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Nick Tanape, Sr.

Nick Tanape, Sr. was a Sugpiaq Elder from Nanwalek, Alaska. He was born to Alma and Joe Tanape in English Bay (Nanwalek) in 1946 and grew up living a subsistence lifestyle of fishing and hunting and following his traditional cultural practices. He spent nearly all of his life in the village, except for serving in the Navy from 1967 to 1971. He worked a variety of jobs including commercial fishing, and continued to rely upon his subsistence hunting and fishing as his main food source. Nick was an expert on Sugpiaq cultural traditions and practices. He organized celebrations of Native traditions around Kachemak Bay, built a traditional baidarka (kayak) for the Pratt Museum in Homer, was an ivory carving artist, and was generous with his time sharing his knowledge about Sugpiaq culture. He especially enjoyed teaching young hunters in the community, and sharing his Native foods. Nick also was a member of the Alaska Native Harbor Seal Commission and the Sea Otter Commission, worked on projects for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and coauthored "Imam Cimiucia: Our Changing Sea” about a subsistence food known as bidarki disappearing from shorelines. Nick Tanape, Sr. passed away in 2018 at the age of 72. For more about Nick Tanape, Sr., see his obituary.

Date of Birth:

Jan 9, 1946

Date of Death:

Apr 21, 2018

Nick Tanape, Sr. appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Nanwalek and Port Graham

Nick Tanape, Sr.'s Slideshow

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
Nick Tanape, Sr., Part 1	Nick Tanape, Sr. was interviewed on July 21, 1996 by Ron Stanek of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence in Nanwalek, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Nick talks about his personal background and discusses the traditional subsistence lifestyle of hunting and using seals, sea lions, and sea otters. He also mentions how seals were processed, shared, and changes he has observed in the seal and sea otter population numbers.	97-235-03	Nanwalek and Port Graham	Jul 21, 1996
Nick Tanape, Sr., Part 2	This is the continuation of an interview with Nick Tanape, Sr. on July 21, 1996 with Ron Stanek of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence in Nanwalek, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Nick talks about hunting bears, moose, mountain goats, and seals. He discusses hunting practices, uses of the different parts of the animals, sharing the meat, and teaching young hunters how to hunt and follow cultural protocols.	97-235-05	Nanwalek and Port Graham	Jul 21, 1996

As Interviewer

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract
Malania Anahonak	JBNA96003	Nanwalek and Port Graham	Malania Anahonak was interviewed on September 10, 1996 by Ron Stanek, Nick Tanape, Sr., and Kilann Moonin Tanape in Nanwalek, Alaska. In this interview, Malania talks about the traditional medicinal uses of plants. Nick conducts the interview and he and Malania speak in their Native Sugt'stun language. No translation or transcription of the audio is available.
Juanita Melsheimer	97-235-04	Nanwalek and Port Graham	Juanita Melsheimer was interviewed on September 23, 1996 by Nick Tanape, Sr. in Nanwalek, Alaska. Juanita and Nick speak in their Native Sugt'stun language. No translation or transcription of the audio is available.
Vincent Kvasnikoff	97-235-06	Nanwalek and Port Graham	Vincent Kvasnikoff was interviewed on September 11, 1997 by Ron Stanek of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence in Nanwalek, Alaska. In this interview, Vincent talks about living a traditional subsistence lifestyle as a kid, his growing up, education, and eventual work and family history. He also talks about fishing, people moving out of the village, and how things have changed in the community through time. In Section 12, Nick Tanape, Sr. is the interviewer, but he does not indicate whether this is a different interview or a continuation of the same interview.