Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series
5 films
Featuring
Elder Lena Charley
Elder Ruby Sinyon
Elder Jerry Charley
Elder Katie John
5 films
Featuring
Elder Lena Charley
Elder Ruby Sinyon
Elder Jerry Charley
Elder Katie John
Upper Ahtna Indians live in the east south central interior of Alaska at the top of the Copper River Valley. In the 1990’s leaders began supporting ethnographic videography and interviews with members of the last generation raised traditionally in the Upper Valley. Recognizing that their children and grandchildren were living with more modern world distractions in their lives, these Elders decided to speak to the future by sharing their Traditional Knowledge through this video series.
Over 25 years later, this unique 7 hour series presents their Traditional Knowledge in 5 episodes.
Moose
A Way of Life
Moccasins
Upper Ahtna Art
Chistochina
Community History
Upper Ahtna
Culture Camp
Upper Ahtna
Potlatch
Moose: A Way of Life
Featuring: Elder Lena Charley
Elder Lena Charley demonstrates how to take a moose apart with just a knife, with additional audio on Tanning, Hunting Stories, and Upper Ahtna words for tanning tools and moose anatomy
Moccasins: Upper Ahtna Art
Featuring: Elder Ruby Sinyon
Elder Ruby Sinyon demonstrates beading and sewing techniques for moccasins, with additional material with her sister, Lena Charley, who demonstrates tanning moose hides and discusses beading designs.
Chistochina: Community History
Featuring: Elder Ruby Sinyon, Elder Lena Charley, Elder Jerry Charley and Wilson Justin
Traditional Knowledge was gained by hard work during childhood. Elder Ruby Sinyon (1928-2019), Elder Lena Charley (b. 1930), Elder Jerry Charley (1931-2013), and Wilson Justin (b. 1950) teach through life history, speaking about traditional child rearing in the first half of the 20th century and the cultural impact of social change in the second half.
Upper Ahtna: Culture Camp
Featuring: Elder Ruby Sinyon
Excerpts from Culture Camps, filmed between 1996 – 2004, address the successful struggle to regain fishing rights in the traditional fish camp at Batzulnetas, and offer Elders Katie John, Emma Northway, Ruby Sinyon, Lena Charley and Jerry Charley to teach youth about processing traditional foods and the traditional arts, crafts, and building technologies necessary to live off the land in bush Alaska.
Upper Ahtna: Potlatch
Featuring: Elder Katie John, Elder Lena Charley, Elder Ruby Sinyon, Elder Jerry Charley, Elder Robert Marshall, Elder Fred Ewan, and Elder Ben Neeley
Cultural practice and social protocol are demonstrated in this overview of the Upper Ahtna’s most public ceremony, the Potlatch. Filmed in 2006, this episode features Jerry Charley’s Potlatch for his wife’s recovery from a stroke, his formal introduction of his half-sister to his community, and the recognition of a child’s First Kill.
We gratefully thank our Elders, without whom this series would not exist.
We rely on their support and wisdom.
Ruby Sinyon
Jerry and Lena Charley
Katie John
Upper Ahtna Traditional Knowledge Series
Funded by DOE: Alaska Native Education Program. Produced by Alaska History Projects, LLC. Directed by Cynthea L. Ainsworth.
Photo of Katie John © Bill Hess.