3-26-08

Friday, March 28th
5:00 p.m. Doors Open
5:30 Lighting the Cama-i Flame
Welcome – Cingliaq Paul Gregory, Sr.
5:40-6:10 Bethel Traditional Dancers
6:10- 6:40 Mt. Edgecumbe Dancers
6:40-7:10 Pilot Station Dancers
7:10 Cama-i 2008 Dedication: Kumkaq Noel Polty, Pilot Station
7:15-7:45 Dallas Chief Eagle, Sioux Hoop Dancer
7:45-8:05 Bethel Contemporary Dancers
8:05-8:35 Scammon Bay Dancers
8:35-9:05 Hooper Bay Dancers
9:05 Cama-i 2008 Dedication: Akagayuk James Gump, Hooper Bay
9:10-9:40 Te Wananga Maori Dancers
9:40-10:10 Upallret Dancers
10:10-10:40 Stebbins Dancers
10:45 Honoring Our Living Treasures:
Taglangaq RosAnn Dan Waghiyi and Paugyuk Viriginia Tom, Stebbins
10:45-11:15 Pamyua
11:15-11:45 Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor
11:45-12:00 Fusion Motion

Saturday, March 29th
11:30 a.m. Doors Open
12:00 Relighting the Flame
12:05-12:40 Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat School Kaukaq Ruth Evon and Uyaq Emma Wright
12:40-12:55 Nukalpiaqs Dancers
12:55-1:25 Kuskokwim Campus Dancers
1:25-2:00 Ayaprun Elitnaurvik K - 2nd
Ayaprun Loddie Jones &
Angass’aq Sally Samson - K
Naniruar Carol Oulton & Qirvan Abby Augustine -1st
Inuqa’ar Carrie Dahl - 2nd
2:00-2:30 Chevak Dancer
2:30-3:00 Ayaprun Elitnaurvik 3rd - 6th
Atan Veronica Michaels – 3rd
Caqigaq Georgianna Starr - 4th
Apaqutaq Brandon Young - 5th
Alaq’aq Elena Pavilla - 6th
3:00-3:30 Kaluiarmute Kinguliarit
3:30-4:00 Akiuk, Kasigluk Dancers
4:00-4:15 Bethel Shotokan Karate

Saturday Evening, March 29th
4:00 * Native Foods Dinner starts for Elders at Cafeteria *
5:00 * Dinner starts for Dancers at Cafeteria *
6:00-7:00 * Dinner served for the General Audience ‘til the food runs out *
4:15-4:45 Mt. Edgecumbe Dancers
4:45-5:10 On Your Marx Dancers
5:10-5:40 Yuraret Dancers
5:40-5:55 Kilbuck 6th grade
5:55-6:25 Pilot Station Dancers
6:25-6:55 Hooper Bay Dancers
6:55-7:15 Fusion Motion
7:15-7:55 Steven Alvarez – Native Storyteller and Singer
7:55-8:25 Stebbins Dancers
8:25- Heart of the Drums
8:45- Y-K Delta Memoriam
8:55-9:25 Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor
9:25-9:55 Scammon Bay Dancers
9:55-10:25 Pamyua
10:25 Mr. and Miss Cama-i Winners Announced
10:30-11:00 Te Wananga Maori
11:00-11:30 Dallas Chief Eagle, Sioux Hoop Dancer
11:30-12:00 Chevak Dancers

Sunday, March 30th
12:30 p.m. Doors Open
12:55 Relighting the Flame
1:00-1:10 Hooper Bay Dancers
1:10-1:35 On Your Marx Dancers
1:35-1:55 Hooper Bay Dancers
1:55-2:10 Nukalpiaqs Dancers
2:10-2:40 Chevak Dancers
2:40-3:20 Steven Alvarez – Native Storyteller and Singer
3:20-3:50 Kuskokwim Campus Dancers
3:50-4:20 Pilot Station Dancers
4:20-4:40 Fusion Motion
4:40-5:10 Stebbins Dancers
5:10-5:40 Dallas Chief Eagle, Sioux Hoop Dancer
5:40- Cama-i ~ Quyana Cakneq
5:45-6:15 Bethel Traditional Dancers
6:15-6:45 Upallret Dancers
6:45-7:00 Bethel Contemporary Dancers
7:00-7:30 Nuniaq Alutiiq Dancers, Old Harbor
7:30-8:00 Yuraret Dancers
8:00-8:30 Te Wananga Maori
8:30-9:00 Closing: Kaluiarmute Kinguliarit

This schedule may change due to unforeseen events.

UAF’s Krauss awarded $1.2 million
to document endangered languages

3-6-08

by The Delta Discovery staff

On Feb. 25, 2008, the University of Alaska-Fairbanks announced that during the next three years, Michael Krauss, professor emeritus of linguistics at the college, would lead a team of veteran linguists in documenting endangered languages in and near Alaska.
The project, funded by a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation, will include researchers from Canada, Japan and Russia, as well as the United States. The researchers will document some of Alaska’s most endangered indigenous and historical languages.
As one example, the preservation of an important record of the Atuuan dialect of the Aleut language rests on the shoulders of an 80-year-old man and his ability to recognize the language of his childhood on a dozen 100-year-old phonograph cylinders.
Southern Tsimshian is nearly as close to the edge. A 94-year-old woman is the only known living speaker of the language.
Eyak is another example, but the last remaining speaker, Marie Smith Jones, died Jan. 21, an event that marks the extinction of her language.
“The NSF never lost track of the importance of documenting these devalued languages, which were disappearing before our very eyes,” Krauss said. “They always maintained a high priority for making a record of our endangered American languages.”
If it’s ever going to be done, it has got to be done now, Krauss said, noting that some of the languages are on the brink of extinction. “Making a record, as much as we can, of a language while it is still there is vital to the future of the language and the people.”
Collaborators on the project include Willem de Reuse, Andrej Kibrik, Jeff Leer, Edna Ahgeak MacLean, Osahito Miyaoka, Steven Jacobson, Evgenii Golovko, Moses Dirks and John Ritter. All are veteran researchers, Krauss said. “This work is also meant to be the culmination of professional lifetimes of work by experts in these languages.”
The project will rely heavily on researchers’ collaboration with language speakers in communities across the state and will culminate in a variety of finished works, including several new and expanded dictionaries and grammars.
The project will focus on 11 languages: Han Athabascan, Upper Kuskokwim Athabascan, Eyak, Tlingit, Southern Tsimshian, North Slope Inupiaq, Central Alaskan Yup’ik, Central Siberian Yupik, Alutiiq, Atuuan Aleut and Kodiak Russian Creole.
Krauss said the grant is an example of the NSF’s ongoing support of one of the most fundamental aspects of linguistics: language documentation. Over time, he said, the field has sometimes become more focused on theory and less on the diversity of human language.
“These languages are the essence of the thinking of uniquely Alaskan people, who have the right to help to retain their language,” said Krauss. “(They are) the result of millennia of experience in these environments, the wisdom of the ages, you could call it. Not only that, they represent different ways of seeing – of understanding – our common human experience.”
The project will be housed within UAF’s College of Liberal Arts as part of the Alaska Native Language Archive.

St. Mary’s man caught stealing

On Feb. 13, 2008, a St. Mary’s couple contacted the Alaska State Troop reporting that $5,950 had been withdrawn from a bank account that they controlled.
Subsequent investigation revealed that Michael Beans, 18, of St. Mary’s, had intentionally transferred the monies on ten different occasions into an account he could access.
The investigation revealed that Beans obtained the identification documents illegally and transferred the funds by deceiving bank employees. The cash was then spent on numerous items in the village.
Beans is facing felony counts of Theft in the Second Degree, Fraudulent Use Of An Access Device, Obtaining and Access Device or Identification Document by Fraudulent Means. He is also facing a charge of Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree, a misdemeanor.
Beans was issued a summons on Feb. 23, 2008, for a court appearance in the matter.

Troopers arrest Emmonak
man with marijuana

On Feb. 27, 2008, the Bethel WAANT (Western Alaska Alcohol & Narcotic Team) contacted Randell J. Agathluk Sr., 40, of Emmonak, at a local air carrier in Bethel.
During the course of the investigation, Bethel WAANT located four ounces of marijuana on Agathluk’s person.
Further investigation revealed that Agathluk was checked in to travel to Emmonak with four bottles of beer inside his luggage.
Agathluk was arrested on one charge of Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance IV and one charge of Importation. He was transported to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Correctional Center and is awaiting arraignment.

2008 Bethel Dog Show

2-28-08

The annual Bethel Dog Show was held on Sunday, February 24, 2008 at the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center. There were 8 traditional categories and 10 fun categories that dogs could enter two win. A Best of Show winner was chosen from both sets.
Traditional Category Winners - Sporting Group: “Nolan” a Red & White Setter, owned by Tom Doolittle; Hound Group: “Bess” a Dachshund, owned by Ben Kuntz & Sarah Angstman; Working Group: “Orange” a Leonberger, owned by Kim Sheldon; Terrier Group: “Onery” a Schnauzer, owned by Valerie Roswell; Delta Mix: “Scotty” a Village Terrier, owned by Maryssa Soots; Non-Sporting Group: ;Herding Group: “Chena” an Australian Shepherd, owned by Dorothya Johnson; Toy Group: “Jack” a Yorkshire Terrier, owned by Sharon Sigmon; Best of Show: “Nolan” the Red & White Setter owned by Tom Doolittle.
Non-Traditional Category Winners - Most Independent: “Coda” Mix, owned by Lisa Cronk; Most Unusual Markings: “Mr. Snoop” an American Pit Bull, owned by Nate David; Best Tail Wagger: “Evie” a Mix, owned by Jim Samson; Most Mysterious Heritage: “Bear” a Tibetian Bull Mastiff, owned by Nyle Harrison; Best Vocal Performance: “Madrox” a Miniature Pinscher, owned by Kristina Maloy; Most Obedient: “Sam” a German Shepherd, owned by Kim; Old Timer: “Chumas” a Mix, owned by Roberta Aloysius; Most Original Costume: “Onery” a Schnauzer, owned by Valerie Boswell; Best Trick: “Kiska”, a Miniature Schnauzer, owned by Cindy Andrecheck; Most Adorable: “Mr. Snoop” an American Pit Bull, owned by Nate David; Best in Show: “Sam” the German Shepherd, owned by
The Bethel Dog Show was sponsored by Dr. Bob Sept of the Bering Sea Animal Clinic, the Old Friendly Dog Farm, and the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center HUD Grant.

Homebrewed Liquor:
The Enemy that Lies Within

2-5-08

by the Ohogamiut Traditional Council

The Ohogamiut Traditional Council, as a federally recognized tribe, is taking action as a tribal governing body with jurisdiction in Marshall, Alaska to address the Homebrew problem in our village.
Be advised that The State of Alaska Local Option Law that many of our communities voted-in also bans the manufacture of alcohol. AS 04.11.020, a person may not manufacture, sell, offer for sale, possess for sale or barter, traffic in, or barter an alcoholic beverage under license or permit issued under this title. Anyone found guilty and charged with manufacturing alcohol, i.e., homebrew faces a Class C Felony Charge.
Homebrew is easily made with simple, inexpensive ingredients along with yeast, which is used to bake homemade bread. With illegally imported commercially brewed alcohol running upwards of $150.00 a bottle, many villagers are making homebrew that is also the choice intoxicating beverage for the young adult population under the age of 21.
We, as responsible leaders, must rethink our battle tactics against the fight against alcohol to include homebrew in our endeavors. Measures must be taken by all area communities and tribes and governments to expose this hidden enemy that lies within.
The Community of Marshall in the recent past implemented a yeast restriction policy and, has taken al yeast products off the shelves to be sold only to responsible adults in the community.
However, that effort alone has not entirely eradicated homebrew for local private distillers. Brew makers are mail ordering their yeast supplies from urban centers, and/or simply traveling to an area villages to buy yeast where no yeast sales restrictions exist.
The Ohogamiut Traditional Council is encouraging all AVCP/Calista Region villages to implement a plan of action to address homebrew and yeast products for the continued health, safety, and welfare of our people.
According to Alaska’s criminal justice professionals, alcohol is the primary substance of abuse in Alaska and is the leading cause of violence and accidental death, especially in rural areas (2002 Annual Drug Report, Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, at 4.).
Alcohol, by the way of homebrew, is a major part of the scourge of alcohol abuse in our villages.
As unified tribal governments, we have the authority and means to take control and to disclose this plague. It is also advisable that the AVCP and the YKHC considers this concern as an agenda item for unified action; and it is advisable to inform the state legislators to make amendments on existing local option laws to keep yeast out of the wrong hands.
-Jason S. Isaac, President; Nick P. Andrew, Jr., Administrator

Master artist teaches traditional toy making

1-29-08

by K.J. Lincoln

Bobby Johnson of Mountain Village is a master at woodcarving. Last week, he taught a weeklong class “Traditional Toy Making” through the sponsorship of the Yupiit Piciryarait Cultural Center, a grant from HUD, and Kuskokwim Campus Continuing Education.
The classes were held at the well-equipped Yuut Elitnaurviat Learning Center Shop.
During the class, he was impressed with the quality of the workmanship of his students, including several ladies.
“I was really glad and surprised that the ladies in my class did pretty good. I was surprised in how much work they did,” he said. The things his students made were of a wide variety – bows and arrows, boats, storyknives, a gun, an inuguaq (doll), a sled, and a birdhouse.
When a couple of his young students wanted to make tanks, military artillery tanks, he didn’t say no.
“It’s good for their interest and their ability,” he said. “I used to do the same thing when I was their age.”
As a child, he observed his dad Tom Sr. carve toys for him and his siblings.
“My dad did a lot of carving in the evenings,” he said. “We had no TV, only radio.”
When his dad was too busy to make him wooden boats, slingshots, bow and arrows, and other toys, his older brothers would make things for him to play with.
Johnson is the second to the youngest child of the six children of Tom and Cleo Johnson of Mtn. Village. His dad gave him his first pocketknife when he was a small child. He used that pocketknife to make his own toys.
“I still have that pocketknife,” he said.
When making slingshots, they would use alder branches and cut strips from old hip boots or rubber gloves for the rubber band part.
Bobby Johnson, whose Yup’ik names are Ap’aurluq, Ciutailnguq, Qayaruaq, and Av’ayaq, attended Chemawa High School before transferring to St. Mary’s. When the school in Mtn. Village opened, he transferred back to his home and graduated on May 14, 1978.
“I never forget that day,” he said.
Johnson, who also carves ivory, says he enjoys teaching and passing on his skills and knowledge to others. He previously taught through the HUD Grant last fall on how to make a carving knife (mellgar), uluaqs and ipuuns (wooden spoons). He is looking forward to coming again this spring.
When he became a parent, he gave his son many gifts of homemade toys lovingly made with his own hands.
“I made all his toys for him. For Christmas, when there was no money to buy toys, I would make some for him,” he said. “He still has them and cherishes them.”
One of the toys he made is a miniature snowmachine with a windshield and mechanical skis – it is a work of art.
“That stuff is a good skill to know. Nowadays I don’t see homemade toys like that no more. It is good to learn,” said Johnson. “God gave us two hands and the ability to use them. I really like teaching kids and adults, to pass on knowledge to other people.”

2008 Meet the K-300 Mushers

1-15-08

by Tommy Wells

Jackie Larson: Larson will be one of the local favorites as he hails from nearby Napaskiak. A member of the Bethel Sprint Mushing organization, Larson will be making his first-ever run up the river as part of the K-300 race. Larson opened the 2007 sprint season on a high note, winning the Holiday Classic title on Dec. 29. Larson earned entry into the 2007 event by winning the Bogus Creek 150 a year ago.
Kyle Belleque*
Mike Williams, Sr.: One of the most-experienced Kuskokwim 300 mushers, Mike Williams will be competing in his 18th run up the river. The 55-year-old Akiak standout had produced top 15 finishes in four of the last five years. His best finish came in 1996 when he placed sixth overall. A proponent of Native sobriety, Williams won one of the K-300’s top honors in 2002 when he was awarded the “Walter Williams Best in the West” title after finishing the race as the top Y-K-based musher. The award, which is given by Alaska Airlines, is named after his late brother. Williams is also a perennial force in the Iditarod race.
Mike Williams, Jr.: No stranger to a sled dog race, Mike Williams, Jr. is making his second appearance in the Kuskokwim 300 race. Last season, he finished 15th overall – one spot ahead of his father. Williams exploded onto the K-300 scene two years ago by winning the Bogus Creek 150.
Myron Angstman: One of the founding fathers of the Kuskokwim 300, Alaska’s premier mid-distance sled dog race, Bethel resident Myron Angstman will be racing the K300 this year. He won the race twice in the 1980’s and is currently the Chairman for the Kuskokwim 300 Board.
Paul Gebhardt: An Iditarod veteran, Paul Gebhardt will be making his seventh appearance in the Kiskokwim 300 race. The Kasilof musher has competed well in the event over the years, finishing in the top 10 every year he has participated except for last year when he placed 11th.
Gebhardt is a familiar face on the sled-dog racing scene. In the past he has competed in events such as the Copper Basin 300, the Tustemena 200 and the Nushagak Classic. He was second in the Iditarod standings last year.
Hugh Neff: A native of Tennessee, Neff is making his second appearance in the K3—race. He finished sixth in his first run in 2007, completing the race in 48 hours, 2 minutes and 16 seconds. Neff grew up in Illinois but moved to Alaska in 1995 and began mushing shortly afterward. The 40-year-old resident of Skagway has competed in the Iditarod race several times. Neff is an avid canoer. He and fellow musher Tamra Reynolds own Laughing Eyes Kennels.
Sebastian Schnuelle: Originally born in Wuppertal, Germany, Schnuelle moved to Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory in 1997 “in search of adventure.” The 37-year-old musher, who owns his own kennel (Blue Kennel), has competed in many major races since moving to western Canada, including the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. He competed in both races from 2005 through 2007. He was received the Veterinarian’s and Sportsmanship awards while competing in the Yukon Quest last year. He is making his first attempt at the Kuskokwim River.
Jessica Klejka: The eldest of the Klejka children, Jessica Klejka of Bethel will be running her first K300 race ever. The BRHS senior ran the Junior Iditarod three times, finishing third in 2007. She placed 2nd in the Holiday Classic last December.
Melissa Owens*
A 17-year-old resident of Nome, Owens will be one of the youngest mushers to ever make their debuts in the K-300 tis year. A four-time Junior Iditarod competitor (winning in 2005), she is the daughter of former musher Michael Owens. During her young career, she has competed in the Junior Quest and the Don Bowers 200 and numerous Nome Kennel Club events.
Mitch Seavey: Veteran musher Mitch Seavey will be making his fourth appearance in the Kuskokwim 300 race this year. The 14-time Iditarod participant has won several mid-distance sled dog races during his 29 years on the trail, including the 2005 Kuskokwim 300 race in which he edged out Ed Iten and Martin Buser for the crown. Seavey has also won numerous other races, including the Grand Portage 200, the Klondike 300 and the Copper Basin 300. In 2004, Seavey used a fifth-place performance in the Kuskokwim 300 to prepare his team for an Iditarod victory.
Ed Iten: Kotzebue musher Ed Iten is no stranger to the Kuskokwim 300 race. The 54-year-old standout will be competing in his 13th K-300 race this season. Iten has consistently been one of the top teams in the race, finishing in the top 10 in all of his previous races. His best finish came in 2004 when he ended Jeff’ King’s three-year stranglehold on the crown. In 2005, he finished second and has placed fifth in each of the last two years. Iten has also starred in several other races throughout his career, including the Kobuk 440 – a race he has won seven times -- and the Iditarod.
He was second in the Iditarod in 2005 to Norway’s Robert Sorlie.
Jeff King: The all-time winningest musher in the Kuskokwim 300, Jeff King will be returning to Bethel to make his 17th appearance in the race. The 27-year mushing veteran has won the K-300 a record eight times – winning it three years in a row on two different occasions. A former Iditarod champion, King owns the second-fastest time ever in the Kuskokwim 300 , completing the 1992 race in a blistering time of 27 hours, 39 minutes. The 51-year-old musher owns another part to K-300 history as he his daughter, Cali, and son, Rohn, have all competed in the race.
Dave Decaro*
Jim Lanier: Born in Washington, D.C. and raised in North Dakota, Lanier will be making his rookie appearance at the K-300 this year. The 67-year-old musher came to Alaska in 1967 after accepting a position with the United States Public Health Service. He began his mushing career in 1977. During his career, he has competed in the Idiatrod and races in Russia. He is married to former Iditarod musher Anna Bondarenko.
Dee Dee Jonrowe: A 28-year veteran of sled-dog racing, Dee Dee Jonrowe will be returning to her former hometown for the first time since 2006 – and the 11th time overall – to compete in the Kuskokwim 300. A cancer survivor, Jonrowe’s best finish in the race came in 2002 when she placed third. Overall, she has finished in the K-300 top 10 a total of three times. The state’s most-decorated female musher, the 54-year-old has competed in the Iditarod race more than 20 times – finishing second on two different accessions. She has also won the Copper Basin 300 and Bear Grease 300 titles.
Gerald Riley: A former Iditarod champion, Jerry Riley is one of the best-known mushers in the state. The Nenana-based musher has been competing in the sled dog racing circuit for more than a decade. Riley is also one of the more familiar faces in the K-300 race, having finished in the top 10 in eight of his previous nine attempts. His best finish came in 1999 when he finished second to Jeff King. He also placed second in 1995. In 2006, he placed 16th overall, and placed 17th last year.
David Tresino*
Martin Buser: Martin Buser looks to add to his reputation as one of the top mushers in the world by staging yet another solid performance in the K-300 this year. The 49-year-old musher has placed in the top 10 in all but one of his 11 his previous runs up the river. A three-time Iditarod champion, Buser has won the Kusko twice, in 1994 again last year when he posted a time of 43 hours, 52 minutes and 9 seconds – eight minutes faster than Jeff King. Buser has finished second three times in his career, including in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and placed third in 2005. Buser was born in Winterthur, Switzerland in 1958, but became a naturalized American citizen in 2002 following his Iditarod victory.
Rohn Buser: The son of Martin Buser, Rohn will be making his second appearance in the Kuskokwim 300 race after making an amazing effort last year. In 2007, Buser completed the race in 47 hours and 1 second and placed fourth in the overall standings. For his efforts, he was awarded the race’s 2007 Kuskokwim 300 Rookie of the Year honors. A senior at Wasilla High School, he was the 2007 Junior Iditarod champion.
Ramy Smyth: Ramy Smyth will be making his first appearance on the Kusko in a decade this year. A former K-300 champion, the 32-year-old Willow resident last competed in the K-300 in 1997 and finished third overall. He won the Kusko 300 in 1995 with a memorable effort. He beat out Gerald Riley for the top spot that year by 5 minutes. He placed 25th in his first try at the race in 1994. Smyth and his wife, Rebecca, have one daughter, Ava.
*We apologize that we do not have musher profiles for these entrants at this time!

Inerquutet/Alerquutet (Morals) Ayaprun Elitnaurvik’s
Winter Pageant

12-25-07

We had our annual winter pageant on December 10th. Our school would like to thank everyone that made our annual winter pageant a success. Quyana to the K-6 grade students for presenting a fun play about inerquutet/alerquutet- morals. Quyana to our Future Teacher of Alaska Club with Ayaprun Jones for doing an excellent job announcing in both Yup’ik and English throughout the whole program. Quyana to our parent volunteer band, Hubert Angaiak, Willie John and Paul Chimiugak for playing Christmas music before and after the program. We would also like to thank Paul Fisher for helping the band when we sang our whole group song Ciuliamta Qanruyutait written by Ayaprun Loddie Jones. We also like to thank BRHS administration for sharing their gym with us. Quyana to Tommy Bayayok for video taping and taking pictures. This would not be possible if it was not for the parents and the supporters putting their children into our Yup’ik Immersion program of choice.
The items below are what each grade presented-Piunguallrit
Enemi Nacartuqsaunak (No hats/caps in the house or you’ll lose your hair), Kindergarten Classes: Ayaprun Jones and Angass’aq Samson; Negaiq Tuquskuvgu Ivsingciquq (If you kill spiders, it’ll rain), 1st grade classes: Naniruar Oulton; Ella Assiirutesqumavkenaku (Bad weather prevention), 1st/2nd grade Qirvan Augustine; Uguguaq Ullelluku (Turn caterpillar inside out), 2nd grade class: Inuqaar Carrie Dahl; Akerciisqekuvgu, Negairmek Kegginan Mingugluku (If you want sunshine, wipe your face with a spider), 3rd grade class: Atan’aq Michael; Qiugyatangqeraqan Kukumyaraarciigatelput (Not whistling at the northern lights), 4th grade class: Caqigaq Starr; Cingssiiget Pugkatgen (If little people should appear), 4th grade class: Maklak Liu; Enemi Angun Ciumek Neqliutuuq, Arnat Kingumek Nerlartut, Mermek Mess’iyaagyunaitellranek, Can’get Qaill’ Anirtuutnguyugngaciatnek, Arnat Angutet-llu Nallunritnarquciat Cayaraitnek (Women eat last, how drinking too much water may lead to weakness, how grass can save your life, and men and women need to learn each other’s roles), 5th grade class: Cucuaq Phillip; Iirutaaquvet Iirayulim Teguciqaaten (hide and seek Master will take you), 6th grade class: Alaq’aq Pavilla; Song: Ciuliamta Qanruyutait (Voice of Our Ancestors), Tamarmeng-Whole school
Ciulamta Qanruyutait
Tune: Oh, let the sun shine in
Words by: Ayaprun Jones
Ak’a wangkuta ciuliamta yut’eng qanruquratulqait. Qaill’ yuullerkaitnek, elluatutmun-llu ayallerkait. Ciunerput assiisqekumteggu niicucaarniartukut, Yuuluaqallerkaput tamamta umyuaqluki. (2X) Ilaci kenekluki. Arivteksaunaki. Kia yuum pingraaten. Elpet nallunguarluku. Naklekuraulluci. Ilakuyulluci. Tuaten elpet yuukuvet, Ircaqun tan’qigmek imirciqan.
Quyana to Ayaprun Elitnaurvik Support Staff: Kukucaq Tinker, Kaligtuq Amik, Uluk’aq Carlson, Maqaruaq Carl, Yugg’aq Mute, Aalika’ar Wintersteen, Arnayagaq Dyment, Pacungiar Jones, Uyaquq Neth, Paista Nanalook, Paugyuk Tommy Bayayok, Uisngaq Paul Gregory, Nurse Marty and Nurse Grace, Shared staff at Kilbuck and Mikelnguut Elitnaurviat, Our valuable substitutes, Parents/Guardians and grandparents, Supporters of Ayaprun Elitnaurvik, Department of Academics Program, LKSD Board, and administrative staff: Panigkaq Shields, Qaskilnguar Charlie, Pasrata’ar Owens
Alussistuaqegcikici-Happy Holidays, from Panigkaq Agatha John-Shields, Administrator; Ayaprun Elitnaurvik staff

Shishmaref students band
together to save village

We, the students of the Bering Strait School District in Shishmaref, Alaska have joined together to generate funds that are needed to relocate our village. Our native island of Sarichef is slowly eroding into the Chukchi Sea. Our village of Shishmaref needs enormous funds in order to match any state and federal money before the village can be moved to a site on the mainland.
Shishmaref, Alaska is a village of about 600 people. it is located on Sarichef Island in the Chukchi Sea just north of the Bering Strait, five miles from the Alaskan mainland. We are a traditional Inupiaq Eskimo village and our residents are proud of and rely heavily on a subsistence lifestyle. For more than two thousand years we have been hunting and gathering most of our food from this ancestral region.
Our island has experienced erosion of its north shoreline at an average loss of 3-5 feet per year except during the storms of 1973, 1997, and 2001 where erosion was as much as 125 feet of horizontal distance.
Many buildings were lost while others needed to be relocated to the farther end of the island. Our community has determined that it is unacceptable to continue to face the ever-present threat from ocean-based storms.
We voted on the only viable solution; to relocate the village to a nearby mainland location that is accessible to the sea, suitable for the subsistence lifestyle of our community, yet is still a part of our ancestral hunting grounds. We must preserve our Shishmaref Inupiat Eskimo people and our unique and precious culture.
No more money will be invested and all infrastructure building plans and grants for the current village have been canceled due to the eminent demise of our island. Subsequently, our village is without running water and there is no sewage system. We’ve run out of room and are unable to move homes that are in peril. Funds have been spent to build seawalls that may only postpone further erosion by fifteen years at the maximum to protect our community while plans are developed for the safe relocation of our town and its people.
We cannot successfully relocate on our own. “Igazaunoqtuut,” Inupiaq Eskimo for “We need help.” Advocates are needed to help with generating awareness, initiating fundraising activities, organizing benefits, and providing personal donations to our cause. For further information you may visit http://shismaref.bssd.org/sos. Donations for relocation should be made out to Shishmaref School for the SOS Project. Donations can also be made toward relocation at the Coalition website http:www.shishmarefrelocation.com. Quyaana, thank you.
-Students of Shishmaref School

Denali Commission offers
grants for energy projects

The Denali Commission and Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) have released two Requests for Proposals for Alternative/Renewable Energy and Energy Cost Reduction projects.
The Commission is offering up to $4.0 million in grant funds for alternative energy projects that serve rural Alaska. In addition, the Alaska Energy Authority is offering up to $1.0 million in grant funds for alternative energy project anywhere in Alaska.
Grants are available for pre-construction or construction tasks:
• Grants equal to 80% of approved pre-construction costs may be awarded to successful applicants
• Grants equal to 50% of approved construction costs may be awarded to successful applicants
AEA and its contractors will calculate a benefit-cost ratio for each project that meets the threshold criteria and will rank projects according to their benefit-cost ratio. No project with a benefit-cost ratio less than 1.0 will be offered grant funding under this RFP.
Complete application instructions can be found at the Commission’s website, www.denali.gov, including all eligibility and information requirements. Please download all attachments to the notice: Alternative Energy Solicitation; AES Construction Application; and AES Preconstruction Application.
Applications must be received by the Alaska Energy Authority at 813 West Northern Lights Boulevard, Anchorage, AK 99503, no later than 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2008.
The Commission and AEA will consider providing additional grant funds depending on the quantity and quality of proposals received and funding available.
Please contact Rebecca Garrett at 907-771-3000 or toll free (Alaska only) at 888-3000-8534 with questions.

Wolf attacks on Marshall cause
concern for possible rabies outbreak

11-6-07

by Nick Andrew Jr.

People in Marshall are very concerned about the likelihood of a widespread rabies outbreak based on the fact that approximately 25 or dogs were directly and indirectly affected by the wolf attacks.
Be advised that dog mushers and other pet owners are not negligent, nor do they purposely overlook immunizing their dogs. All dogs and cats were regularly vaccinated in the past when Marshall had the presence of a Village Public Safety Officer (VPSO).
People here are on alert status, parents or guardians are escorting their children to and from school, and all children are ordered to be home before dark for their safety.
As recently as October 29, 2007, wolves were reported near the village, and people are concern that others in the wolf pack have rabies and may attack again targeting more dogs and even humans.
Three sled dog yards were attacked by wolves on October 25, 2007. Alex Evan who lives in close proximity to all three kennels began hearing the dogs barking wildly and fighting for their lives at about 7:30 P.M.
Clem Kameroff whose dogs were also attacked mentioned hearing all the commotion during the same timeframe. It was later that evening that it was confirmed that wolves had attacked the dogs when Tony Boliver, whose dogs were also attacked, found a female dog and all the pups dead along with 11 or more bloodied dogs.
Following Boliver, Kameroff later found two of his sled dogs injured from the wolf attack. By approximately 8:30 P.M., Gordon Coffee’s dogs were also attacked by wolves some 400 yards north of the Boliver and Kameroff kennels.
The area of town where the kennels are located is a wooded area on the lower outskirts of the village near the sewage lagoon which provided cover for the marauding wolves.
Later into the night local men armed themselves to protect the sled dogs and the community. During the hours to follow the men noticed the wolves had no real fear of them and at times ran within a few feet of them near Boliver’s kennel.
It is speculated that 5 or more wolves of the pack came into the village that night, one of which was shot and killed that later tested positive for rabies.
Within the next few days wolves were sighted around the village wandering on the roads and near homes. People were basically baffled about this odd behavior of the wolves and many expected the worst.
Local Yup’ik Eskimo Elder Paul Boots informed me that wolves are highly intelligent.
“They send a few pack members out to scout out hunting areas, and later come as a pack,” he said.
During the days to follow, four other wolves were shot and wounded near the village. Please be also advised that these wolves were targeted to only protect life and property.
Dog owners in Marshall do not have direct access to the required immunization shots and many dogs go immunized for rabies though not by choice, rather on availability.
It is a fact of life here in rural Alaska that responsible dog mushers keep their dogs chained which has offended many urban animal rights activists who dubbed the chaining of sled dogs as “bait” and “inhumane.”
This matter is very serious and there is a real possibility of a rabies outbreak in the village. It is not known how many dogs have been affected and only time will tell once the incubation period manifests those affected by the disease.
Effective November 1, 2007, the City of Marshall began destroying all loose and stray dogs, or dogs that have been suspected of being in contact with infected wolf.
Uncertainty is our biggest fear, at this time we don’t know the extent of the spread of rabies because rabies is spread through bites and saliva.
Ohogamiut Traditional Council (OTC)
Nick P. Andrew, Jr., Tribal Administrator
Marshall, AK

Marshall wolf tests positive for rabies

A wolf from a pack that killed six dogs in Marshall last week has tested positive for rabies.
Tests performed by the Alaska State Virology Laboratory (ASVL) confirmed the 17 month old female wolf was positive for rabies virus.
The pack entered Marshall last Thursday, October 25 and killed three adult dogs and three pups in one dog yard. One wolf was killed and several others may have been wounded by residents of the village. Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Wildlife Veterinarian Kimberlee Beckmen said it is possible other wolves in the pack have the disease as well.
“Rabies virus is present in saliva, and when several animals eat from the same source, the virus can be quickly spread to other members of the pack,” Dr. Beckmen said. “However, rabies is extremely rare in wolves in Alaska.”
No humans were injured by the wolves in Marshall. The people who came in contact with the rabid wolf when it was killed, skinned, and necropsied are being evaluated to determine if they were exposed to rabies virus.
Several dogs were bitten by wolves from the same pack. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) Division of Public Health (DPH) advises dog owners in Marshall that if their dogs were previously vaccinated to have them revaccinated immediately, and then confine and observe them for 45 days to make sure they don’t come down with the disease.
Unvaccinated dogs that were exposed to the wolves run a very high risk of developing rabies in the next few weeks and can expose other animals and people. The DPH strongly recommends that unvaccinated dogs be euthanized to prevent the risk of spreading the rabies virus to people or other animals.
Dog owners in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta with questions or concerns should contact the Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation Office of Environmental Health (OEH) at (907) 543-6420. OEH personnel are identifying and locating all dogs known to have been exposed to the wolves. State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Gerlach has contacted veterinarians in the region to enlist their assistance as well.
Only 18 wolves have tested positive for the disease in Alaska since 1977. The last confirmed case occurred in 1998 in a wolf from the Dillingham area. The disease is more commonly found in foxes in coastal areas, and some 35 animals have tested positive for rabies since 2006, along the west coast and North Slope of Alaska. As a result, efforts were made to vaccinate dogs in several Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta villages in 2007.
Rabies is spread when saliva from an infected animal comes into contact with another person or animal. Trappers are not normally exposed to the disease when skinning infected animals, but should be careful not to allow saliva or salivary glands to come in contact with open wounds.
For more information: Greg Wilkinson, DHSS Public Information Officer: 269-7285, cell: 382-7032

Future nurses of the Delta

10-2-07

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month & TWC is inviting community members to participate in various events throughout the upcoming weeks. These events are designed to promote education about family violence and honor those people who have been harmed by family violence.
Whether we realize it or not, most of us know someone who has been affected by family violence. In 2007 TWC has already provided more than 4,000 nights of shelter for victims of abuse. Last year, TWC received more than 600 crisis calls on the 24-hour hotline. While it is a positive sign that some victims choose to reach out and utilize services, the volume of need is very troubling. Working together, each of us can help keep victims safe and send the message that family violence will not be accepted in our communities.
Please join the staff of TWC in making this statement during October by joining one of the following activities:
•Peacewalk this Friday at noon, starting at the cultural center and walking to TWC where there will be sandwiches sponsored by Subway & soup sponsored by the shelter.
•Bring a dish to share at the Interfaith Luncheon at the Covenant Church at noon on the 13th.
•Join the Candlelight Ceremony at 7 p.m. on the 25th at TWC, honoring victims of domestic violence.
•Wear a purple ribbon or put a bumper sticker or magnet on your car showing your commitment to nonviolence - and watch for one of several displays that will go up during the month.
•Listen for PSAs and a new song about domestic violence, which was written by Brian McCaffery and recorded by Brian with Allison Broerman on KYUK.
Staying silent about family violence is what allows this problem to continue, hidden in secrecy - so please take the opportunity this awareness month to speak out or show your support.

Heather Johnson aces
Private Pilot written test

9-18-07

Heather Johnson took her Private Pilot written test on September 14, 2007. She is the first student with Yuut Yaqungviat who has received a perfect score with a written test.
Heather started her training with Yuut Yaqungviat on August 25, 2006, and took her first solo flight on June 2, 2007. She will pursue her instrument rating once she receives her Private Pilot certificate, which she is scheduling a check ride for in October 2007.
If you are interested in pursuing a career as a Professional Pilot, please contact Thad Tikiun, Student Services Manager at Yuut Yaqungviat, LLC at 907-543-7209 or on our Toll Free number 1-888-543-7209 to request a student pilot application or visit our website at www.yuutyaqungviat.org.

Cloud funnel spotted in Bethel

photos by Ashley Crace

8-28-07

This natural phenomenon, which may be a cold air funnel, occurred on Monday last week between 6:00 and 6:15pm and was observed by many residents of Bethel. Cold air funnels develop in cool air masses along with moist air and rarely impact the earth's surface.

Two Bethel planes go down

8-14-07

by The Delta Discovery staff

On Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plane on floats, while being moved to Hangar Lake from H-Marker Lake, crashed about a mile north of the Bethel Landfill site.
The FAA report on the incident said the plane experienced an in-flight engine failure. The pilot then attempted an emergency landing on a small lake but the plane flipped over after it hit the shoreline.
The pilot, who was slightly injured and alone in the incident, was able to call for assistance and his location to the authorities.
Two Bethel fire department and several Bethel Search and Rescue personnel on ATVs and a snowmachine were able to respond and assisted the pilot to a waiting ambulance on the Haroldsen Subdivision road.
On Friday, the plane, which did not appear to be damaged at first glance, was removed from its crash site to a location in Bethel to be examined.
On Thursday, Aug. 9, 2007, it was reported that a Ptarmigan Air Beaver on floats also flipped over while landing on the Kisaralik Lake.
A pilot and two passengers were aboard the Beaver.
Sources with knowledge of the incident said the expansive Kisaralik Lake was calm during the landing, which could make it difficult to judge distance between the water and the plane.
In these conditions, it was said the plane landed hard on the water, bounced and flipped over after hitting the water with one of its floats.
There were no fatalities in either of the floatplane incidents.

Emmonak receives
solid waste grant

Chad Padgett, acting Director of USDA Alaska Rural Development, announced that the City of Emmonak has been approved to receive a $41,000 grant from Alaska USDA to help the community’s effort to close the current local landfill and develop a new landfill in an environmentally suitable location.
Closure of the old landfill and relocation of solid waste to a new landfill will help relieve a significant health issue caused by leaching of the existing landfill into the Yukon River, which provides drinking water for Emmonak and several villages downstream.
“Moving the landfill has been the number one priority of the Elders of Emmonak,” said Emmonak City Manager Martin B. Moore. “The Elders said that we must move the landfill away from the water intake to protect the health of the community,” said Moore.
The Rural Development funds will be supplemented by a $13,000 local contribution. The funds will be used to develop cost projections and analysis associated with the preparation of Preliminary Engineering and an Environmental Reports required for the project.

2007-2008 Caribou
Season in the YK area

7-31-07

Caribou season on state managed land will be opening soon and everyone on the Yukon-Kuskokwim area is anxious to fill their freezers. Before heading out for caribou this fall and winter please be aware of the NEW bag limit and season dates.
In March 2007, the Alaska Board of Game passed a new regulation affecting the resident bag limit for the Mulchatna Caribou herd in Units 9, 17, 18, and 19. The bag limit for Alaska residents is now 2 caribou instead of 3. However, no more than one bull may be taken, and only one caribou may be taken from August 1 to January 31. The season dates remain the same for Alaska residents with the hunt opening August 1 and closing March 15. Also, meat-on-the-bone requirements apply to caribou taken prior to October 1 in Units 9B, 18, 19A, 19B.
Non residents may only harvest one caribou and the season has been shortened to September 1- September 15. Nonresident orientation is required in Unit 19B.
There are also changes affecting caribou hunting on federal public lands in Unit 18. An individual may only harvest 3 caribou; and no more than 1 caribou may be taken from August 1-November 30. The new federal season dates are August 1 through March 15.
Please contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Bethel with any questions you may have. 907-543-2433 or 1-800-425-2979.

Early fall moose hunt on Lower Yukon opened by Federal Subsistence Board

In response to local concerns, the Federal Subsistence Board has approved an early fall moose hunt on Federal lands in Unit 18 downriver and west of the Kuskokwim moratorium area. The open area includes, but is not limited to, all drainages downriver from Mountain Village on the Yukon River. This special early season is limited to Federal lands only, will run from August 10 to August 31, and is open only to Federally qualified subsistence users (rural Alaska residents qualified to harvest wildlife on Federal public lands). The harvest limit is one antlered bull per qualified user.
The Federal Subsistence Board approved this hunt in response to a proposal from local residents requesting an early hunt so that subsistence users could harvest moose 1) during their traditional berry-picking season, and 2) before local schools start the fall semester.
Because this hunt is restricted to Federal lands only in Unit 18 along the Lower Yukon River and in Unit 18 remainder, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be providing high quality land ownership maps to the tribal councils in each affected village. These maps should allow local subsistence users to determine where they can legally hunt during this early fall season. As always, harvest tags and a state hunting license are required. For additional information, contact a refuge officer at (907) 543-3151 or (800) 621-5804.

California couple assumes reins of
Shogun Restaurant

7-25-07

by Tommy Wells

Tom Valadez wasn’t at all sure what he had gotten himself into when he walked off the plane last fall to find snow swirling around and temperatures well below freezing.
Maybe the hour-long commute to and from work weren’t that bad.
Fortunately for Bethel, his mother – nor his wife – would let the cooking school phenom walk away.
A little over a year later, Tom and Melissa Valadez find themselves the new owners of one of Bethel’s finest restaurants – Shoguns. The couple assumed control of the business on July 1, taking over for Valadez’s mother, Anna Kim.
“This has been so much fun,” said Valadez. “I can see me doing this in Bethel for a long, long time. You can’t imagine how much we enjoy it here. My mother had been trying for years to get me to come up here. I’m so happy I did.”
So was Kim, who started out as a waitress at the original Shoguns restaurant that was located above the Alaska Commercial store before eventually buying the business.
“It’s time for me to retire,” she laughed. “It’s their time now.”
For Valadez, taking over Shoguns was a dream come true. Prior to coming to Bethel, he had attended cooking school at Grossmont College in California and helped cater several events with Hollywood stars in and around California and Mexico.
“Tom has always wanted to open a restaurant,” said Melissa Valadez. “When his mother offered us the chance to come here, we jumped on it.”
After he convinced her to try western Alaska.
“At first, I was like ‘no way. I’m not going to Alaska. I’m a southern California girl,’” laughed Valadez, the mother of twin boys, Kevin and Kyle and 2-year old daughter, Leah. “But his job (as a shipping coordinator at a computer facility) was killing him. He was tired of it. I saw how miserable he was so I told him to come up here and check out … and then we would talk about it.”
Valadez arrived for a week visit to Bethel that fall – arriving during a storm in which snow was blowing sideways.
“When I first came here, the snow was blowing so hard,” he said. “I remember looking out and saying ‘Oh my God!’”
Kim reassured her son, however. Things would get better, she said.
Sure enough, things did get better. During his visit, Valadez grew fond of Bethel and became convinced this was the place he wanted to be.
“It (Bethel) kind of grows on you,” he said. “The people here are so nice, it’s amazing.”
“We’ve made a lot of friends,” said Melissa. “The people have really taken us in with open arms.”
After taking over, the couple, with the help of their brother-in-law, Joey, closed the restaurant for five days to make some needed repairs and re-paint the interior. Local contractor Dan Billings helped with some of the repairs and created a separate area that will eventually be turned in a beauty salon.
Melissa Valadez is a licensed beautician, having managed a Super Cuts store in California.
The couple plans to make several additions to Shogun’s appeal in the near future, including expanding the menu’s salad bar and creating a menu of healthier foods featuring locally-grown organic vegetables when available. They are also adding a line of Mexican food to the menu – all made from scratch.
They also plan to create a “Date Night” format on Fridays in the coming months. The “Date Night” approach will allow couples to enjoy a Prime Rib meal while dining out.
“We want to make this a place where everyone enjoys coming,” she said.
Much like Tom, Melissa and Joey Valadez have.
“All in all, we’re very happy with our decision to come here,” she said.
Shoguns is open from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. from Sunday through Friday. The restaurant is closed on Saturdays.

Napaimute Traditional Council Takes First Hand Look at an Operating Alaskan Open Pit Gold Mine

6-19-07

“10 Seconds!” the radio warned. Seven visitors peered expectantly into largest man-made hole in the earth any of them had ever seen. The seconds ticked off in their heads until 300 under ground explosions went off in rapid succession like a string of giant firecrackers.

The patch of solid rock the people had been watching several hundred feet below lifted up a few feet and settled back down reminiscent of an isolated swell out in the Bering Sea. The small cloud of dust quickly settled revealing a new area of broken rock ready to be scooped up and carried away by colossal trucks to the mill where it would be further reduced and processed to get to the tiny particles that humans have been hungrily seeking through out the centuries – gold.

This was the Fort Knox Gold Mine near Fairbanks and the Napaimute Traditional Council, Administration, and Environmental Department had just witnessed the daily blasting of gold producing ore in the open pit.

For the past 11 years the Napaimute Traditional had been observing, learning about, and participating in the development of the Donlin Creek Project, 40 miles northeast of the village. The leadership and administration of Napaimute have attended countless meetings here in the region and across the State regarding the Project and the overall issue of large- scale natural resource development.

“We have been pulled this way and that way by the various opponents and proponents of Donlin Creek. We have endured an endless stream of misinformation propagated by biased radio talk shows, suspiciously-financed environmental groups, vocal individuals with the personal resources to shape public opinion, and the corporate mining industry itself,” says Napaimute’s Administrator.

In 2005 the Native Village of Napaimute began developing an Environmental Department under the EPA IGAP Program. “One of the main goals of this program is to understand the impacts of the development of Donlin Creek on this region,” explains Napaimute’s Environmental Coordinator, Mitchell Dammeyer. “ We need to focus on facts.”

Late in 2006 at their annual end-of-the year work session, the Napaimute Traditional Council set its priorities for 2007. One of the main directives given to Administration and the Environmental Department by the Council was: “Help us to the be the most informed Tribal Council in the Region on large-scale gold mining with a concentration on Donlin Creek”. Napaimute’s Environmental Coordinator, Mitchell Dammeyer, readily accepted this challenging task.

Arranging for the tour to the Ft Knox Gold Mine was just one of the many steps Mitchell has taken to fulfill this critical goal. It was time and expense well spent.

The Council wanted to see first hand what an operating open pit gold mine in the Alaskan Environment looks like, not one in the Lower 48 and not one operated by a company that wants to develop one here in our region. Napaimute’s leadership needed something to identify Donlin Creek with and against. The tour of Ft Knox was informative and a true eye-opener with regards to size and impact to the land.

The Council went to Ft Knox with three specific issues they wanted to learn about:

1.     The transportation & use of cyanide in the mining process
2.     Waste rock management as it relates to acid rock drainage
3.     The tailings impoundment

It became apparent during preliminary planning for the trip that the value of seeing Ft Knox would be for comparison and contrast to Donlin Creek only. Mines are very site-specific and even though Ft Knox and Donlin are located in very similar climates and topography (low hills drained by small creeks) there are great differences. As an operating mine, Donlin Creek will be very different in many ways.

The most obvious difference is in size. Donlin Creek will be much larger. The pit at Donlin potentially will be another 3 times larger than the pit at Ft Knox.

Also related to size is infrastructure. Because Ft Knox is located near a major Alaskan city (Fairbanks) with well developed energy and transportation systems it was much easier to develop and has a smaller footprint than Donlin Creek will have.

Ft Knox receives power from an electrical line that ties directly into the Rail Belt grid. The power line running to the Mine is hardly even noticeable as one drives towards the Site. Powering Donlin Creek is a major hurdle that has to be solved.

Perhaps the most surprising infrastructure component was fuel storage – there is none (at least very little). Napaimute has as much or more fuel storage than the Fort Knox Mine. Fuel is trucked daily from area suppliers to the mine to meet the needs of operations. Donlin Creek will need multi-million fuel storage capacities.

Also, there are no living quarters at the Ft Knox Mine. Because the mine is connected to the road system, employees commute daily from Fairbanks and other outlying communities.  Donlin Creek will need room and board facilities as well as recreational facilities on site. A 6,000’ paved runway is planned for Donlin Creek.

One important similarity between Ft Knox and Donlin is their location on important watersheds:

Ft. Knox is located on a tributary of the Little Chena River, which runs into the main Chena River, which runs through DOWNTOWN FAIRBANKS into the Tanana River and eventually into the Yukon.

Donlin is located on a tributary of Crooked Creek, which runs into the Kuskokwim. (No, it doesn’t flow into the Yukon as some people have said)

After observing these external differences and similarities between Ft Knox and Donlin Creek, the Council turned their attention to addressing the three critical environmental issues they came to learn about.

 According to Ft. Knox Mine Operators, the issue of waste rock and acid rock drainage isn’t a problem at Ft Knox. The geology there is very different than that of the Donlin Creek area. The ore body (the rocks that the gold is taken from) at Ft Knox is granite with very low sulfur and low heavy metal content. One can see from the picture above the gray rock in the pit. This is the ore body. Because of these characteristics, the waste rock needs little or no special treatment. Acid rock drainage won’t be an issue at Ft Knox. At closure, Ft Knox will be monitored for seven years. After that period, no additional monitoring will be required and the Mine Operators will basically walk away from it.

 Acid Rock Drainage will be an issue at Donlin. The level is still being determined and the project managers are working hard to address this. THIS IS ONE OF THE KEY ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE WILL ALL NEED TO CONCENTRATE ON.

The next issue that the Napaimute Traditional Council looked at was the transportation & use of cyanide in the mining process at Ft. Knox. This is what was learned:

·      Ft Knox has been operating for 12 years.

·      Through out those 12 years cyanide has been safely transported on a monthly basis to the Mine. It is shipped in specialized containers (double/triple lined) that come in to Alaska by ship, and then railroad to Fairbanks then trucked to the Mine. (That’s a lot of handling without incident). It is trucked to the site with regular semi-trucks in the normal flow of traffic on the highway – no flashing lights, no pilot cars, and no big hazardous material signs. The transportation is all very routine.

·      During transportation, Cyanide is in a dry, pellet form.

·      Cyanide is a poison – not a toxin. It will kill you if in a high enough concentration, but it does not build up in human or animal systems and slowly kill like mercury or other toxic elements.

·      Cyanide is quickly broken down by sunlight. The small amount of cyanide that is in the tailings impoundment is below State Standards. In the summer it is very low due to the long hours of sunlight in Interior Alaska. Ducks were observed swimming in the tailings pond. The level is higher in winter due to ice cover and low sunlight, but is still low below the permitted level. The Ft. Knox tailings pond is permitted to a maximum of 10 parts per million (10 drops of cyanide to 1,000,000 drops of water).

·      They had a “cyanide leak” at Ft Knox this winter, which was reported on the news. In actuality, this was a leak of water from the tailings impoundment that had a few parts per million of cyanide in it – not pure cyanide as people were led to believe by the media.

·      Ft Knox has taken extensive measures to remediate and to try to ensure this doesn’t reoccur. But there are no guarantees that it can’t happen again.

·      The danger from cyanide in the tailings pond comes from it reaction with other chemical elements in the waste rock, which forms new harmful compounds that are not so easily broken down. Because Ft Knox has “clean” waste rock, this is not an issue at this mine. This potentially could be an issue at Donlin. It is not known yet. This will be another area for the people of the Kuskokwim to focus on regarding the development of Donlin Creek.

After learning about the use of cyanide in the mining process and observing the mill operations, the Council turned its attention to the tailings impoundment, which has been another area of big concern regarding the development of Donlin Creek.

The tailings (left over water and ground up rock from the mill) impoundment was impressive and, at first sight – alarming. The two valleys where Ft Knox is located are gradually being filled with the tailings. It looks like the mud flats around Cook Inlet or the outwash plain at the end of a glacier. The trees on the slopes of the valley are gradually being drowned as the level of the tailings rises over the years. It wasn’t clear how deep the valley originally was, but Ft Knox’s Public Relations Representative revealed that the water level was 40 feet deep with an undetermined depth of tailings underneath.

All of this is held back by a massive 300-foot high earthen dam made from blasted waste rock. Donlin Creek’s containment dam is proposed to be 900 feet high by the end of the life of the Mine.

As Napaimute’s Group was driven across the top of the dam and later to the bottom on the downstream side they tried to imagine the proposed dam at Donlin being three times higher, but it takes time to absorb the enormity of open pit mining and to accept that this very thing may occur right in their own region – on an even larger scale.

The tailings impoundment will be a crucial component of Donlin Creek if it is determined that the rock there produces high levels of acid, heavy metals, and other potentially harmful compounds. The people of the region will need every reassurance that nothing harmful can get past the dam and into the Kuskokwim watershed.

Below the dam, Ft Knox has reclaimed the valley that had been devastated by early 20^th century placer mining. The natural growth has come back providing good moose habitat (evidence of heavy moose browse on the willows was noted), there are live beaver houses in the creek, many ducks, and the mining company restocked the watershed w/ grayling which are now thriving. It’s important to remember that this same little creek eventually flows through downtown Fairbanks.

It was reassuring for the Council to see so much life so close to an operating open pit mine, but again, Napaimute’s leadership was reminded that Donlin Creek will not be the same as Ft Knox.

By the time the study of the tailings impoundment was finished, it was late. Through their many in depth questions, the Napaimute Traditional Council had stretched the standard 2 hour Ft Knox tour into 5 hours and everyone was tired.

The Napaimute Group left the Mine with a much better understanding of Open Pit Gold Mining Operations in the Alaska setting. And now have some thing to gauge the development of Donlin Creek by. All the Napaimute representatives participating in the tour agreed that the use and transportation of cyanide is not the issue to focus on. Cyanide is commonly transported safely across Alaska and the levels occurring in the tailings pond are very low. There are many other more toxic chemicals being transported and used throughout Alaska every day (petroleum products, explosives, etc.). The fact that it is transported in dry, pellet form was good to hear.

The main area of concern for our region regarding the development of Donlin Creek is the level of acid and heavy metals that will be produced in the waste rock if the Mine goes into operation and how this be addressed in both the short and long term by the Mine’s operators. The people will also need to know how the small amounts of cyanide in the tailings impoundment will react with these.

The short and long-term management of the tailings impoundment is an issue that the concerned people of the region must be involved in. Nobody wants to see a tailings impoundment like the one at Red Dog Mine (a lead & zinc mine in Northwest Alaska). It has to be treated in perpetuity – FOREVER! How can anything be treated forever?

As the tour of Ft Knox progressed from one component to another The Council tried to imagine the future and their own people back home doing the various jobs that were observed. There is a huge array of employment opportunities in a large-scale open pit mine. Many appear to be dirty, repetitious jobs while many others require high levels of training and occur in comfortable settings. A young person in the region thinking about working at Donlin Creek should be preparing him or herself for the level of employment most appealing to them.

Driving back down the highway towards Fairbanks in the early evening, Napaimute’s Council and Administration discussed all that they had seen at Ft Knox and what they had not seen. Napaimute’s Leadership understood that while this was not a tour sponsored by Barrick, it was still a “company tour” and as such were only shown the best sides of the Mining operation. They felt confident, though; that many questions were asked and answered that hadn’t been put forth before to the Company. This was evident by the additional mining personnel that were brought in by the tour guide to provide the answers being sought – especially regarding cyanide and other environmental concerns.

The Mining Companies want to show the best sides of their operations. The Environmental Groups want to show the worst.

The Napaimute Traditional Council, and hopefully, the people of the region continue to look for the truth.

They want their people to have steady, full-time employment if it can be accomplished with maximum protection of the environment so that everyone can continue the time-honored traditions of eating and sharing the food gathered from it.

As the evening thunderclouds gathered in hills to the north of Fairbanks, like the storms of controversy building over the development of Donlin Creek, the Council wondered to themselves, “Can this be done?”

In closing, while traveling to Anchorage and Fairbanks and driving the highway in between, Napaimute’s leadership observed two coal-fired power plants in the middle of Fairbanks (didn’t see any black soot or things dying) and preparations being made for another in the Mat-Su Valley. They noticed the power lines running between Alaska’s two largest cities that provide cheap electricity to the residents along its route. They also enjoyed the convenience and economics of traveling by car along the highway through miles and miles of unspoiled wilderness. “It’s no wonder so many of our people are moving to the “Valley”, was a comment made.

As Rural Alaska continues to be strangled by increasing energy costs (gas & diesel), maybe the people of the region need to seriously start exploring these options. 

Donlin Creek / Fort Knox Comparison

Category                                            Fort Knox                              Donlin Creek (P.A.*)

Daily through put (ore milled)             40,000 tones/day                     60,000 tones/day

Annual Gold Production                     330,000 oz                              up to 1,300,000 oz

Gold recovery method                         cyanide vat leach                     cyanide vat leach

Start Date                                            1996                                        2011 (est)

Ore “type”                                           low sulfur, high bismuth         moderate sulfur/metals

Expected mine life (years)                   initially:12 , currently: 18        22

Pit size                                                 1/2 1 mile                       2 miles X 1 mile

Pit dewatering                                     required                                   required

Stripping ratio (Waste : ore)                2 : 1                                         2 – 10 : 1  average 4 : 1

Tailings impoundment              1177 acres                               Aprox. 2000 acres (2.7 sq mi)

Final size of tailings dam                     350 vertical feet                       900 vertical feet

Pit reclamation                          fill with water                          fill with water

Tailings pond reclamation                   constructed wetland                 constructed wetland

Interesting comparisons to look for at Fort Knox

Donlin Creek

Electrical consumption                                    120 – 140 MW

Mill employees                                                175 people

Mine employees                                              275 people

Capitol costs                                                    $ 2.1 Billion