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John Phillip

John Phillip is a Yup'ik elder from Akiak, Alaska. He was born at a fall camp near Eek, Alaska and grew up living a traditional subsistence lifestyle of hunting, trapping, and fishing. He moved to Akiak, Alaska in 1946 when he was eight years old after his father died and his mother married Eddie Owens. His stepfather took him to seasonal camps and taught him how to trap mink and beaver, set fish traps and nets, travel the country, and know the traditional Yup'ik place names of the area. In the early 1960's, he married Mary Ivan of Akiak, and supported his family by selling furs he trapped and by working outside of the village as a commercial fisherman in Bristol Bay, on the Pribilof Island seal harvest, and at the Nyac Mine. In 1971, the family lived in Bethel for eight months as Mary received extra health aide training from the newly formed Yukon-Kuskokwim Health Corporation and John was able to find a job with one of the local airline companies.

John Phillip appears in the following new Jukebox projects:

Akiak

Interview Title	Abstract	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Date of Interview
John and Mary Phillip, Part 1	John and Mary Phillip were interviewed on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Andy Japhet and Carrie Lake at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, John Phillip talks about his childhood, living a subsistence lifestyle, and having to travel to find jobs so he could support his family. Mary Phillip talks about her experience as a community health aide, the training and education she received, and relocating to Bethel for work. John and Mary also talk about their family histories, raising their children, and changes they have seen in Akiak.	2004-07-22_PT.1	Akiak	Nov 18, 2004
John and Mary Phillip, Part 2	This is the continuation of an interview with John and Mary Phillip on November 18, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Andy Japhet and Carrie Lake at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, John and Mary talk about subsistence fishing and hunting activities, seasonal camps for fishing and muskrat hunting, methods of travel, and processing of salmon.	2004-07-22_PT.2	Akiak	Nov 18, 2004
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 1	Wassillie Evan and John Phillip are interviewed on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about subsistence activities, the history of Akiak, and refer to a map to talk about traditionally used places, travel routes and trails, and Yup'ik place names. John and Wassille have hunted and trapped together, and they talk about Qantar and the original trail, and mention two sites in particular: Anayaruaq - "a place up by the mountains that you are supposed to avoid;" and a small lake down by the Kuskokwim River that "if you drink the water from it you will disappear." Wassillie also tells a story in Yup'ik about starvation times and talks about traditional medicine and healing practices. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.	2004-07-23_PT.1	Akiak	Nov 19, 2004
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 2	This is the continuation of an interview with Wassillie Evan and John Phillip on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about traditionally used places and place names, travel and trails, and trapping. Wassillie and John also talk about the origin of their Yup'ik names, and John talks about the use of fish traps. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.	2004-07-23_PT.2	Akiak	Nov 19, 2004

As a Person Present at Interview

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract	People Present
Bertha Beaver	2004-07-18	Akiak	Bertha Beaver was interviewed on November 16, 2004 along with Wassillie Evan and John and Mary Phillip by Shawna Williams, Karen Brewster and Louann Rank along with 7th grade students Holly Demantle, Diedre Williams, Gabriel Nicolai and Milton Jones while looking at historic photographs at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this excerpt of the longer recording, Bertha talks about what it was like to be in an arranged marriage and some of the hardships of raising such a large family in the early days when there was little money. Bertha emphasizes the importance for young people to remember their traditional values, activities, and foods.	Wassillie Evan, John Phillip, Mary Phillip

As Translator

Interview Title	Archive #: Oral History	Project	Abstract	Translator
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 1	2004-07-23_PT.1	Akiak	Wassillie Evan and John Phillip are interviewed on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this first part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about subsistence activities, the history of Akiak, and refer to a map to talk about traditionally used places, travel routes and trails, and Yup'ik place names. John and Wassille have hunted and trapped together, and they talk about Qantar and the original trail, and mention two sites in particular: Anayaruaq - "a place up by the mountains that you are supposed to avoid;" and a small lake down by the Kuskokwim River that "if you drink the water from it you will disappear." Wassillie also tells a story in Yup'ik about starvation times and talks about traditional medicine and healing practices. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.	John Phillip
Wassillie Evan and John Phillip, Part 2	2004-07-23_PT.2	Akiak	This is the continuation of an interview with Wassillie Evan and John Phillip on November 19, 2004 by William Schneider, Karen Brewster, Louann Rank, and Shawna Williams along with 7th grade students Leanne Jackson and Nels Jasper at the Akiak School Library in Akiak, Alaska. In this second part of a two part interview, Wassillie and John talk about traditionally used places and place names, travel and trails, and trapping. Wassillie and John also talk about the origin of their Yup'ik names, and John talks about the use of fish traps. Wassillie is most comfortable speaking Yup'ik, so he speaks in Yup'ik throughout much of the interview and John translates his comments into English.	John Phillip