Category: Published stories
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Finding light in a sometimes dark and scary world
UNALAKLEET – He turned the lights off. I had been in that church thousands of times from not long after I was born until I graduated high school, but never like that. It felt irreverent. The pews were full and the lights were off. There were elders in there, and I wondered what they were…
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My eyes smile again: A caribou hunt up the Kobuk
NALUQ — There’s something about being out in the country 10 miles up the Kobuk from Kiana. In the open air. Having the freedom of a river. Feeling the grounding of black spruce trees. Hearing the lightness in heart from friends’ laughter. And eating a breakfast prepared on a Coleman stove in a warm cabin.…
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Salmon for days
UNALAKLEET—“We’re eating fish again?” Yanni exasperatingly asked my brother. It was my brother’s girlfriend’s first summer with our family. And every summer, we ate fresh salmon most days. Back then the king runs were strong and our summer started off with greasy, decedent meals of grilled king salmon steaks. Later when the humpies clogged the…
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So a guy paddled to our boat dock one day
UNALAKLEET — “Do people think you’re crazy?” I asked him. After 45 minutes of getting to know this man, it felt safe to ask and get an honest answer. “Generally everybody,” he said in his classic French accent. We both smiled and I nodded my head, yes, with understanding. Except I don’t think he’s crazy.…
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Still learning lessons from Ma
UNALAKLEET — He remembered a time she and I picked out music together. I imagine we were in front of her big, black stereo, weeding through her CDs. She had a lot of them. A song we picked was “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and he thought that was cool. “You and your mom were such good friends,”…
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My brother does good things
August 19 was my brother’s birthday. He’s older and wiser and I couldn’t stand him growing up. He’s the top middle one in the photo, holding Ryder’s shoulders. The day of his birthday I woke up grateful. Later that night we celebrated with chili, pie, blueberry cream puffs and akuutaq. I love you, Fred Jay. Thank you for…
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A Papa shows his love
He was a quiet man. Dignified. While his sinew was strong, his skin was wrinkled and soft. Dark. Smelled old somehow. His bones were bird-like, but solid and heavy to the ground. And he had the coolest middle name. Windsor. Aside from the fact that it’s a type of whiskey, the name fit him well.…
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Saying goodbye to Gram
UNALAKLEET — I was 13 years old and beginning to think rubber boots were ugly. Maybe I should wear sneakers down the coast instead. When she was 13 years old, she quit school to raise four younger siblings. She thought about what to feed her brothers and sisters, and lighting the fire in the stove…
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Warning: If you eat ugruk and read this, you might qugliaq
UNALAKLEET — Auntie Maggie was at the table, cutting meat that would later hang to dry. Larry was at the stove, cooking ugruk ribs, blubber and qiaq. “How are you folks?” I asked. “Hungry,” Maggie said sternly. Knowing her tone was a joke, we all replied with laughter. “I can’t cook the meat fast enough,” her husband…
laureli ivanoff 