eskimo, and Terrence, an Aleut, are both from the Bristol Bay re- gion. Both men first met in Sitka, Alaska in 1987, while students and wrestling teammates at Mt. Edgecumbe High School. Mt. Edgecumbe is a public boarding school operated by the State of Alaska today, but from 1947 to 1983 it was an all Alaska Native boarding school operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. As students and teammates at MEHS both men shared their pride for the rich Alaska Native heritage and culture from which each was raised and they developed a shared desire for public service.
As Alaska State Trooper colleagues, Thomas and Ter- rence, recognized that their chosen careers in law en- forcement could prove to be a valuable tool to help oth- ers. The men began discussing and analyzing issues sur- rounding public safety in rural Alaska, and more specifically in their own home villages. Thomas and Terrence discussed the challenges each saw as barriers to safe and healthy family environments for many rural Alaskans. The two collaborated and brainstormed ideas they thought would make a difference in the lives of rural Alaskans by finding ways to reduce the high violent crime, suicide and sexual assault rates that they felt were destroying rural communities. From their initial collaboration Thomas and Terrence founded People Are Worth Saving (PAWS). PAWS is a tool to deliver a humanitarian message, improve public relations between law enforcement and rural citizens, and provide training and education to individuals and communities trying to problem-solve the high rates of violence and crime that plague so many rural Alaskan communities. The premise is to spend volun- teer, off-duty time, utilizing traditional dog-sled patrols in an unofficial capacity to rebuild relationships and de- liver training, education and humanitarian services.
PAWS is an opportunity for off-duty, Alaska Native law enforcement and military personnel to make a positive impact across Alaska in a unique way by proactively, versus reactively, serving the public. PAWS pursues more of a bridge-building approach aimed at strengthening relationships, developing trust, and inspiring others. The uniqueness of PAWS is the use of traditional dog-sled teams to travel between communities to work on common solutions for modern-day crime issues. Mushing is also used a as metaphor important to understanding the dy- namics of teambuilding, synergy and problem-solving. An indirect benefit of PAWS is the positive community based role-model opportunities to increase the number of qualified Alaska Native recruits.
Thomas and Terrence believe that relationships, rapport, and respect are paramount if they expect to make a real difference when recruiting or dealing with Alaska’s crime issues. Their goal is to educate and promote a healthy, positive, self-image for young Alaska Natives. To accomplish this, the two men live by example and demon- strate their commitment to rural law enforcement and the military, as potential early career paths. Awareness and education are only a small part of this effort. They utilize problem-solving processes learned while students at MEHS to help them work with communities to study and assess their own problems and investigate the root causes to those problems. Once a problem and its root causes are identified, community members work with them to present possible solutions. The long-term vision is to have a significant and permanent reduction in the high violent crime, suicide, sexual assault rates and drug and alcohol abuse that plague so many rural communi- ties. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 6
PAWS incorporates traditional elements of Alaska Native culture to study and solve modern-day problems facing rural Alaskans, such as drug and alcohol abuse, fire safety issues, domestic violence, general public safety and positive life choices. PAWS also addresses sexual assault and violent crime. The long-term vision of PAWS is to work closely with communities to collect information, study root causes, and present solutions specifically targeting the identified causes to this serious and growing problem.
In February and March 2011, Terrence embarked on a 1,000 mile mushing expedition traveling throughout rural Alaska on dogsled to share the PAWS vision. The expedition was a 25-day journey that made stops in fourteen communities along the original Serum Run route, from Nenana to Nome. The Serum Run event of today began in 1997, inspired and organized by the late Norman Vaughan to commemo- rate the 1925 serum run to Nome, which saved the town from a diphthe- ria epidemic. The Serum Run enabled Terrence to share PAWS directly with thousands of Alaskans that have a di- rect connection and understanding of tragedy and triumph. No matter the what the challenges and risks are… - 50 degrees temps, 75mph winds, open water, white-out snowstorms, frostbite… Terrence reminds people that nothing he experiences on the trail compares to the struggles and challenges a victim of a violent crime suffers for the rest of their lives. PAWS is not a dogsled race to a finish line… PAWS is in a race to save lives! Thomas and Terrence are committed to these programs because they believe they matter and will make a sig- nificant difference in the lives of Alaskans. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 7
Tribal Happenings
Previous photo: Pennsylvania tribal members make their way north to Alaska for the Alaska Federation of Natives Conference in Anchorage, Alaska, on October 20-22 and the Kanatak annual meeting on October 23, 2011.
Happy birthday to these Kanatak tribal members who are celebrating birthdays during the month of November:
TJ Johnson = November 2 (35) Krystle Elliott = November 3 (39) Tim Forshey Jr. = November 3 (36) Michelle Kalmakoff = November 3 (44) Tatiana Rane = November 5 (21) A photograph of Nichole Shanigan = November 6 (15) Brittany Arey Abigail Hansen = November 6 (3) wearing her new Kari Stiles = November 8 (45) kuspuk that was purchased espe- Ivy Wagner = November 8 (24) cially for her Anthony Chudocken = November 10 (49) poetry presenta- Jessica Lukitsch = November 13 (25) tion at Quyana Marlane Hayes = November 14 (57) II at AFN on Joseph Carbone = November 14 (14) Thursday, Octo- Gus Yovino = November 14 (58) ber 20, 2011. Leeanna Baehm = November 17 (23) Sierra Elliott = November 20 (14) Timi Myers = November 20 (37) Nick Byars = November 23 (28)
Pierce McGowan = November 27 (12) Zachary Rane = November 29 (11) Christina Hayes sent this photo of her daughter Alexis Allen at her first birthday celebration on August 17, Harold Harrington = November 30 (29) 2011. Alexis is the granddaughter of Evelyn Hayes.
N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 8
Tribal Happenings
Spotted at AFN N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 9
Tribal Happenings
Kanatak Election and Annual Meeting: October 23 N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 10
Programs Available through Kanatak
Native Tribe of
Kanatak
The following programs, based upon the budget passed by the tribal council on April 5, are available for the Do you need help with housing? membership: If you are a member in good standing with the Native Education Program: Funds to be awarded to eligible Tribe of Kanatak and meet certain income require- tribal members seeking higher education and/or specific ments, you may be eligible for assistance from the job-skill training required for employment/certification. Bristol Bay Housing Authority. The income require- Tribal Youth Activity Program: Funds to be awarded ments are established by HUD and vary depending on to eligible tribal members between the ages of 1-18 for the place of residence and the number of family mem- extracurricular activities, such as school sports, boy/girl bers. For example, to meet the income eligibility scouts, summer or sports camps, music lessons, dance standards in the Mat-Su borough, where Wasilla is lo- lessons, etc. cated, the yearly income for a family of three can be no Emergency Assistance Program: Funds for tribal more than $54,450; yet, if that same family of three members’ unexpected emergencies that threaten basic resided in the Anchorage area, that maximum would be quality of life, such as fire damage, leaking roof, non- $58,000. functioning furnace, water heater, etc. (Low-income Through BBHA, there are currently programs for rent- members should seek this assistance through BBHA.) al assistance, utility vouchers, home repairs, down- Wellness Program: Funds for education and promotion payment assistance for home purchase and crime pre- of healthy living, including suicide prevention, alco- vention/youth or cultural activities. There is also the hol/drug prevention and tobacco-use prevention. option for the Kanatak tribal council to assess the Tribal Burial Assistance Program: Funds to be award- memberships’ housing needs and create other pro- ed to help with final expenses of tribal members who grams in the future, subject to federal guidelines and were in good standing with the tribe at the time of pass- BBHA approval. ing; maximum award per deceased member = $1,500. To apply, you must fill out an 18-page application Tribal Social Activity Fund: Funds for 2 activities di- which includes supplying proof of income, such as rectors to create and organize quarterly tribal social activ- yearly income tax forms. The application is available ities in both Alaska and the Lower 48. at the BBHA website: http://www.bbha.org/apply.htm Culture Program: Funds to promote culture and com- Phone numbers for contact with either the King Salm- munication among tribal members. on or Dillingham offices are also available at the These programs generally require the following: above-listed website. completed tribal membership/enrollment (member in Once your application is complete, mail it to this ad- good-standing) dress: completed application for program Bristol Bay Housing Authority documentation of need/amount, bids where request- PO Box 50 ed, and proof/receipts of expenditures Dillingham, Alaska 99576 name/address of 3rd party to whom checks will be issued; as a rule, checks are not issued directly to tribal members. Do NOT mail your application to the Kanatak trib- al office! Contact the executive director, tribal administrator or Kanatak tribal council for additional information about these programs.
N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 11
Gus Yovino Lights the Back-Burner Again
Since he was a kid growing up in Kodiak, Gus Yovino has enjoyed drawing and painting. Early in life, with fours years of art classes while in high school, Gus honed the art skills that would carry him through a lifetime of artistic endeavors. For awhile, as they say, life happened. Gus was simply too busy with earning a living in the Alaskan fishing industry to think about creating art. But these days, due to health issues and retirement, art has moved to the forefront of his life again. In September 2003, Gus had to have a liver transplant. During the long process of recuperation and healing, he re- discovered oil painting; he says painting just kept him busy and his mind off health issues. In terms of inspiration, Gus says God’s creations around him constantly in- spire and he enjoys painting what he sees. Many of his paintings are fishing-related, reflective of his many years at sea. His wife Toni says, “Just his love for the ocean, its sound and smell and the fact that he misses it so much can bring tears to his eyes when he talks about early morning on deck or wild times on the Bering Sea. He paints the ocean from those memories.” (The Native Tribe of Kanatak owns two of his paintings; be sure to check them out the next time you’re at the tribal office in Wasilla, Alaska.)
To the younger tribal members, Gus advises that God gave each of us a gift; it’s the responsibility of each one of us to find that gift and utilize it to the fullest.
Mostly, Gus sells his work through word-of-mouth and by showing folks a photo album with pictures of his work. Occasionally, he also sells his work at art/craft shows at the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, Alaska. Recently, he displayed and sold his paintings at the Kanatak annual meeting. Contact him at jesussou- [email protected] or 907-272-6769 if you’re interested in a purchase.
Gus Yovino and his wife Toni live in Anchor- age, Alaska. The couple have a daughter and numerous grandchildren. Besides painting, Gus enjoys wood-working and making bird- houses for the chickadees in his area.
Angie Forshey and Henry F Forshey Right-Clicked Photos of tribal members
Sasha Johnson
Dave Stailey and grandson Blake
Misty Mets-Mosquito
Photos needed! = [email protected]
Gordon & Nick Shanigan Don & Tess McGowan
Nikki Shanigan & daughter Heather Kalmakoff
Joe Kalmakoff & Isaiah Garner
Dawn Rane
Sophia Kalmakoff Rane Helen Carbone
Alex Giacometti Patrick Lind N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 13 Kanatak Kids Color the parka black with white, red and orange tassels.
Snow-Falling Parka This traditional parka was made from the throat skins of cormorants, a sea bird, and used for special occasions. As dancers moved the tas- sels of red leather, white fur, and puffin beaks, floated in the air like falling snow. This parka was a symbol of wealth. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 14 Letter from the President Hello Tribal Members,
I would like to say a big “Thank You” to all for sending in your vote and making this election a success. These past 10 months have seen a lot of progress in bring- ing our tribal members together for the first time—members from Alaska traveled to Pennsylvania and members from Pennsylvania traveled to Alaska. It would be wonderful if we could continue to get to know one another a little bit better.
The theme for the recent AFN conference was "Strength in UNITY.” We need to get past where we reside, be it in Alaska, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Illinois, Utah, California or Washington. We are all family and we need to come together to help each other; we need to learn to work with and trust each other in all of our pro- grams. We need to become ONE!!
Some of this starts with your attending council meetings whenever possible—just compare it to watching over your stock investments through a board meeting. The tribal council plans to have a meeting the same time every month to make it easier for you to work meeting attendance into your schedule.
We as a council are still working on getting all the bugs worked out, so I am asking everyone to have pa- tience with us—we are trying to do our best with everything. Your input will be considered and welcomed as long as it's not rude or disrespectful to anyone.
Henry F. Forshey President of the Native Tribe of Kanatak
PUMPKIN, COCONUT MILK, CHICKEN SOUP Recipe by Frieda Byars Frieda says, “In my recipes you can add or delete any ingredient you want. It’s all good. And you can add as much as you want or eliminate what you wish. If this is too thick, add more water broth.” Editor’s note: With all the pending turkey leftovers, I think that would be a tasty substitute for the chicken! 1 whole chicken 2 large carrots, thinly sliced 1 medium yellow and one medium green zucchini, diced 1 large onion, diced 4 garlic cloves, cleaned and chopped 2 cups sliced celery 1 each very small red, green, yellow pepper, thinly sliced 1 teaspoon or more of curry (you can omit or add more) 1 can mushroom soup 1 large can pumpkin 1 can peas, drained 1 can coconut milk hot pepper flakes to taste salt and pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon each) Remove skin from one whole chicken or 4 chicken breasts. Bring to boil in 8 cups of water until tender, then remove from pot, saving the broth. Cool and remove meat from chicken. Add the cleaned chicken meat back to the broth. In a frying pan add 2 tablespoons butter or oil and fry the onions, celery and garlic for about 6 or more minutes. Add to the chicken and then add the rest of the veggies. Boil 10 minutes or so. Add the pumpkin, coconut milk, pepper flakes, spices and mush- room soup. Heat through and serve. N ATIVE TRIBE OF KANATAK P AGE 15 Contact Information ♦ President Henry F. Forshey [email protected]
610-704-8112
♦ Vice-President Alex Giacometti [email protected] 206-992-9240
♦ Secretary/Treasurer Terrence Jason Shanigan [email protected] 907-315-6184
♦ Council Member Anthony Forshey Jr. [email protected]
♦ Council Member Shawn Shanigan [email protected] 907-315-3878
• Executive Director Tess McGowan [email protected] 610-217-0399 • Tribal Administrator Shawn Shanigan [email protected] 907-357-5991 • Newsletter Editor Jeanette Shanigan Facebook: [email protected] Kanatak Tribe Members 907-982-9103 Website: http://www.kanatak.com Mailing Address: Native Tribe of Kanatak Physical Address of Office: PO Box 876822 1251 Copper Creek Road Wasilla, Alaska 99687 Wasilla, Alaska