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Minnie Salmon
Minnie Salmon was a Gwich'in elder born in 1932 to Julia and Ben Thomas at Salmon Village, Alaska (now Chalkyitsik) on the Black River. Minnie grew up living a traditional subsistence lifestyle based upon hunting, fishing, trapping, and berry picking and movement between seasonal camps. In 1954, she married William Salmon, Sr. and together they raised five children according to this same traditional subsistence lifestyle. Minnie focused much of her adult life on working to revitalize the Gwich'in language. She was a bilingual instructor and helped create a Gwich'in curriculum for the Yukon Flats School District. She also taught Athabascan fiddle dancing to her students and helped establish a children's summer culture camp. For many years, she also was a community health aide in Chalkyitsik and a prevention worker. Minnie also was known for her beadwork artistry, cooking, and strong faith. Minnie Salmon passed away in 2014 at age 87. For more about Minnie Salmon, see her obituary in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner newspaper.