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Rose Fosdick

Rose Atuk Fosdick is Iñupiaq born in Nome, Alaska. Her parents and grandparents were from Wales, Alaska, and her parents moved to Nome in 1946, traveling by skinboat from Wales. Her grandfather, Louis Tungwenruk, was the chief herder of the Cape Reindeer Company at Wales, Alaska during the cooperative hunting period. In 1990, Rose became the program director of the Kawerak Reindeer Herders Association in Nome, Alaska and eventually also became vice-president of Kawerak's natural resources division. She has a bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Given her family background, she developed a long-term interest in the history of reindeer herding on the Seward Peninsula. She previously worked at Nome's district court and as the Services Director at the Institute of Alaska Native Arts in Fairbanks.

Rose Fosdick appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Rose Atuk Fosdick	Rose Atuk Fosdick was interviewed on August 7, 2003 by Bill Schneider and Kumi Rattenbury at the Reindeer Herder's House in Nome, Alaska. Rose was director of Kawerak's Reindeer Herders Association and had a long-standing interest in documenting herding. Rose was chosen for an interview because she participated in some of the other interviews for this project, had reviewed the project, and had extensive experience with the herders and the issues that are important to them. Her interview came at the end of the project, so she was well-positioned to provide some general observations and to comment more specifically on the issues raised at the Reindeer Herders Association. In this interview, Rose talks about the evolution of the reindeer industry on the Seward Peninsula, reindeer management strategies, the effect of climate change on herding, and coordination between the Reindeer Herders Association and state and federal agencies.	2000-102-34	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	Aug 7, 2003

As Interviewer

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract
Nathan Hadley, Sr.	2000-102-10	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	Nathan Hadley, Sr., was interviewed on January 26, 2001 by Bill Schneider and Rose Atuk Fosdick at his house in Buckland, Alaska. Nathan was getting ready to head to Kotzebue for dog racing so was a little rushed, but he gave us a large amount of his time. In this interview, Nathan talks about his relationship with reindeer, how he traveled with dogteams, how caribou started coming into the country and effecting the reindeer herds and that he ranked caribou as more of a danger to the herds than wolves or bears.
Merlin Henry	2000-102-14	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	Merlin Henry was interviewed on March 18, 2002 by Bill Schneider, Knut Kielland, Greg Finstad, and Rose Fosdick at the Reindeer Herder's House in Nome, Alaska. Suzanne Worker, an employee of the Reindeer Research Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks was also present during the interview. In this interview, Merlin talks about his grandfather and father being reindeer herders, the importance of herding as a family activity, the effect of caribou on reindeer herds, changes in the reindeer industry, and what he sees for the future of reindeer herding on the Seward Peninsula. He also talks about not going to school and following his father to learn about herding and driving his own reindeer herds and living off the land.
Herb Karmun	2000-102-01	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	Herb Karmun was interviewed on October 4, 2000 by William Schneider, Rose Atuk Fosdick and Knut Kielland at Herb's home in Wasilla, Alaska. In this interview, Herb talks about his family's history of reindeer herding in the area around Deering, Alaska. He describes the variables that influence the health of the herd, with specific mention of wolves, bears, and the movements of caribou. Herb's herd had been taken over by caribou and he was hopeful that he might be able to recover the reindeer.
Johnson Stalker, Part 1	2000-102-08_PT.1	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	Johnson Stalker was interviewed on January 25, 2001 by Bill Schneider and Rose Atuk Fosdick at Johnson's home in Buckland, Alaska. Bill and Rose first visited with Johnson in the afternoon and then did the interview later that evening. In this first part of a two part interview, Johnson talks about reindeer herding, training sled deer, the mixing of caribou and reindeer contributing to herd loss, and the importance of understanding reindeer and their behavior. He summed up his attitude by saying that he never got much school but learned to "read deer," and he discusses his feeling that deer think and have a concept of "home" and try to return home. Johnson's excitement about reindeer is evident throughout the interview. Listen to Johnson Stalker sing "The Reindeer Song."
Johnson Stalker, Part 2	2000-102-08_PT.2	Reindeer Herding: The Present and the Past	This is the continuation of an interview with Johnson Stalker on January 25, 2001 with Bill Schneider and Rose Atuk Fosdick at Johnson's home in Buckland, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Johnson continues to talk about reindeer herding, trying to control your herd, and protecting the reindeer from predators like wolves. He also talks about driving his reindeer to Nome and the difficulties he encountered along the way.