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Roy David, Sr.

Roy David, Sr.

Roy David, Sr. was born in 1937 at camp at Midway Lake, about eleven miles from the village of Tetlin, Alaska. His parents were Titus and Jessie David, and he is the fourth of six children (Kathyrn, Adam, Bentley, Roy, Lydia, Walter). He grew up in Tetlin, living a traditional subsistence lifestyle of hunting, trapping, fishing, and gardening. After leaving the community for work, Roy moved back in 1961 and has continued to live there. He has worked on the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, as an alcohol counselor, and in law enforcement. He has also participated in dog team races. Roy has great knowledge of traditional stories and is an engaging storyteller. He is interested in sharing his knowledge and stories with the younger generation in hopes of keeping his Native traditions and values alive for the future.
Date of Birth:
Feb 28, 1937
Roy David, Sr. appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Roy David, Sr., Part 1

Roy David, Sr. was interviewed on December 10, 2013 by Barbara Cellarius and Leslie McCartney at the school in Tetlin, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Roy talks about his life growing up in Tetlin following a traditional lifestyle of hunting, fishing and trapping. He talks about the big community garden that used to be in Tetlin as well as the school and some of his favorite teachers. He discusses land use and traplines around Tetlin and connections with Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, while marking areas on a map. Roy also talks about his former use of alcohol and a near fatal hunting accident that turned his life around.

 2013-14-02_PT.1 Wrangell-St.Elias National Park Dec 10, 2013
Roy David, Sr., Part 2

This is a continuation of an interview with Roy David, Sr. on December 10, 2013 by Barbara Cellarius and Leslie McCartney at the school in Tetlin, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Roy talks about hunting, hunting regulations, and changes he has seen in the environment and wildlife. Roy also tells a traditional story about two girls getting lost and suffering the consequences of not listening to advice given to them by Chickadee. He emphasizes the important lesson of this story that shows what can go wrong when you disobey.

 2013-14-02_ PT.2 Wrangell-St.Elias National Park Dec 10, 2013