Contributors

Man’s best friend

by Peter Twitchell I remember the days of the Fur Rondy Festival weekend sled dog races in Anchorage back in the 50s when there were many local mushers and names of familiar people from rural […]

Contributors

A fixture of our past

by Peter Twitchell The “Outhouse” is a thing of the past but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was a boy growing up 3 miles on the other side of the Kuskokwim River […]

Contributors

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone

by Peter Twitchell Webster’s dictionary defines a hernia as a protrusion of an organ or part (such as the intestine) through connective tissue or through a wall of the cavity (as of the abdomen) in […]

Contributors

Reflections on life

by Peter Twitchell The year 2020 to 2022 has been like an eye-opener to me. It made me look at our behaviors as Humanity a lot closer and gave me more focus on us as […]

Contributors

A Miracle in 1983

by Peter Twitchell What I experienced back in 1983 is a Miracle. There is no other way I can explain it. Early in 1983 mysteriously the palms of my hands and the soles of my […]

Contributors

Childhood lessons

by Peter Twitchell I was a boy of 7 to 8 years old when I was visiting with my cousin Joe Woods Jr. at Grandma Hannah’s fish camp up the “Straight Slough” upriver from Bethel […]

Contributors

The effects of the pandemic

by Peter Twitchell I am eternally grateful to the Native organizations who provided us with Alaska COVID relief aid the past two years. First, the Orutsararmiut Tribal organization in Bethel, and the Bethel Native Corporation, […]

Contributors

The freedom to choose

by Peter Twitchell Medical professionals and science say those unvaccinated people face being hospitalized in 2022. Today they reported 277,000 Omicron Covid cases per day across the United States alone. Whatever happened to our precautions […]

Contributors

Elder survival wisdom

by Peter Twitchell Always be prepared for cold weather. After talking to my friend Charlie Kilangak of Emmonak about survival strategies it really got me to thinking about what I used to hear our Elders […]

Contributors

Never a dull moment

by Peter Twitchell When I first started working for KYUK public radio station in 1971 a year after I started working I began attending radio conferences in the lower 48. One year in the West […]

Contributors

Memories of Christmas Past

by Peter Twitchell As we prepare for the Christmas holiday my memories go back to when I was a child of eight, nine, and ten. I went to Sunday school at the Bethel Moravian church […]

Contributors

Birthday blessings

by Peter Twitchell Back in 2013 my daughter Suzi celebrated her 15th birthday. I remember back when I was 15. I told Suzi after my 15th birthday four months later I lost my Dad and […]

Contributors

Dedication to the station

by Peter Twitchell In the 24 years I worked at the KYUK radio station there were two notable radio engineers who came to KYUK. There were a few of them throughout the years, but Bob […]

Contributors

Old traditions

by Peter Twitchell When I was a boy growing up in the 1950s in Bethel, Alaska whenever a loved one passed on a family member of the deceased burned the clothes of their loved ones. […]

Contributors

Warm memories of cold winters

by Peter Twitchell Back in Bethel, during the 1960’s, us kids went house to house down Mission Road, including our friends and relatives’ homes on Main Street. The people of Bethel were always without fail […]

Contributors

A better tomorrow

by Peter Twitchell We must never forget our Ancients who nurtured us by feeding us a steady diet of healthy food to help our minds, our hearts, our bodies, and our spirit to develop into […]

Contributors

Make it count

by Peter Twitchell This is Peter Adams Twitchell. I don’t mind saying I was a substance abuse counselor for 17 years, mainly for inmates in the Yukon Kuskokwim Correctional Center and Phillips treatment facility named […]

Contributors

A song in my heart

by Peter Twitchell I’ve liked and I’ve loved music all my life. I believe music, singing, dancing all have some benefit to giving me longevity, freedom to express my feelings and my emotions in a […]

Contributors

Changing Times

by Peter Twitchell Today we are inundated with with extreme weather conditions. When I went to Southern Lake Tahoe in July, fires were raging in California and the smell of fire was in the air. […]

Contributors

Fall subsistence harvest

by Peter Twitchell Our Indigenous people in Alaska never wasted any part of an animal they hunted. There was no such thing as “trophy hunters.” They caught a fish in their subsistence nets, and cooked […]

Contributors

Our changing world

by Peter Twitchell Bobby Gregory told me today September 03, 2021 that the KVNA building was torn down. It’s always good to hear a bit of news from back home however disappointing, we know nothing […]

Contributors

The way to wellness

by Peter Twitchell As far as I can gauge alcohol, it’s general abuse by people who drink alcohol like fish drink water, the poison which it is, in high amounts kills physically, emotionally, mentally and […]

Contributors

Elders are our Culture Bearers

by Peter Twitchell I have gained knowledge of the old ways, Traditions of our People, the Culture of our People of Southwest Alaska. First and foremost from my parents David and Sarah Twitchell, my maternal […]

Contributors

Making ends meet

by Peter Twitchell We were all limited in our income – those of us with big families. I had a family of five and I worked three jobs for 50 years. My regular job, custodial […]

Contributors

Go the extra mile

by Peter Twitchell Being an extra mile person is not the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but it’s getting easier. We always expect something in return. If you do something for me then I’ll do […]

Contributors

Preserving our Language and Culture

by Peter Twitchell It’s good that indigenous people are getting their covid vaccinations, not just to extend our lives but to preserve our native culture through our culture bearers, our Elders, and our children. To […]

Contributors

A cleaner future

by Peter Twitchell As a boy in the Early Years of my childhood the sky was clear and the sun shown brightly in the 1950s. Our skies were not polluted like they are today with […]

Contributors

It is better to give

by Peter Twitchell Many of our native people have been cautious about getting a covid immunization, which is an individual choice, I won’t judge anyone. I chose to get a covid shot because I have […]

Contributors

July 4th Bethel Style

by Peter Twitchell When I was a boy in Bethel, Alaska back in the 50s right about now excitement was growing with the July 4th Celebration a few days away. I thought about the Men’s […]

Contributors

5K Finisher

by Peter Twitchell Today I was getting ready to go on my usual mile walk, when I noticed booths getting set up on the compound where I live in Wasilla. An Elder told me that […]

Contributors

We must respect our land

by Peter Twitchell I have to reflect back when I was a youngster growing up… our Elders loved to steam together and tell stories of the day’s successful hunts and laugh. They lived to be […]

Contributors

Grateful for our Blessings

by Peter Twitchell Year by Year our body is aging. I’m 71, thinking I am aging “gracefully”. I can still walk. I can walk full steam ahead for ½ mile and not feel winded and […]

Contributors

A man named Yulqutaq

by Peter Twitchell I noticed an old man back in the Fifties, he had my undivided attention! Every spring he took his kayak out from under the building and put it on a homemade sled […]

Contributors

Seal oil saved me

by Peter Twitchell My grandson “Agyaq” (Rising Star) loves cottonwood smoked strips and dried fish, first try! I guess all us Yup’iks love our subsistence foods. Its in our DNA and in our body. Our […]

Contributors

Homelessness Disappointing

by Peter Twitchell A bit of sad happening at Watson’s Corner. Over the winter my Mom Sarah Twitchell’s home at Watson’s Corner was used by the homeless of Bethel and trashed. I was informed by […]

Contributors

Friends

by Peter Twitchell Mr. Jack Hopstad was not only a lifelong friend but a lifeline for me. When I was a boy, Dad visited Olaf, Jack’s dad, and I was introduced to Jack. Dad immediately […]

Contributors

Thunder Basketball Club

by Peter Twitchell Last weekend was an amazing weekend at Camp Verdes, Arizona. We enjoyed ourselves. For students and parents alike it was good to be back in the gym. The crowd, the momentum and […]

Contributors

The Joy of Here and Now

by Peter Twitchell I heard someone say, “I didn’t have much of a childhood.” When I reflect on this, and really think about what the man said, I can begin to understand what he meant. […]

Contributors

Food for the table

by Peter Twitchell There are just too many guns in the world that are being abused, because they are in the hands of the wrong people. Here, let me qualify this statement a bit. First […]

Contributors

Preparing for higher learning

by Peter Twitchell COVID-19 did a lot of damage in lost revenue to everyone, loss of life, loss of work and small businesses, reduced funding to schools, lost revenue to colleges due to reduced classes […]

Contributors

Colors

by Peter Twitchell David Johnson said, “Like death and taxes there is no escaping color. It is ubiquitous yet what does it all mean?” People are more relaxed in green rooms. In the 1950s, Northern […]

Contributors

Why???

by Peter Twitchell I have happy memories of growing up on the other side of Bethel a quarter of a mile upriver. From the old Civil Aeronautics Administration (C.A.A.), as it was called, and the […]

Contributors

It is our Duty to Survive

by Peter Twitchell I thought I retired from working a job, but today I miss working with people and I really have this desire in my heart to go back to the work force! I […]

Contributors

For Peace of Mind

by Peter Twitchell As a Counselor I had to look at relationships with people. There is more to being a couple than meets the eye. When two individuals become (1) one with each other it […]

Contributors

An interesting trip to Arizona

by Peter Twitchell It was a very interesting trip to the State of Arizona. I was surprised that the terrain was not flat but mountainous and rough with steep rocky mountain ranges and deep valleys, […]

Contributors

New and exciting possibilities

by Peter Twitchell If we don’t keep up with today’s technology we sadly get left behind. Life has become easier because of satellites, microchips, fiber optics, cell phones, and the internet. Telemedicine is wonderful and […]

Contributors

The Best of Friends

by Peter Twitchell There are many good stories about man and dogs in Alaska long before the western world moved in from beyond our horizon in western Alaska. My dad David Twitchell had his team […]

Contributors

Full or empty

by Peter Twitchell A pastor in the church said, “What we think about God is the most important thing about us.” It is a good reminder to think on things of this nature as it […]

Contributors

Safety for humanity

by Peter Twitchell 2020 was one tough year nothing like we ever experienced in recent years. We didn’t know what was going to happen to us, our uncertainty kept us on edge. We were told […]

Contributors

Grateful for a new day

by Peter Twitchell I really want to write about the Pandemic of 2020. COVID-19 virus was devastating to the human race. The virus took so many lives but here we are still hanging on to […]

Contributors

Christmas

by Peter Twitchell Christmas is bankruptcy time for me. What does Christmas really mean? Jesus came into the world, He came as salvation to the world. He paid the price for the forgiveness of man’s […]

Contributors

Thankful for Family

by Peter Twitchell During this time of the year we’re thankful for our children and grands, our past families who gave us a strong foundation on which to stand on and weather the storms of […]

Contributors

Learn from your past

by Peter Twitchell We were taught in psychology not to live in our past, but to leave it and move forward! But research is finding that we can examine our past and be empowered and […]

Contributors

We need a sound foundation

by Peter Twitchell The world needs us right now indigenous people to guide our youth in using our value system. We need our youngsters to respond to this positive stimulus. We need to brighten a […]

Contributors

Let’s be a blessing to others

by Peter Twitchell After ten months hunkered down because of the coronavirus, I see the world through a different lens. Life is precious. I thank Creator God each morning that I am awake, what a […]

Contributors

Grandparents burden

by Peter Twitchell Baby Boomers, of which I am one, born in 1950, were expected to go to school. It was what was expected of us. We finished our school K-through-12, so we went to […]

Contributors

If you see something, say something

by Peter Twitchell Very disheartening to get a call first thing in the morning, “Peter, someone broke into your house and looks like destroyed everything.” What is the world coming to when grandparents know their […]

Contributors

Remembering a dear friend

by Peter Twitchell Luther Oscar was my friend and he always acknowledged me. He was my best friend, Samuel Oscar’s oldest brother. He treated me no different than he would a brother and I really […]

Contributors

Cast your vote this election

by Peter Twitchell Local, State, and National Elections are important and they matter, by allowing us the “voice,” at the election booth. If you do not vote then you do not have a voice. Some […]

Contributors

Hardship teaches lessons

by Peter Twitchell What is money anyway? It’s only paper, right? Absolutely correct. The Creator and his infinite wisdom has been teaching me the value of the dollar in the last several months. I haven’t […]

Contributors

Sod Huts

by Peter Twitchell Sod huts (dwellings) for men and boys on the tundra were referred to as qasgiqs by the “real people”, Yup’iks of southwestern Alaska at the turn of the last century. Our Ancestors […]

Contributors

Great men in my life

by Peter Twitchell Today was a swell day to reminisce about a different time when my mind was being filled with what was good, and a time in Bethel when people were impressionable. My dad, […]

Contributors

COVID-19 Virus

by Peter Twitchell I’m addressing all the young men and women. COVID-19 virus is not a laughing matter. I know what you’re doing when you get a bottle of whiskey. You sit there drinking out […]

Contributors

KYUK Local Gospel Hour

by Peter Twitchell I was lying on the bed with my eyes closed when the Dr. told my wife, “Peter has a 50/50 chance.” I prayed, “Dear Lord, you made me in your image. I […]

Contributors

Crucial services

by Peter Twitchell December 30, 2016 was the last day I worked a fulltime job in Bethel, Alaska after receiving notice that my employer Akeela, Inc. was going to cease contracting their substance abuse treatment […]

Contributors

Let the People tell their Story

by Peter Twitchell When I was a boy we had “White Alice” Communications System (WACS), a United States Air Force Telecommunications Network with 80 radio stations constructed in Alaska during the Cold War. It used […]

Contributors

Practice understanding

by Peter Twitchell When it comes to incarceration, we need to practice, first and foremost, understanding. There are at least five (5) people that are affected by this dilemma. And, it’s a worldwide problem, not […]

Contributors

Bethel was hopping

by Peter Twitchell When I came on the scene in 1966, Bethel was a quiet little town, until the weekend rolled around. The Yupiit were hot blooded and we loved to dance! It was “fun” […]

Contributors

Friends & Family

by Peter Twitchell I have so many friends and family to thank for lifting me up and being there for me during the COVID-19 Epidemic. I would have nothing but names on this page and […]

Contributors

Confusion

by Peter Twitchell When we were boys in the EARLY DAYS before modern media like we know it today, we were living in a world that covered an area as far as the eye could […]

Contributors

A Wake-Up Call

by Peter Twitchell It amazes me how Creator Almighty God will give us a wake-up call. I have heard a lot of complaining about our current situation with COVID-19 virus. For one thing, we have […]

Contributors

Our Love of Tundra

by Peter Twitchell Since hunkering down toward the end of February 2020 I’ve been communicating at least twice a week with my friend and bandmate Frank Hunter. When Frank and I begin dialoguing we never […]

Contributors

Act of Forgiveness

by Peter Twitchell Jesus Christ of Nazareth came into the world to love us sacrificially, unconditionally – true and genuine love (selfless love). He wants us to love each other, John 13:34-35. “34) And now […]

Contributors

Bobby, Johnny & Me

by Peter Twitchell Today I am grateful for my former bandmate guitar extraordinaire: Robert JM Gregory who was always there for me with his amazing guitar licks and riffs on the guitar neck when I […]

Contributors

What’s it going to be like in 3020?

by Peter Twitchell In a hundred years will it be necessary to use N95 face masks to protect ourselves from infections? Face masks protected us from the flu and tuberculosis in our past. Today a […]

Contributors

Ilkivik

by Peter Twitchell Hunting and fishing safety becomes an important issue as you age. I have participated in hunting, fishing subsistence activities ever since I was a boy. I remember one spring day in April, […]

Contributors

Technology is full of surprises

by Peter Twitchell My friends have been urging me to get with it and get into internet. For a long time I ignored them. With the COVID-19 pandemic I’ve had a lot of time on […]

Contributors

Mother’s Day Past & Present

by Peter Twitchell I am happy to report I made it to another special day – “Mother’s Day”, just recently recognized in Eskimo Country. By the term “Eskimo Country” I’m thinking of all the Native […]

Contributors

Enjoying God’s Wonders

by Peter Twitchell When I was a boy I walked in the woods all day sometimes from sun up to sun down. Poor Mom, what I must have put her through. I know in my […]

Contributors

70 & COVID-19 Virus

by Peter Twitchell I’ll be 70 years old tomorrow. I was born April 25th, 1950 in a makeshift hospital Quonset after the Bethel Hospital burned to the ground. I was born to David & Sarah […]

Contributors

You take care

by Peter Twitchell As a child I heard stories told by our elders of the flu epidemic, tuberculosis, which took the lives of so many of our Native people. Today our generation is experiencing the […]

Contributors

Carefree days

by Peter Twitchell Remember when we used to have carefree days when we were a lot younger long ago? We got up in the morning and got ready for school. All of us knew it […]

Contributors

Concept of the Flying “V”

by Peter Twitchell I like the concept of the letter “V” formation geese and other migrating birds fly in. Someone told me once that the reason geese fly in a “V” formation is so they […]

Contributors

Counting our blessings

by Peter Twitchell Until this period of time since the emergence of the COVID-19 virus have I really appreciated the cell phone. It was like taking my family and friends for granted until now. Every […]

Contributors

Setting the record straight

by Peter Twitchell I, Peter Adams Twitchell, wish to set the record straight once and for all. I write this being of sound mind and body. I was born April 25, 1950 to Sarah and […]