Ted Katcheak

Ted Katcheak is Iñupiaq from Stebbins, Alaska. His father, Benny Katcheak, started reindeer herding in Stebbins in the 1950s, and Ted grew up helping his father with herding. His mother, Minnie, his brothers and sisters, and his aunt also spent time at the reindeer herding camp. Ted received a high school degree and some college education in anthropology and in 1974 worked for Bering Straits Native Association as their Land Use Site Specialist. Then, when his father got older and was unable to keep herding, Ted decided to become a herder himself. He enjoyed being around reindeer after having spent so much time with them throughout his life. In 1974, Ted started managing the Stebbins Community herd that was under the control of the Stebbins IRA Tribal Council. In 1982, he brought reindeer to Stebbins from Shaktoolik by walking on snowshoes with the herd. After reindeer herding for the community for twenty-five years, in 1999 he started his own herd with 195 animals. Today, Ted Katcheak is one of the owners of the tri-party herd, a herd jointly owned by the Katcheak family, the Stebbins Community Association and the Native Village of St. Michael.