Alaska Native/Indigenous People – Page 3

I recently ran into a friend, Odin Peter-Raboff (Gwich’in/Koyukon Athabascan). He is the owner of Nomadic Stars, and they do screen printing and create promotional items in Fairbanks. You may occasionally see them at a booth at the Alaska Federation of Natives Convention and other events. He expanded his business to Anchorage recently and I asked him if he’d would share about it.

My name is Odin Peter-Raboff. My grandfather was the late Steven Peter of Arctic Village and the late Katherine Peter of Steven’s Village, Fort Yukon and Arctic Village. My mother is Adeline Raboff of Arctic Village and Fort Yukon and my father was the late Ernest Raboff of California and New Jersey. Continue reading “Odin Peter-Raboff – Gwich’in & Koyukon Business Owner” →

Alaska Native/Indigenous People

Stories by Rhoda Stertzer

February 6, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

My relative, Rhoda Stertzer (Koyukon Athabascan), shared a story about her late mom, Angeline Derendoff of Huslia. Rhoda graciously agreed to share it with Athabascan Woman blog readers. She started with story right before Christmas time, then she followed up with information about her mom’s early life.

A story to chew part off the winter…When our Momma was a child, they would go to winter camp to stay until spring. They were just to bring necessities. Nothing extra, well, she had a doll made of wooden thread spools. Grandma found out and told her she had to leave it. So it was on the way when she had to leave it behind, so she hid in a safe place. On the way back, she picked it up.

When she told the story, I can hear the hurt in her voice she felt at the time. She said “It was just a little doll!” They were traveling with dog team, with Grandpa walking in front sometimes when the traveling got tough. Sometimes they had an extra sled load with a pole sticking forward and they had to hang on to, also. They called that a “G” pole. Tough times they had back then. Merry Christmas. <3 I love you. Continue reading “Stories by Rhoda Stertzer” →

Alaska Native/Indigenous People

Amber Hopkins – Koyukon Athabascan Nurse

February 3, 2020February 3, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

My relative, Amber Hopkins, is from upriver from where I grew up in Huslia. I love highlighting Athabascan people doing great things.

Amber Hopkins grew up in Hughes, Alaska, a small Koyukon Athabascan village on the Koyukuk river. Her parents are Wilmer Beetus and Margaret Williams. Her grandparents are the late Joe and Celia Beetus and late Lavine and Susie Williams. After graduating from Lathrop High School, she went to the University of Alaska Fairbanks for a year. Then, she joined the U.S. Navy and was able to travel to parts of the world. She was honorably discharged at the end of her five-year contract and started school to become a nurse. She used her Montgomery GI Bill and earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Amber is now a pediatric/pediatric ICU nurse at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage.

Continue reading “Amber Hopkins – Koyukon Athabascan Nurse” →

Alaska Native/Indigenous People, Athabascan in the Spotlight

Athabascan Medical Laboratory Scientist

September 7, 2019January 25, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

My cousin, Starr Zottola (Koyukon Athabascan), is a medical laboratory scientist who analyzes blood and other bodily fluids to aid in the diagnosis of medical conditions. I asked her to share about her profession and what it took to get there. Starr’s parents are Gary Attla and Maureen Mayo. Enaa baasee’, Starr, for sharing on the Athabascan Woman Blog! Continue reading “Athabascan Medical Laboratory Scientist” →

Alaska life, Alaska Native/Indigenous People

Harvesting Old Man’s Beard with Pat Frank

September 1, 2019January 25, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

Pat Frank (Deg Hit’an Athabascan). Photo by Angela Gonzalez

I got a chance to tag along with Pat Frank (Deg Hit’an Athabascan) from Holy Cross and Anchorage as he harvested Old Man’s Beard for the first time. People in Alaska have harvested from the lands and waters for thousands of years. More and more people are relearning harvesting plants for medicinal purposes.

Pat has been learning about traditional plants medicines and healing for quite a few years. I was fortunate to spend an afternoon with him, his wife, Linda, and a couple family friends north of Anchorage on the Park’s Highway. He was harvesting usnea, also known as Old Man’s Beard. It’s a lichen that grows on trees and shrubs. We saw them growing on spruce trees and some other trees. It really looks like an old man’s beard. Continue reading “Harvesting Old Man’s Beard with Pat Frank” →