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Alfred Jonathan

Alfred Jonathan

Alfred Jonathan is an Athabascan elder from Tanacross, Alaska. He was born in 1943 in the old village of Tanacross, which was across the river from the current village. The village was relocated and rebuilt on higher ground to be better protected from flooding. Alfred grew up in a large family with twelve sibings; at age sixteen he went to live with his grandmother, Annie Moses, who was originally from Mentasta. He attended the Bureau of Indian Affairs school in Tanacross and went to Tok High School.  He has led an active subsistence lifestyle of hunting, trapping, and fishing. As an elder, he tries to be active in his community by sharing his knowledge and experience with the younger generation. Along with his wife, Mildred, Alfred has been involved with summer Culture Camps where they teach traditional skills and language to children. It is important to Alfred that the children learn traditional Native values and ways of doing things.
Date of Birth:
Sep 5, 1943
Alfred Jonathan appears in the following new Jukebox projects:
Interview Title Abstract Archive #: Oral History Project Date of Interview
Alfred and Mildred Jonathan

Alfred and Mildred Jonathan were interviewed on December 11, 2013 by Leslie McCartney and Barbara Cellarius at their home in Tanacross, Alaska. Mildred had to leave for work, so the first half hour of the interview is focused on her. Alfred continues to be interviewed alone, and continues on tape ORAL HISTORY 2013-14-04, PT.2. In this first part of a two part interview, Mildred talks about growing up in a traditional subsistence household where she learned to sew, hunt and trap at a young age. She also talks about teaching the young people, her work at the culture camp, and the importance of passing along this knowledge. Alfred talks about growing up in a large family and living with his grandmother, living off the land by hunting, trapping, and fishing, and the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park's impact on hunting and land use. He also discusses the importance of Native values and identity, and his personal struggle with alcohol.

 2013-14-04, PT.1 Wrangell-St.Elias National Park Dec 11, 2013
Alfred Jonathan

This is a continuation of the interview with Alfred Jonathan on December 11, 2013 by Leslie McCartney and Barbara Cellarius at his home in Tanacross, Alaska. In the first part of the interview (ORAL HISTORY 2013-14-04, PT.1), Alfred was joined by his wife, Mildred, but she had to leave for work so Alfred continued the interview without her. In this second part of a two part interview, Alfred talks about being sober and recovering from alcoholism, the old community of Mentasta, and the importance of speech making. He discusses changes in the village of Tanacross, in the animals and in the weather. He also talks about subsistence activities in and around Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, and the importance of teaching the youth about their culture and the importance of taking pride in their Native identity.

 2013-14-04_PT.2 Wrangell-St.Elias National Park Dec 11, 2013