Project Jukebox Survey
Help us redesign the Project Jukebox website by taking a very short survey!
Elsie Iqsak Wassilie, Interview 2
Elsie Iqsak (Alexie) Wassilie was interviewed on on March 30, 2006 by Sophie Kasayulie, Louann Rank, Karen Brewster, Frank Chingliak, and Elena Chingliak at Elsie's home in Akiachak, Alaska. In this interview, Elsie speaks in Yup'ik and English about Akiachak in the 1930's, various people's sod houses, and Marie Forrest's trading post and bunkhouse while drawing a map of the layout of the old village. She also talks about changes in the river channel and the location of the old site of Qikertarmiut, moving to Akiachak, early days of mail delivery, traveling by dog team, and spring beaver hunting. View a map of the village of Akiachak, circa 1935, with buildings identified by Elsie Wassillie.
See also:
Digital Asset Information
Archive #: Oral History 2004-07-47
Project: Akiachak - Then and Now
Date of Interview: Mar 30, 2006
Narrator(s): Elsie Iqsak Wassilie
Interviewer(s): Sophie Kasayulie, Louann Rank, Karen Brewster, Frank Chingliak
Videographer: Frank Chingliak
Translator:
People Present: Elena Chingliak
Location of Interview:
Funding Partners:
U.S. Department of Education, Alaska Native Education, Yupiit School District
Alternate Transcripts
There is no alternate transcript for this interview.
After clicking play, click on a section to navigate the audio or video clip.
Sections
1) Marie Forrest's bunkhouse used mainly by non-Natives coming to her trading post, and dances held at the bunkhouse. Marie Forrest was also the postmistress.
2) The 1930's layout of the village that included fish camps at the downriver end, the main channel of the Kuskokwim River running in front of the village, and the abandoned island site of Qikertarmiut. (View a map of the village of Akiachak, circa 1935, with buildings identified by Elsie Wassillie.)
3) Kenneth Peter's sod house and Noah Nose's sod house in the 1950's.
4) Akiachak's mail delivered first to Akiak by plane and then carried by William Lomack to Akiachak by dog team or boat, and that Elsie moved to Akiachak in 1947.
5) Staying with Louie Lomack's wife in spring while her father hunted beaver in the mountains.
Click play, then use Sections or Transcript to navigate the interview.
After clicking play, click a section of the transcript to navigate the audio or video clip.
Transcript
Section 1: trading post -- bunkhouse\ non-Natives -- travel\ non-Natives -- bunkhouse\ store -- Forrest, Marie \ Forrest, Marie -- postmistress\ dances -- bunkhouse|
Section 2: village -- downriver\ fish camps -- village\ sandbar -- lack of\ landing strip -- lack of\ lake -- location\ lake -- small\ river -- channel\ channel -- main\ channel -- location\ island -- Qikertarmiut\ island -- abandonment\ island -- size change|
Section 3: Peter, Kenneth -- sod house\ sod house -- past\ Nose, Noah -- sod house\ sod house -- 1950s|
Section 4: mail -- delivery\ mail -- Akiak\ mail -- Lomack, William \ mail -- dog team\ mail -- boat\ Akiak -- mail planes\ mail -- seasons\ relocation -- date|
Section 5: Lomack, Louie -- wife\ Lomack, Louie -- residence\ residence -- spring\ hunting -- spring\ hunting -- mountains\ hunting -- beaver\ Samuelson, Oscar|