Project Jukebox Survey

Help us redesign the Project Jukebox website by taking a very short survey!

Bob Ahgook

Bob Ahgook was Nunamiut Iñupiaq and was born on September 29, 1929 to Myrtle and Jesse Ahgook near the mouth of the Colville River in northern Alaska. He and his family moved around quite a bit until they settled in the village of Anaktuvuk Pass in the 1940's. In 1953, a flu epidemic hit and Bob helped administer penicillin to the village. In 1968, he was selected as a community health aide by village members because people always came to him for help. He had five children to support and was only paid $60 a month. He left the program in 1972 when he had an opportunity to make more money as a carpenter, but continued to help people when he could. He had fond memories of his career as a health aide. Bob Ahgook passed away April 14, 2006.

Date of Birth:

Sep 29, 1929

Date of Death:

Apr 14, 2006

Bob Ahgook appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Community Health Aide Program

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Bob Ahgook	Bob Ahgook was interviewed on October 25, 2005 by Marla Statscewich at his home in Anaktuvuk Pass, Alaska. In this interview, Bob talks about becoming a health aide, the training he received, communicating with the doctors by radio, taking care of patients, and delivering babies. Bob also talks about how he was able to apply what he knew as a hunter to his health aide work, the challenges of being a health aide, the important role health aides play in the villages, dealing with emergencies and transporting patients, and some of the problems he encountered with healthcare management between the Tanana Chiefs Conference and the North Slope Borough. Finally, Bob mentions other jobs he had after he stopped being a health aide, and how because of his health aide training he was able to help himself when he was having a heart attack.	2004-17-20	Community Health Aide Program	Oct 25, 2005