Akutan Story

By Ruth Bradford

What if you could freeze an unforgettable year and go back and visit the people and experiences any time you wanted?
The school year 1978-1979 is just such a year. We lived in the small village of Akutan, located in the isolated Fox Islands in the Aleutian Chain of Alaska.
As we taught Aleut children in grades 1-12 in the small one room school, and visited the elders, on this island with an active volcano, our lives were changed.
Luke Shelikoff, the last Aleut Chief, deserves such immortality, for his “Williwaws of Wisdom” to help and encourage future generations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669863236

Ruth Bradford

Author, Ruth Bradford and her husband, Larry, are retired teachers. They have visited FHL over a period of 4 years, getting to know and love Lorraine, Celing, and the kids. This book is intended to share the blessing and bring glory to our Lord Jesus.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 by Ruth Bradford. 844560

All rights reserved. No part of this book may

be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording, or by any information

storage and retrieval system, without permission in

writing from the copyright owner.

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

ISBN: 978-1-6698-6322-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6698-6324-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6698-6323-6 (e)

Rev. date: 10/02/2023

Table of Contents

PREFACE

AUGUST, 1978

HISTORY OF AKUTAN

OCTOBER, 1978

EXPLORING THE ISLAND

TRANSPORTATION

ALEUT FOODS

AKUTAN VOLCANO

FUN AND GAMES

LUKE SHELIKOFF, ALEUT CHIEF

A VILLAGE IS A FAMILY

ALEUT ARTS and CRAFTS

HEALTH CARE

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER/JANUARY

FEBRUARY/MARCH/APRIL

NOW vs THE FUTURE

1979-2022

Forever Frozen in Time

PREFACE

I am Ruth Bradford. Larry, my husband and I came to Akutan to teach the school children in September, 1978. Our daughter, Debby, and our little black poodle, Hobbitt, played a great part in this amazing journey.

We know now, that our lives would be drastically changed as we became immersed in the lives of our students and the elders. It was not a magical experience, but one filled with faith and hope in the living God.

Little did we know that we would learn so much more than we ever taught. Luke Shelikoff, Bill and Annie Tcheripanoff, Arthur and Mattie Stepetin, Anesia and George Kudrin, Pete Kudrin, and Olga and John Mensoff; all elders of Akutan village, shared stories and wisdom with us.

We are so glad we kept all The Akutan Shrimps, the school newspapers, with articles, stories, and jokes written by the children and our school-aide, Anna McGlashan. Many of these amazing people have passed away, but their stories are as vivid in our minds and hearts as if we were sharing just yesterday.

Thus, the title of this book: Forever Frozen In Time, Akutan Alaska, 1978-1979 And Williwaws of Wisdom. Williwaws are sudden, swirling winds, typical of storms in the Aleutian Islands. The wisdom of the elders of Akutan Island is more subtle than sudden, but consistently swirling around all who hear and pay attention. Timeless wisdom is consistent and constant, in season and out; eternal.

Our life and memories from 1978-1979 are mainly centered around our students. We had them write articles for the school newspaper. The kids decided to name the paper the Akutan Shrimps because we’re all short in Akutan so we call ourselves the Shrimps. If we play a basketball team…they’d all be 6’4 tall…we’d go right through their legs!"

AKUTAN, ALASKA

image1.jpg

Fish, mussels, seagull eggs, crabs

Food

Boardwalks, boats, steam bath, snow

Fun

Starring, Easter, wedding, funeral

Church

Students, learning, hoping, achieving

School

Visiting, joking, laughing, crying

Friends

Smoke, earthquake, clouds, volcano

Ash

Babies, stories, elders, graveyard

Life

Chief Luke Shelikoff was born October 31, 1908. He was the last of the

great Aleut chiefs, and a man of great wisdom. He died in 1982. His words

and dreams for the success of the Aleut people are the underlying fabric

of this book. His words are highlighted in blue, as Williwaws of Wisdom

Joshua 4:6b …When your children ask their fathers in time

to come, saying, What mean ye by these stones?

4:7 Then ye shall answer them.

Luke: Tell the kids the old stories so they know they come from strong

people, people who solve problems together, laugh, cry, and grow together.

Wisdom from the past,

Watches over us today,

And holds the hope of tomorrow.

image2.jpg

AUGUST, 1978

Luke: Come to Akutan, only if you want to learn as well as teach.

image3.jpg

August, 1978

What an experience landing on Akutan Bay in the Grumman Goose! We found out firsthand the reason why it is called a flying boat! Orin Seybert was our friendly pilot. He told us he had been flying since he was 17 years old. He owns Peninsula Air, which flies passengers and freight to all the occupied Aleutian Islands. We flew over many atolls and small islands. Over one lush green island, Orin dipped the wings so we could see cows grazing. He nosed the plane downward over a beautiful bay. The wind was fairly calm so the water was silky smooth. Sea gulls floated on the ripples of the blue-green water and we could see the dark forms of fish moving just under the surface of Akutan Bay.

Then Orin warned us, Here we go!

The Goose bellied into the water, nose first! A resounding sploosh, a bump, and a shudder shook plane and passengers. I held our little black poodle so tight she squealed.

A big wave washed over the entire plane. We knew exactly why the Goose is dubbed a flying boat!

The Goose slowed. We heard the churning wheels catch on gravel. Then that sturdy small plane rolled right onto the gravel beach.

Orin opened the door for us to climb out. Then he tossed our bags into the waiting arms of a young man who transferred them into a skiff (a small wooden boat with an outboard motor). The young man started the motor. He didn’t invite Debby or me aboard!

25392.png

Wait! I asked, confused. I am Ruth Bradford, the school teacher. How do we get to the school?

Walk, he said simply, and pointed to a walkway made of two-by-six inch boards leading uphill.

Without another word, he stood in the back of the boat, with his hand guiding the boat rudder and left.

Later we got to know the young man, Arthur, Jr., and fondly called him ‘Booga.’ When we brought up that first day, he grinned and joked, You couldn’t fit in my skiff with all the stuff you brought!

That first day was truly the beginning of an amazing adventure. Debby, just 13 years old, and I started walking in the direction, we hoped would take us to the building with the school and our apartment. Hobbitt, our miniature black poodle trotted along, a bit fearful of the spaces between the boards.

It felt so amazing to be walking toward our new home…our new school…our new life.

The air smelled of smoke and fish. The sun was warm. Hobbitt lunged at a curious seagull. It was a good thing I had a gold hold of her leash.

image5.jpg

Three young girls stared at us and giggled, but didn’t say anything.

I counted thirteen houses. They were wooden structures painted white, some with blue or green trim.

I said to myself, I am going to visit every one of these families.

We passed, what we found out later, was the post office which also contained the only telephone in the whole village. (These were the days before cell phones and instant communication.)

image6.jpg

We passed a beautiful white building with green trim. We could tell it was the village Russian Orthodox church by the cross. The top bar was for the message over Jesus’ head. Jesus arms were stretched across the middle bar. The bottom bar represented a crosspiece for Jesus’ feet. They said that when Jesus died, the bar slipped. They said, the high end pointed to the thief that asked forgiveness.

In front of the church, was a graveyard, marked by many white wooden crosses. None of the crosses had names or dates. That was a question I would ask Chief Luke, how they kept track of those who had died.

Luke: Family is important. When we bury someone, we don’t need names on crosses. We remember. And we tell the children their stories. That is what keeps us a strong people.

OUR NEW HOME

Finally, we arrived at a long white building with many windows at the end of the boardwalk. We climbed the wooden steps into what would be our home and classroom for the next nine months.

The heavy door opened into a short hallway,