country boy comes into the country 1I by mike rostad for the tundra timethues KODIAK his music brought really1realybrealy america down nostalgic country roads enjoyed 4 in west virginia and up lofty peaks 01dnarbor of colorados rocky mountains but old harbor its a to the people of old harbor john beautiful place as denver has become more than a a voice I1 V crooning over the air waves and a peaceful pladsepladsen smiling face on an album jacket oiceoi6e the renowned musician and en- vironvironmentalmental activist visited the village recently along with the national john denver wildlife federation and the natural resource defense council presidents and other dignitaries linda lestertester lydia abbott and taking a sightseeing tour after of irene coyle of the shoonaqShoon aq tribal tat7 native lands near the village the danceisdancers performed the kayak visitors were honored at a polpotlatchlatch inin song sweeping the clouds away the community hall and the courting song 1 singing in I have been very moved by how their native language warmly ive been welcomed here by from mayor haakanson denver all of you I1 really appreciate your received a map of kodiak island hospitality I1 find that you are as painted by margaret mullan and her beautiful a people as the land that you father herman haakanson linda lester old harbor native corp shareholder poses with visitors from the left john john live in denver told the people singer was also presented with the doug miller adams jay hair and denver denver presented a tape of his re- book time771meame to dance life of an alaska cent album earth song to mayor native the biography of old harbor sven haakanson sr and community elder larry matfay residents later that evening denver visited jay hair head of the NWPNWF in the three saints orthodox church and washington DCD C presented haakan- other sights in the village the guests son with the publication day the stayed at the sitkalidakSitkalidak hotel and left water died a summary of testimony for akhiok and karluk the following given by alaskasalaskansAla skans during the after- morning they returned to kodiak math of the exxon valdez oil spill in that afternoon and departed for 1989 anchorage hair organized the alaska citizens prior to coming to kodiak the commission which took testimony in group visited prince william sound old harbor and other communities last the purpose of the trip said hair fall was to look at the secondary impact of the exxon voidervaldez oil spill and to see first hand lands the native corpora- tions of od0dad harbor and akhiokkaguyakakhiokxaguyak would like the USU S government to reacquire the lands which are critical habitat a to brown bear and other wildlife were P conveyed to the native corporations pursuant to the alaska native claims settlement act of 1971 akhiokkaguyak president ralph eluska who traveled with the visitors said the corporations have asked the group as well as other conservationists to assist in persuading congress to put an appropriate reacquisition program together we also have a responsibility to john denver shakes hands with sven the shareholders we settled a claim haakanson jr the mayorjmayormayoras son and our shareholders need to realize hair introduced denver saying the economic opportunity that was youve known him for the beauty of promised by ANCSA eluska said his music and his performances in we wanted to show the visitors movies and on television but what I1 the beauty of the land and its admire and know about him the best value haakanson said is his commitment to a quality of life thats the second group thats said for a world at peace with itself and at the land is 10 times the value the peaceace with its environment he pro government isis trying to say its rbablyably is known better worldwide than worth he continued any other single person for his com- although hes no stranger to alaska mitment to those causes of en this was denversdanversDenvers first tip to kodiak vironvironmentalmental quality peace and en 1 I really enjoyed old harbor its vironvironmentalmental justice a beautiful place a peaceful place although denver didnt come denver said specifically to sing he agreed to favor denver defines an environmentalist the audience with a few songs as someone who is conscious to the en- 1 I was told tonight that I1 would not vironvironmentment and mans relationship to eatcat if I1 didnt sing he said it a person who has a great considera- villager jose aguilar lenttent the tion for the ecology of earth as a whole minstrel his guitar living system and who lives as an ex- performing in the folksy down pression of that consciousness home style that has become a the title of his new album the trademark of his music denver in-in flower that shattered the stone ex- vited the audience to participate presses the cause that he has been pro- young and old enthusiastically sang or claiming through spoken words music clapped their hands to well known and example tunes such as country roads everyones seen a flower coming some days are diamonds and a out of a rock or a piece of grass grow- rousing childrens song about gram- ing through a crack inin concrete the mas featherbed image illustrates the power something denver concluded the repertoire that isis delicate and fragile has over that with the stirring heres to alaska which is hard it reflects the quiet per- after his mini concert denver was sistencesi of the environmentalist treated to gifts by the audience denver said.