by Peter Twitchell
My Dad David Twitchell was raised by the Joe Williams Family at Akiak, Alaska. A few days after my dad was born in 1924 his mother passed on to the spirit world because she had tuberculosis.
My Grandfather Hollis Adams Twitchell traded from Saint Michael to Bristol Bay, stopping at every village on the way from his farm and reindeer ranch at Takotna, Alaska. Since they were all pretty young when their Mom died, my Grandfather gave his children to two different families to raise because he was busy and he didn’t have a wife anymore. Those young kids needed parents to watch them and raise them.
This was his livelihood after he tried his hand at gold mining but never struck it rich.
My father David Adams Twitchell, worked hard growing up in the village of Akiak – hauling water daily from the Kuskokwim River into a 5 gallon metal bucket using a yoke, making repeated trips to make sure there was enough water for the family and the dog team.
When he wasn’t hauling water he was getting spruce trees and cutting them down using an axe and a handsaw. The work wasn’t easy, it was all done by hand in order to keep the family warm through the cold winters.
All the work aside from school and play, there was also the added activity of running up to the Kilbuck Mountains with the reindeer to herd them. Hard physical labor and work was no stranger, it had to be done and Dad always made sure he did his part.
When I was a boy I had a Superman comic book and a coloring book. After hearing all the stories my Dad told my Mom and friends reminiscing about the past and telling how very strong and quick he was when he sparred with the army and Air Force men over at the old airfield Army and Air Force base boxing what seemed like endless rounds, I referred to my Dad as superman.
He was already battle-ready when he entered the Third Army in World War II and went to Fort Lewis for training to go to Europe. Him and his army buddies like Adam Kawagley and Bobby Williams always reminisced about their soldiering days before and after the war in Europe.
Dad was always busy getting logs, cutting logs, and getting ice from the lakes in the winter for making tea and coffee. Every winter without fail Dad was gone three months of the winter trapping and hunting mink, land otter, muskrats, and fox down at Baird with his best friend Oscar Larson of Napakiak.
At the end of three months for trapping and hunting at Baird Inlet on the coast, Dad and his friend Oscar sent their first furs to Apple Bum in Seattle. They got anywhere from $3000-$4000 for their furs. This money would carry them to the summer before they would go to Bristol Bay to fish.
Then in the summer June through July and part of August he would fish Bristol Bay Salmon with his friend Oscar when everything was done by hand – pulling in salmon and days of rowing. I have to say people in the 40s and 50s and before that and after that time period were physically very strong.
When moose season came along in September Dad filled the boat with gas tanks, his tent, his hunting rifle, and grub and into the swift river to get his moose and black bear.
Each year for over a dozen years Dad always came home with a black bear for Mom and a moose. He never had any excuses for not getting the wild game, he never failed. He never made excuses like, “the moose was too far” or “the moose was across the lake!”
When he got to the hills he parked his boat, made camp, and hiked up the hills to go get his moose and black-bear. That’s how hunters regarded the sacred land which fed their families and whole villagers.
They never wasted any game or did it for fun or sport to get the biggest antlers, or the biggest bear. They did it solely for survival to feed their families through the cold winters.
My Dad David Adams Twitchell II never complained and those people in those days lived healthy lives.
This story I told you has always been one of my favorite stories to tell of the dedication and the love of people for the Land, game and everybody loved each other, took care of each other, and respected each other in days past.
