Module 5: part 1

In traditional native ways, the people would use the moon and the tides to determine what was available for use/ to eat. The video talked about the size of the moon- and I find that interesting because on my island the elders talk about the tides and seasons differently. Mainly they talk about how the animals would “talk” to them, therefore they knew what animals were available.

The ocean is extremely important to all Alaska Natives. As, Lucille Davis (a relative of mine) discussed, salmon was the ultimate food for us natives on the island during the summer time. Lucy grew up in Karluk, the village that my mother did too. In fact, my grandfather had the largest smokehouse in that village with the capacity to smoke a thousand fish for the village. It was bigger than their banya! It was also about no waste---whatever wasn’t used was used for the garden or also placed back into the ocean as feed for other animals.

Where I come from, we have many cultural resources…the ocean and the land as well as the sky. Hunting comes in all sources, but allow us to survive and prosper. I was born in the 70’s and heard of the changes as a child and now see them as an adult. Our island in the 70’s was known as the King Crab capital of the world. We had the most abundant amount of King Crab. I could recall as a child, going to the docks and watching the crab crawling up the pilings. Now we are not allowed to subsistence catch but one! BUT one!!! Was it the change in climate or the mismanagement of the amount of catch? Ask an elder in our area and it was the mismanagement----of all things that are becoming scarce.

I believe that the value of using Teachers’ Domain in learning shares both avenues-western and native. We get to see the value of the elders voice and it incorporates the experience and education of the professional folk too.