Beginning Credits

Rebecca Mekiana was born along the Colville River, her family traveled to the Killik River country. They followed the game so their family would survive. They came to Anaktuvuk Pass in 1949 when the Post Office was built and they've been there ever since. They continued to move around in different parts of the Brooks Range to hunt for game. When she was young, her mother died so her father kept the family going and traveling on the land, and they went places where they were able to get meat and fish. They continue to use the land even now and their desire is to make use of it continuously into the future.

Elijah Kakinya traveled from the coast to the Killik River country in 1936. Back then there were not many people around there, now there are a lot of people and they all have children. Back than there were no snow machines to help the people when they needed something, when they traveled far distances. Only the land was there to help them. His ancestors were from Tulugak Lake; they all lived together and they divided food among each other and had storage for the meat. The last time he traveled to the coast was in 1937, and he has lived in Anaktuvuk Pass ever since. He used to travel all over. During his lifetime he never witnessed anyone who was unwilling to share meat, they always shared meat until it was all gone. When game was scarce they had to go somewhere else to find game so they could eat. The game would not come to them. They want to be able to use the land. He is no longer able to travel around, but he thinks of the younger people. He wants the land to carry on and pass it to the next generation. If the land is restricted from them they won't be able to get timber and they will lose some of their customs. The wood they find is used to burn for fire wood and making sleds. He is getting older and he can't hunt anymore, so he and his wife depend on the village to get meat for them. When he was young he used to help the elders in the village and gave them meat and fish. He never thought he would be that age himself, and now he depends on the younger people, too. He is happy how the people come together. He is glad that he is still alive to see it. The custom of the people long ago was to welcome their guests by feeding them and giving them coffee or tea. The younger generation should carry on those customs. He was the first person to put up a coffee shop and a store in Anaktuvuk Pass, so the people have to pay him now. He decided that none of the land should be restricted from them. He wants those after him to use the land. He is too old to hunt anymore, but he knows that his people will share with him and provide meat and fish. He knows that people who bring back fish to feed the older people. This custom has been going on for many generations. His wife, who spent a lifetime with him, would speak too, but she is at home and cannot get around easily anymore. He can talk a lifetime too because he is old, and can talk about how he feels and what he has seen over the years.

Joshua Rulland speaks about how he feels that the country should be open for the Native people and that his people should be free to move about to get whatever they need from the land to survive. He wants the non-Natives to know that the Eskimo are a People, a People that want to use the land for hunting and fishing.

Ellen Hugo wants the Native people to speak out and tell the non-Natives that they use the land and need it to survive. The values of the people are many, but the land is most important to them. There are no airplanes that fly into the village everyday that can bring food to them, so they have to go out and find food for their families.

Simon Paneak shows on the map the sled trails and where he came from. He rode a dog sled with his parents to the Killik, then to Anaktuvuk Pass. He talks about time spent in the Anaktuvuk Pass area in 1933. He then moved to a different area and remained there for many years. In this area, he hunted sheep and caribou. He also took the sled trails to the Kobuk area, Allakaket and Bettles. He mentions that many of the Eskimo people in this area are related by language and customs, and they all use the land.

Rachel Sikvayugak was born on the Killik River and she and her family lived there for eight years. She likes the animals around there: the moose, caribou, sheep and fish. It is a good place to live and someday she may go back there and live. There is plenty of wood around there, too. In the future, when Anaktuvuk Pass gets too big, she wouldn't mind going back there to live. It's also a good place to trap wolves. The wolf furs are expensive to buy from Outside. Her husband, Riley, is now learning how to trap.

End Credits