Koyukon – Page 4 – Athabascan Woman Blog

I first met Marjorie Merry Grunin in 1991 when was attending the Rural Alaska Honors Institute (RAHI), a summer program at the University of Alaska – Fairbanks. She did a presentation in my class at RAHI. Marjorie was wearing a pinstriped skirt with a white blouse during her presentation. She looked like a sophisticated and confident businesswoman. Marjorie presented about business technology and marketing. Marjorie and the marketing professor, Dale Fodness, were the reasons I chose to pursue a marketing degree. At the time, she was an owner of one of the first technology companies in Fairbanks.

Marjorie has been a role model and a mentor to me. She lives and works in the Fairbanks, Alaska area with her husband two daughters. Marjorie is an accomplished businesswoman who also volunteers for organizations and causes important to her. Finding balance between her family life and career has always been like a tug-of-war for her. Marjorie’s first priority became her family after she found the person she could share her life with and have children. At that time, her career opportunities took a backseat to the needs of her family, especially when her husband was active duty and living in a tent in the Saudi desert over a six year period.

Marjorie Merry Grunin at the Cascaden Ridge overlook off of the Elliott Highway on the way to Minto. Photo courtesy of Marjorie

Marjorie was there for her daughters while they were young, and it was both a blessing and a sacrifice. She used that time to complete her master’s degree, studying late into the night while her daughters slept. Now that they are grown she has the ability to refocus on work with a greater time commitment. Marjorie’s job is demanding, but she tries to leave work at the office to be truly present in the family in the evenings.

One of Marjorie’s most significant challenges is one that many Alaska Native women and women in general face and that is not being taken seriously. She envisions a future for her daughters without glass ceilings, parity in pay and benefits, and the freedom to live without sexual discrimination or fear of assault.

Marjorie’s Life Lessons:

Give from the heart
Develop skills to face challenges and overcome adversity
Listen to understand with empathy
Be humbly grateful for all the gifts of this life

Marjorie has many hobbies, like painting, sewing and beading. However, she finds little time for these creative outlets at this time of my life. Instead, Marjorie finds herself retreating to the garden, nurturing plants and digging in the ground for the short time it isn’t frozen solid. Alaska winters are long and the summers are short, especially in the northern interior. Marjorie loves painting with flowers, seeing things grow and eating fresh food. She fears gardening may become an obsession because she enjoys it so much.

Marjorie loves theatre and is currently working backstage for the Fairbanks Drama Association’s production of Arsenic and Old Lace. She is the property mistress making sure all the props are in place and ready, and the stage is set for each scene. Marjorie played Blanche DuBois in Streetcar Named Desire and Mrs. Gibbs in Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre’s production of Our Town. She enjoys it and says, “It takes a great deal of time, but really keeps your mind sharp!”

Marjorie’s Advice for Young People:

If you are young and unfettered after college, try a job that gets you out of your boots and living in a different part of the country for a bit.
Try new things, exotic food, new music, a new hiking trail.
Put yourself in places to experience other cultures, make new friends and see how you fit in a global context.
People don’t work for one company for thirty years anymore, what you learn in college should prepare you for many employment opportunities and the next generation will find that the ability to adapt to change is one of their greatest assets.
With the above in mind, make sure the road you find yourself on doesn’t keep you trapped in a rut!

Marjorie will continue to be my role model and mentor not just for her business acumen, but also for her kind and generous heart. She blows my mind with all of the knowledge she has about Alaska Native business and tribal issues. Marjorie has proven that with hard work, patience and drive, you can have it all. It’s people like Marjorie that are forging the way for other Alaska Native people, especially women.

Enaa baasee’ Marjorie!

ABOUT MARJORIE MERRY GRUNIN
Marjorie Merry Grunin is Koyukon and Gwich’in Athabascan, and grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska. Her mother, Renee Evans Merry, was born in Rampart (a small village along the Yukon River) to Peter and Kitty Evans. Renee attended Mount Edgecumbe and became a dental assistant, which is how she met Marjorie’s father, Pete Merry. Pete was a pilot flying a Norseman on floats for Alaska Coastal when they met. He flew Renee and the dentist she was accompanying out to villages in the Aleutians. Pete later transferred to Wien and was one of a handful of pilots flying out of Barrow in the late fifties. They moved to Fairbanks in 1962, then to Anchorage when Wien moved their crews down in 1976.

Marjorie was born in Fairbanks and spent the first few years of her life in Barrow and Bettles. She and her sister, Jeannette, grew up with the Shontz girls from Barrow as their closest friends. They still have ties to Barrow and Bettles to this day. Marjorie currently lives in Fairbanks and owns property in Rampart, where she fishes subsistence with her family.

Marjorie served as a director for her village corporation, Baan o yeel kon Corporation, for a number of years and in 2004 was recognized as Shareholder of the Year. Marjorie is the General Manager of Minto Development Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seth’De’Ya’Ah Corporation (the ANCSA village corporation for the federally recognized Native Village of Minto). In addition, she also is the owner of Perspicacity Contract Services since 2003. Prior to that, she gained extensive administrative experience working for a number of companies in Alaska, Nebraska and California. Marjorie has more than 28 years of management experience.

Marjorie is a former Vestry Board Member for St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church and a member of the Bishop’s Finance Committee for the Episcopal Diocese of Alaska. She also served as the Hospice of the Tanana Valley Board of Directors. Marjorie currently serves as a member of the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce Urban & Rural Affairs Committee. She went to school outside and holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Nebraska and a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Colorado, Graduate School of Public Affairs.

Al and Eleanor Yatlin check their fish net on the Koyukuk River in 2011. Photo by Angela Gonzalez

Alaska Native/Indigenous People

Eenaa’e – My Athabascan Mother

May 12, 2013February 20, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

Eenaa’e Eleanor Yatlin be’ooze’. My mom’s name is Eleanor Yatlin. Eenaa’e means mother in Koyukon Athabascan. She was born in late Sammy and Sophie Sam’s winter camp near Huslia, Alaska. She is Koyukon Athabascan. Her parents were the late Edwin and Lydia Simon. Her paternal grandparents were Simon and Julia Simon and maternal grandparents were Francis and Christine Olin. She was raised in Huslia and married my father, Al Yatlin, Sr., and they raised six children. She stayed home to raise her children Sharon, Angela (me), Tanya, Al Jr., Solomon and Johnnie. She and my dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2018.

Eleanor Yatlin scrapes a moose hide. Photo by Angela Gonzalez

Eenaa’e taught us many lessons growing up. One lesson I learned was to work hard at whatever you are doing. She taught us how to cook, do beadwork, cut fish, start a fire, keep a fire going, get prepared for a picnic, boat ride or camping. I remember how we had to wake up early to get ready to go on an outing. We had to rush around for at least a couple of hours. I remember being tired and annoyed, but was always grateful when we had a sandwich and snacks ready to eat. With so many of us, we had to work together.

Eenaa’e was like a drill sergeant and knew what needed to be done and prepared. If one of us forgot something, she knew who forgot it and reminded them again. We were always comfortable because she helped us to prepare. She made us dress up warm and fed us well. It feels so good to be comfortable out in the wild. Even though it was hard work to prepare for something, eenaa’e taught us the value of being prepared. If we got hungry or cold, it wasn’t because she didn’t warn us. It was because we didn’t listen to her. I’m probably the same way to my kids now and they probably get annoyed with me (smile). However, I don’t see them complaining when they are warm, dry and fed.

Parkas made by Eleanor Yatlin 2012 — Eleanor Yatlin sewed fur-lined parkas for her grandchildren, Johnnie, Talia and Nikolai. Photo by Dolly Johnson

Eenaa’e taught the girls how to bead necklaces, earrings, barrettes and boots. She taught us how to repair torn moose/caribou boots. I don’t remember how to do everything and am not very good at them. She also taught us how to cook and bake. Eenaa’e is also a great quilter and has an eye for patterns. She has sewed quilts for her each of her grandchildren. Eenaa’e and my sister, Tanya, have worked together to sew kids parkas over the years.

Eleanor Yatlin cutting fish 6-11 — My mother, Eleanor Yatlin, taught her kids, neices and nephews how to cut fish over the past 40 years. Photo taken in 2011 by Angela Gonzalez

Eenaa’e taught us how to cut fish at camp during the summers. I consider her ability to fillet a salmon an art. She was always careful and reverent when working on fish. She and the rest of the family had to work hard for every pound of fish we caught. She would work hard all day and still have energy to cut fish. She loves cutting fish. We had to take good care of her fish by keeping the fire going in the smokehouse. We had to hang them up and we were not allowed to drop it or get it dirty. She makes really good eating fish, whether it is half-dried or dried completely or frozen.

Eenaa’e took in boarding home students over the years. Some schools only went up to 10th grade, so she took in my cousins when needed. She loves children and grandchildren. Even though it was crowded, it was a lot of fun growing up with my cousins.

Eleanor Yatlin showing how to sew quills onto moose skin. Photo by Angela Gonzalez

Eenaa’e loves to pick berries in late summer. She saves them for dessert over the winter or to give away at community events. My sister, Sheri, loves to pick berries too. My mother taught us how to cook for the family. As teenagers, we took turns cooking dinner each night. My mom always had us baking something once a week. Baking isn’t my favorite activity, but the memories of learning how and spending time with my mom and sisters stays with me. I’m grateful my mom taught us how to cook moose meat soup and how to bake fish. I now cook soup and bake fish for my family.

As you can see, eenaa’e taught us a lot. I admire her knowledge of the Koyukon Athabascan culture, beliefs and language and her ability to teach and share it. I get my love of writing and photography from her.

Enaa baasee’ Eenaa’e! Thank you Mother!

Alaska Native culture

Learning From Elders

March 3, 2013August 20, 2015 Angela Gonzalez

I am often saddened by the loss of my Koyukon Athabascan culture, traditions and language, and not being able to pass ‘everything’ to my children. Theoretically, I would like to learn the Koyukon Athabascan language, but it seems overwhelming to try to learn it on my own. There are more speakers and resources in the interior. I know a lot of words in Koyukon, but I don’t know how to speak or write it out.

My dad’s work as an electronics technician brought us to a lot of different places around Alaska. We’ve lived in Nenana, Huslia, Galena, Fort Yukon, Nome and Bettles. My grandparents visited sometimes in the various places we lived. I treasured the time that I spent with them. Nowadays, some of my grandparents have passed away. Since I live in Anchorage, I don’t get to spend as much time with my grandparents. We consider our grandparent’s siblings our grandparents as well (vs. great aunt or uncle).

Hoar frost on trees in Anchorage in January 2012. Photo by Angela Gonzalez

Despite where we live or how far away we are from our culture, I think that there are ways we can hang on to it by learning it from an Elder. I sometimes give my elder relatives a ride when they come to Anchorage, so I have an opportunity to learn something from them. A couple of years ago, I gave a ride to my uncle Tony Sam, Sr. and late aunt Emily. It was a cold winter day and the trees had frost on them. Uncle Tony told me when the trees get frost on them, it means a cold spell might be coming. He told me the Koyukon Athabascan word, but I don’t remember it. The word means the tree is putting on a warm parka. I always think about that story when I see frost on the trees.

What’s one thing you can learn from an Elder today?

Preserving our culture does not have to be this huge and insurmountable task. You can learn and practice your culture in little ways. I was talking to a friend, Emily Gray of Allakaket, about it last month. I asked her about one thing she learned from an Elder recently. She said, “I learned that you have to pray in our language. It is more powerful.” I think Emily is going to learn how to do that. You can learn your culture by asking people about it. Call up your friends and relatives or visit them and start asking questions.

Angela recently visited with her grandparents Bill and Madeline Williams of Hughes.

My grandmother, Madeline Williams, teaches in Hughes. She has raised all of her kids plus one of her grand kids. I was talking to her about this subject and she had some advice to parents. Grandma Madeline said, “Some parents are afraid to tell their kids what to do. How else are they going to learn?” I think she meant that we as parents might expect kids to know how to do things or learn on their own. For example, if we want our kids to know how to cut fish, we have to show them and let them do it. Last year, Grandma Madeline worked on a digital story with the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC).

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGg8U4L6yiw?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

ANTHC helps to produce digital stories focused on health and wellness education. Producing your own digital stories are a great way to preserve your traditions, cultures, and a little piece of your history.

A few years ago, the University of Alaska Fairbanks produced Raven’s Story with KIYU radio in Galena. The stories are from elders from the interior. I try to listen to them every once in a while, sometimes just to hear their voices. I learn something new each time.

I shared a story about growing up in fish camp for Arctic Entries in December. Preparing for the event helped me to remember things. I talked with my family and asked them about their favorite memories from camp. You can listen to the audio recording here. It was great to reminisce about the old days.

You can learn a little bit along the way. Each week, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner has a feature called, Athabascan Word of the Week. Susan Paskvan (Koyukon Athabascan) is the main contributor of the feature. Learn about how to say food in this week’s Athabascan Word of the Week.

A friend, Albert Chacon, is preserving traditions and cultures by producing documentaries on bird singing. He has been working on a documentary called, “We Are Birds“. Over the past few years, we’ve discussed the need to preserve our cultures. You can follow Albert and his work here and on Twitter at @CaliNDN.

Preserving our traditions, cultures and language can be done by learning, practicing and sharing. Learning can be done in little bits here and there. There are so many different ways to preserve culture and traditions, including voice recordings, documentaries, writing, storytelling, photography, artwork, researching your family tree, and digital stories, etc. I am far from being fully versed in Koyukon Athabascan cultures, traditions and the language, but I will learn more and teach my children what I know and what I’ve learned along the way.

Alaska Native/Indigenous People, Athabascan in the Spotlight

Sharon Hildebrand – A Positive Role Model

January 30, 2013August 17, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

I recently ran into an old friend, Sharon Hildebrand, at a meeting in Anchorage. It was great to see her. Although we grew up in different communities, we were connected through the Yukon-Koyukuk School District and mutual friends. I have always admired Sharon’s sense of humor, outlook on life, and her ability to face and overcome adversity.

Sharon Hildebrand (Koyukon Athabascan) is originally from Nulato, and currently living in Fairbanks. She was raised by her Grandmother Ellen Peters along the Yukon River with two other cousins in the traditional manner of living off the land.

I am impressed with Sharon’s personal and professional accomplishments. Years ago, Sharon was a single mother who needed to support her young son. With limited resources and opportunities, she made the difficult decision to leave her hometown of Nulato. Sharon arrived in Fairbanks with her son and just a duffel bag. At first she was not sure what she was going to do, but living in Fairbanks provided her with the network to build a career and to raise a family.

Since living in Fairbanks, Sharon married Vernon Hildebrand, and had two more sons. Her husband is the one who encouraged her to follow her dream and pursue her educational goals. Sharon will be a first generation college graduate from her Grandmother’s family, graduating with a B.A. in Alaska Native Studies with a concentration on Alaska Native Law, Government and Politics in December 2013.

When I asked Sharon about her previous jobs, she had held various positions with Native profit and non-profit organizations. However, Sharon made the decision to go to school full-time and focus fully on her studies. It is a juggling act to manage being a mother, wife, student, employee, business owner and contributing community member. Sharon also works part-time for her regional corporation, while taking her classes in the afternoon, and the completion of her contract work is done in the evenings and weekends. She is persevering and learning valuable time management skills.

Upon graduation from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Sharon plans to attend law school. Eventually, Sharon would like to be involved with the processes involved with implementing laws that effect Alaska Native communities as a whole. Sharon is honored to be receiving the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Joan Hamilton Memorial scholarship as Joan’s same values of living off the land and respect for culture and others are also dear to Sharon’s heart.

The Joan Hamilton Memorial Scholarship is awarded to a post-secondary school Alaska student who wishes to pursue a career related to the law in which s/he will advocate for Alaska Native rights, and defend the civil liberties of the peoples of rural Alaska.

Sharon believes in supporting her community. Over the years, she volunteered for a number of organizations in Fairbanks and Nulato, including the Fairbanks Native Association, World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and Get Out the Vote. Sharon founded and organized the Miss Nika’ghun Traditional Pageant in Nulato in 2006 and 2007. She completed the Doyon Management Training program in 2011. Sharon is currently a paralegal at Doyon, Limited. In that capacity, she has worked on the annual report, researched Alaska Native Corporations and supported Get Out The Native Vote initiatives.

Sharon manages to keep her family and culture in the forefront. She has incorporated her culture into her life by starting an Athabascan singing and dancing group, called Downriver Singers. They meet regularly at someone’s home or at the school to sing Native songs. Sharon also makes it a point to travel back to Nulato for fishing season as well as involve her sons with moose hunting as a family.

When I asked Sharon what advice she had for young people, she said: Think long term, 5 years or 10 years down the line where you would like to see yourself.

“This will become your roadmap of your goals and will guide and lead you toward your final goal. If you compare it to the age of a child, 4 years of education is not that much and it goes by so quickly. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from your mistakes. Mistakes are good, that means you are growing. Get back up and try again, also find a mentor who you can look up to. I currently have two and they have helped to solidify my goals and where I see myself in the future.”

Sharon also runs each morning before work and lives has lived an alcohol-free lifestyle now for two years this May. Running provides her an outlet to gain more energy, meditate and be with herself for a moment during the busy day. Being alcohol-free has provided her more time and energy for her sons and homework. Sharon also said, “If along the way you see that you are interested in something else, go for it! For only you know exactly what you want. Go with your heart’s calling and your goals will all fall in line with your true calling in life.”

Enaa baasee’ to Sharon Hildebrand for being a positive role model!

Alaska Native culture

Teaching Native Ways

May 24, 2011August 17, 2020 Angela Gonzalez

When you are raising your kids, you want to teach them your values. Sometimes, you are not sure if they are learning from you and picking up on your actions. Sometimes they pick up on are some of your worst habits. My seven year old daughter had a school project where she had to draw pictures of her cultural background. My husband shared information about El Salvador culture, and I shared information about Athabascan and Alaska Native culture. The teacher put it together like a quilt.

Recently, she told me about a teacher at school telling the kids that eating meat will keep their skin healthy. She said, “I thought in my head, ‘I already eat meat. I’m Athabascan!‘” It made me happy to realize she is picking up on things that we are teaching her, especially about culture. I always thought it was difficult to explain Athabascan culture in a short amount of time. However, I think if you start answering a few basic questions, it can be done. What do they like to do, wear and eat?

Athabascan - Badzahoolan — Athabascan badzahoolan and words

Here is one square about the Athabascan culture: “They make badzahoolan to wear. Here are the three words in Athabascan (Indian): edzoo = brrr; nedaa’ = give it to me; naa’ = here; and kkaa’ = get away.” Bets’egh hoolaanee are the equivalent of a qaspeq or summer parka that may Alaska Natives wear. Bets’egh hoolaanee usually have hoods and are made of quilting fabric. The hoods help to protect you from pesky mosquitos and gnats.

[Note: Although, I know a lot of words in Koyukon Athabascan, I do not speak or write it fluently. Please excuse my misspellings. Even among the Koyukon Athabascan language, there are slight differences between communities. Someday, it would be great to learn to speak and write fluently in Koyukon Athabascan.]

In another square, she drew pictures of what kinds of food Athabascans eat. We like to eat smoked salmon, moose soup, ducks and berries. We prepare salmon in many different ways. We smoke and dry it and store it for the winter. We bake it or fry it. Sometimes, we dry it half way, then bake it. Yummy! After we smoke it, we also jar it. We make salmon spread out of it.

We prepare and cook ducks much like you would prepare a chicken. We smoke and dry it sometimes. We bake it, fry it and make soup out of it.

There are many ways we prepare and eat moose meat. Interior Athabascans smoke the meat, cure it, and cut up and put in the freezer. We also make moose jerky, also known as dry meat. Depending on the cut of meat, it is cooked in different ways. We make ground meat out of some of it. We bake it, fry it, roast it, barbecue it and boil it (stew/soup). I feel like Forest Gump when I explain the different ways to prepare and eat moose meat. 🙂

In another square, my daughter drew a boat, “They like to drive boats on the river.” When we go home, we go to camp by boat about 12 miles below Huslia on the Koyukuk River. The main transportation source in many rural Alaskan communities are boats and ATVs (four-wheelers or snow machines).

Teaching Athabascan values and traditions can be done, despite the changing times. We didn’t have metal boats and motors a long time ago, but we did have skin kayaks and canoes. Athabascans used to walk by snowshoes in the winter. Athabascans used to travel by dog teams in the winter. Things will keep changing, but the basic values of Athabascans will stay the same. It is possible to pass on your traditional culture in small ways over a period of time.

Tag: Koyukon

Marjorie Merry Grunin – Entrepreneur, Mom and Actress

Eenaa’e – My Athabascan Mother

Learning From Elders

Sharon Hildebrand – A Positive Role Model

Teaching Native Ways