Luke and Alice Demientieff, Part 1 |
2002-10-02_PT.1 |
Holy Cross Community Project |
Luke and Alice Demientieff were interviewed on April 17, 2002 by their granddaughter Tess Paul, her husband Eugene Paul who is the village chief, and Karen Brewster from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program at the Demientieff's home in Holy Cross, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Luke and Alice talk about their lives, his work in construction and as a carpenter, attending the Mission school, raising a family, running a business, their extensive subsistence fishing, trapping, and hunting, and spending time at their Reindeer Lake cabin. Luke discusses what you need to know to survive out in the country at different times of year, and tells many stories about his travels and adventures. Alice talks about going to school at the Holy Cross Mission, learning to knit and sew, and what daily life was like at the Mission. She also discusses traveling with Luke on the trapline and for other hunting and fishing, traditional subsistence activities and food preparation, raising a family, and gardening. At the end of the interview, Luke and Alice describe photographs that they selected from their personal collection which they felt represented their lives. The photographs add another layer to understanding Luke and Alice's lives and the history of Holy Cross.
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Luke and Alice Demientieff, Part 2 |
2002-10-02_PT.2 |
Holy Cross Community Project |
This is the continuation of an interview with Luke and Alice Demientieff on April 17, 2002 by their granddaughter Tessie Paul, her husband Eugene Paul who is the village chief, and Karen Brewster from the University of Alaska Fairbanks Oral History Program at the Demientieff's home in Holy Cross, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Luke and Alice continue to talk about their hunting, trapping and fishing activities, experiences they had out on the trail and at their cabin, and interactions they had with specific animals. They also talk about how village life and Native traditions have changed, differences in healthcare and employment, and environmental changes they have observed. Finally, they discuss things from their personal lives, such as scariest moments, what they are most proud of, disappointments, and the challenges of moving and living in Bethel, Alaska.
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