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>> ON THIS EDITION OF "NATIVE
REPORT," WE EXPERIENCE LIFE ON
THE POWWOW TRAIL THROUGH THE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF IVY VAINIO.
>> THAT HAD A BIG IMPRESSION...
>> WE INTERVIEW ELDER STATESMAN
AND FORMER VICE PRESIDENT WALTER
MONDALE, AND WE CONTINUE WITH
PART 3 OF INALIK, LITTLE
DIOMEDE, A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT
AN ISLAND IN THE BERING STRAIT.
WE ALSO LEARN SOMETHING NEW
ABOUT INDIAN COUNTRY AND HEAR
FROM OUR ELDERS ON THIS "NATIVE
REPORT."
>> PRODUCTION OF "NATIVE REPORT"
IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM
THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX
COMMUNITY,
THE MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE,
AND THE BLANDIN FOUNDATION.
>> I'M PROUD OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE
WHEN THEY GRADUATE.
>> HI, WELCOME TO "NATIVE
REPORT." I'M STACEY THUNDER.
IVY VAINIO IS AN ACCOMPLISHED
PHOTOGRAPHER. IN HER FIRST SOLO
EXHIBIT, "NAAMIJIG, HONORING
OUR TRADITIONS," THE LIFE AND
EXPERIENCE OF THE POWWOW TRAIL
IS DOCUMENTED.
>> ON THIS FALL DAY, THERE IS
A SPECIAL GATHERING INSIDE THE
GIMAAJI BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN
DULUTH. PHOTOGRAPHER IVY VAINIO
PREMIERES HER EXHIBIT.
IMAGES DOCUMENTING MOMENTS AND
PEOPLE AT SEVERAL POWWOWS
IN THE REGION.
>> I LOVE BEING AT POWWOWS, UM,
AND SEEING FAMILIES TOGETHER.
I'M A HISTORIAN AT HEART. THAT'S
WHAT I GOT MY DEGREE IN AT
U.N.D., AND THAT'S HOW I SEE...
IT'S AN ART. PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN
ART, BUT IT ALSO CAN EDUCATE
AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK I DO.
I WORK AT UW SUPERIOR AND FOR
YEARS, I'VE BEEN THERE 15 YEARS,
AND MAYBE 7 OR 8 YEARS AGO, WE
GOT A HIGH-END CAMERA TO
DOCUMENT OUR EVENTS AND I GUESS
I JUST TOOK IT ON MYSELF TO BE
THE PHOTOGRAPHER, AND I'VE BEEN
TAKING PHOTOS EVER SINCE FOR MY
JOB. AND THEN ABOUT 4 YEARS AGO,
MY HUSBAND ARNIE BOUGHT ME
A REALLY HIGH-END CAMERA, AND
REALLY HIGH-POWERED LENS, AND
I FELL IN LOVE WITH THAT CAMERA,
AND THEN I JUST STARTED TO GO ON
THE POWWOW TRAIL AND DOCUMENT--
WHAT I LIKE TO CALL DOCUMENT
A CULTURAL EVENT.
>> ON AVERAGE, IVY SNAPS
ANYWHERE FROM 400 TO 500 PHOTOS
WHILE ATTENDING POWWOWS. OF
THESE, SHE MAY END UP WITH 20
THAT STAND OUT.
>> I'VE BEEN TAKING POWWOW
PHOTOS FOR ABOUT 4 YEARS NOW.
"WAR CRY" IS THE ONE THAT I TOOK
AT THE VETERAN'S POWWOW IN
SAWYER. AND IT'S BEN SPEARS.
HE'S A RED LAKE MEMBER.
JUST A WONDERFUL MAN AND
BEAUTIFUL DANCER, AND IT WAS ONE
OF THOSE TIMES WHERE I WAS IN
THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT
TIME. AND HE CAME AROUND THE
ARENA, AND I WAS KIND OF
STANDING OVER HERE. AND HE CAME
AROUND, AND HE DID ONE OF THOSE
WAR CRIES. AND WHEN HE CAME BACK
AROUND, LIKE, HE WAS GETTING
CLOSER TO ME, I'M LIKE, OH,
PLEASE DO IT AGAIN. PLEASE DO IT
AGAIN. I HAD BROUGHT MY CAMERA
UP AND MY FINGER WAS ON THAT
SHUTTER, AND HE DID IT AGAIN AND
I, YOU KNOW, SNAPPED IT. AND
THAT'S THE PHOTO THAT I GOT.
>> ANOTHER STRIKING IMAGE IS
THAT OF A FATHER AND HIS
DAUGHTER.
>> THAT PHOTO I ACTUALLY
ENTITLED "DANCING TOGETHER,"
AND IT'S OF GORDON FIANDAI
AND HIS DAUGHTER KYLIE. AND I
TOOK IT THIS PAST SUMMER IN
GRAND PORTAGE. AND SAME THING,
I WAS JUST KIND OF SITTING
THERE, AND THEY CAME AROUND AND
I SAW THAT THEY WERE INTERACTING
WITH EACH OTHER WHILE THEY WERE
DANCING. THEY WERE TALKING, AND
SHE WAS JUST LOOKING UP AT HIM.
AND IT JUST--I GET GOOSE BUMPS.
WHEN I SAW THAT, AGAIN, I PULLED
MY CAMERA UP, AND I CAPTURED IT.
AND IT REALLY SAYS A LOT ABOUT
POWWOW CULTURE, BECAUSE IT
INVOLVES FAMILIES AND THE
IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY. AND I
THINK THAT PHOTO SYMBOLIZES
THAT--THAT VALUE.
"POWWOW ROYALTY." AND THAT WAS
TAKEN LAST YEAR AT MILLE LACS
POWWOW. TRADITIONAL POWWOW
TWO SUMMERS AGO, AND THOSE TWO
GIRLS, YOUNG WOMEN, THEA AND
JASMINE, ARE IN THE SAME GRADE--
IN THE SAME GRADE AS MY SON AND
AT THE SAME SCHOOL. AND SO, I
KNOW THEM VERY WELL. AND SO,
WHEN I SAW THEM...I THINK WE
WERE KIND OF BY A FOOD STAND,
AND THEY WERE GETTING SLUSHEES
OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND I
ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD POSE
FOR A PHOTO, AND THAT'S WHAT
I GOT. AND YOU KNOW, IT REALLY
SAYS A LOT BECAUSE THEY'RE
REPRESENTING THEIR TRIBE,
THEIR TRIBAL NATION, WITH THEIR
BEADED CROWN AND THEIR BANNERS,
AND I THINK IT'S...IT'S VERY
COOL. I PHOTOGRAPH EVERY STYLE
OF DANCE. THE ONLY STYLE THAT I
DON'T HAVE IN THE 16TH SET OF
PHOTOS IS MEN'S FANCY.
BUT I HAVE JINGO. I HAVE FANCY
SHAWL, TRADITIONAL, MEN'S
TRADITIONAL, UH...GRASS DANCE.
THEY'RE ALL--THEY'RE ALL MY
FAVORITES, YOU KNOW. I GO FROM
ONE TO THE OTHER IN LIKE...
THIS IS MY FAVORITE, BUT I
REALLY, I REALLY LIKE THEM ALL
EQUALLY. HISTORY HASN'T DONE
VERY WELL IN DOCUMENTING, OR
REPRESENTING NATIVE PEOPLE VERY
WELL. I THINK OF THE OLD BLACK
AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPHS,
HISTORICAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF NATIVE
AMERICANS THAT ARE, YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE IN HEAD DRESSES, AND
THEY'RE HOLDING A GUN, OR IT
PULLS THEM JUST A CERTAIN WAY,
AND YOU CAN TELL THAT THE
PHOTOGRAPH WAS TAKEN BY AN
OUTSIDER. FROM SOMEONE OUTSIDE
OF THEIR CULTURE. AND I FEEL
LIKE WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHS I'M,
YOU KNOW, RESPECTFUL. AND I'M
SHOOTING THE PHOTOGRAPHS IN
THEIR OWN OUTFITS, IN THEIR OWN
COMMUNITIES, AND IN THE WAY THAT
THEY WOULD WANT TO BE
PHOTOGRAPHED. YOU KNOW, I AM
PART OJIBWE, AND I FEEL GOOD
THAT I CAN REPRESENT, YOU KNOW,
OUR PEOPLE IN A GOOD WAY. IN A
WAY THAT THEY WOULD WANT TO BE
REPRESENTED.
>> DID YOU KNOW THAT WALTER
MONDALE ONCE SERVED ON A
SUBCOMMITTEE THAT CHANGED INDIAN
EDUCATION POLICY? MONDALE SERVED
AS THE 42ND VICE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED STATES UNDER
PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER. AND AS
THE UNITED STATES SENATOR FOR
MINNESOTA FROM 1964 UNTIL 1976.
DURING HIS TIME AS A SENATOR, HE
SERVED ON THE SPECIAL
SUBCOMMITTEE ON INDIAN
EDUCATION, ORIGINALLY CHAIRED BY
SENATOR ROBERT F. KENNEDY FROM
NEW YORK. AFTER SENATOR KENNEDY
WAS ASSASSINATED IN 1968, HIS
BROTHER, SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY
OF MASSACHUSETTS CHAIRED THE
SUBCOMMITTEE AND COMPLETED THE
REPORT. THE FINISHED REPORT WAS
ENTITLED "INDIAN EDUCATION:
A NATIONAL TRAGEDY, A NATIONAL
CHALLENGE." THE REPORT PLAYED
A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE
DEVELOPMENT OF THE 1972 INDIAN
EDUCATION ACT, A LANDMARK PIECE
OF LEGISLATION ESTABLISHING
A COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH TO
MEETING THE NEEDS OF AMERICAN
INDIAN AND ALASKAN NATIVE
STUDENTS. THE KEY ASPECTS OF THE
ORIGINAL AUTHORITY HAD BEEN
RETAINED THROUGH SUBSEQUENT
LEGISLATION. THESE ACTS DEAL
WITH AMERICAN INDIAN EDUCATION
FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO GRADUATE
SCHOOL AND REFLECT THE DIVERSITY
OF GOVERNMENT INVOLVED IN INDIAN
EDUCATION.
>> NEXT, TADD JOHNSON SITS DOWN
WITH VICE PRESIDENT WALTER
MONDALE WHO WORKED ON MAJOR
STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION
IN THE 60's AND 70's THAT MADE
A POSITIVE IMPACT FOR NATIVE
NATIONS. HE WAS ALSO ONE OF THE
FEW WHO SPOKE AGAINST INJUSTICE,
INEQUALITY, AND HOW THE UNITED
STATES VIEWED NATIVE AMERICA.
>> SITTING IN HIS OFFICE AT THE
MINNEAPOLIS LAW FIRM OF DORSEY
AND WHITNEY, VICE PRESIDENT
WALTER MONDALE REFLECTS ON THE
LESSONS HIS FATHER TAUGHT HIM
AS A BOY GROWING UP AND HOW HE
APPLIED THOSE LESSONS TO HIS
YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE.
>> WHAT I DID LEARN WAS FROM MY
DAD WHO WAS A DEVOUT,
PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN MINISTER.
AND ABOUT HOW WE OWE EVERY
PERSON RESPECT. EVERY PERSON IS
A CHILD OF GOD. AND THAT
WHENEVER WE DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
PEOPLE, IT'S A SIN. AND I KIND
OF WENT INTO POLITICS WITH THAT
IDEA AND STILL HAVE IT.
MY RECOLLECTION IS I MADE--I
TRIED TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH, UH,
INDIAN LEADERS, WITH YOUNG
INDIANS COMING UP. I TRIED TO
BE AN OFFICE THAT THEY COULD
COME TO AND TALK ABOUT THEIR
PROBLEMS. I DIDN'T SEE THEM AS
ADVERSARIES. I SAW THEM AS
PEOPLE I COULD WORK WITH.
I WAS--ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T KNOW
MUCH ABOUT IT, I WAS CONVINCED
THAT THE INDIANS HAD BEEN
UNFAIRLY TREATED, AND THAT WE
NEED--THERE'S A LOT OF JUSTICE'S
WORK THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE, AND
THE MORE I GOT INTO IT, THE MORE
I BECAME PERSUADED THAT BIG
REFORMS WERE NEEDED.
>> AS ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR
MINNESOTA, AND LATER, AS THE
UNITED STATES SENATOR, HE WAS
ABLE TO REFORM INDIAN POLICY.
ALONG THE WAY, HE MADE FRIENDS
WITH MANY TRIBAL LEADERS, MOST
NOTABLY, THE RED LAKE NATION'S
CHAIRMAN, THE LATE ROGER
JOURDAIN.
>> ROGER WAS MY BUDDY. WE--HE
WOULD GET ME UP THERE FOR INDIAN
DANCES AND GIVE ME A HEAD DRESS.
BUT WE WOULD TALK SERIOUS POLICY
AND HE'D COME OUT TO WASHINGTON,
AND I WOULD SEE HIM THERE, OR I
WOULD SEE HIM IN MINNEAPOLIS, OR
I'D SEE HIM UP IN RED LAKE.
WHENEVER HE CAME TO WASHINGTON,
HE ALWAYS HAD A PLACE IN THE
WHITE HOUSE WITH ME. AND I
REMEMBER HE BROUGHT SOME
HIGH-SCHOOL KIDS FROM RED LAKE,
AND THEY WANTED TO DANCE
SOMEWHERE, SO WE SET UP A
PLATFORM OUT IN THE WHITE HOUSE
LAWN THERE, AND THE PRESIDENT
CAME OUT WITH ME, AND WE WATCHED
THEM DANCE. SO WE DID OUR BEST
TO HELP. AND I MADE MANY FRIENDS
DURING THOSE YEARS.
>> THE 1960's AND 70's WERE A
TIME OF CHANGE IN MANY FRONTS,
INCLUDING INDIAN COUNTRY.
>> THIS WAS A TIME WHICH I THINK
WAS--IT LOOKS VERY GOOD IN
AMERICAN HISTORY. WHEN THERE
WERE A BUNCH OF YOUNG,
PROGRESSIVE SENATORS. YOU NAMED
A COUPLE, BOBBY AND TEDDY, BUT
I THINK THERE WERE A LOT OF
PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF THERE THAT
WANTED TO CORRECT THINGS IN
AMERICA THAT NEEDED ADJUSTMENT.
AND ONE WAS THIS IDEA I CALL
PATERNALISM, WHERE INDIANS
WERE--COULD ONLY FUNCTION IF
THEY WERE UNDER GUARDIANSHIP.
IF THEY WOULD GET MONEY, IT
OUGHT TO BE UNDER TRUSTEESHIP
IF--THE...IF THERE WAS
EDUCATION, SOMEHOW THERE HAD TO
BE A BUREAU THERE, OR SOMEBODY
ELSE OVERSEEING THE EDUCATION.
THE IDEA THAT INDIANS COULD BE
JUST AS CAPABLE OF HANDLING
THEIR AFFAIRS, JUST AS
INTERESTED IN THEIR CHILDREN AND
THEIR FUTURE AS THE REST OF US,
WAS NOT DAWNING AS QUICKLY
AS IT SHOULD. I CAN REMEMBER--
DON'T WANT TO USE NAMES HERE--
WHEN WE STARTED MAKING THESE
CHANGES, AN OLDER SENATOR, NICE
MAN...WE WERE TRYING TO DO SOME
OF THIS SELF-DETERMINATION SO
THE INDIANS COULD CONTROL THEIR
OWN LIVES AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT
IT. AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, ARE
YOU SURE YOU'RE GOING DOWN THE
RIGHT PATH? DO YOU THINK THEY'RE
READY TO DO THIS FOR THEMSELVES?
DON'T YOU THINK WE SHOULD WAIT
UNTIL THEY'RE BETTER PREPARED?"
AND I SAID, NO. I THINK...I
THINK WE HELD ON WAY TOO LONG. I
THINK THAT THEY...THEY'RE JUST
AS CAPABLE OF FIGURING OUT THEIR
LIVES AS WE NON-INDIANS ARE.
AND THE SYSTEM WE'VE HAD HAS NOT
WORKED. IT STARTED OUT WITH
TRYING TO BASICALLY ELIMINATE
THE INDIAN, AND THEN WE HAD A
HUNDRED YEARS OF MAKING A WHITE
MAN OUT OF THE INDIAN. NONE OF
IT HAS WORKED. IT'S TIME TO JUST
LET INDIANS GUIDE THEIR OWN
LIVES, HELP EDUCATE THEIR
CHILDREN, AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT
THEMSELVES.
>> AS A SENATOR, WALTER MONDALE
SAT ON THE SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE
ON INDIAN EDUCATION AND HELPED
TO PASS THE LANDMARK INDIAN
EDUCATION ACT OF 1972.
>> WE WORKED VERY *** THAT
COMMITTEE. AND WE TRAVELED A LOT
AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE HAD A LOT
OF HEARINGS. WE INTRODUCED
LEGISLATION ON THE INDIAN
EDUCATION ACT WHICH PASSED.
AND THE THEORY OF THE NEW ACT
WAS PARENTAL CONTROL, LOCAL
CONTROL. TEACHING MATERIALS THAT
FIT CHILDREN AND THEIR
HISTORIES THAT--WHEN CHILDREN
READ IT, THEY CAN SEE THINGS
ABOUT THEMSELVES THAT
STRENGTHEN THEIR SENSE OF
SELF-WORTH. EVERY CHILD NEEDS
THAT.
>> OTHER KEY PIECES OF
LEGISLATION FOLLOWED DURING THE
CARTER ADMINISTRATION. ONE THAT
HAD A GREAT IMPACT WAS THE
TRIBALLY CONTROLLED COMMUNITY
COLLEGE ASSISTANCE ACT OF 1978.
>> THAT'S ONE OF THE MOST
EXCITING THINGS. IF YOU GO TO
FOND DU LAC COMMUNITY COLLEGE,
THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE
COUNTRY, IN ALL--I THINK WE HAVE
A COUPLE OTHER LOCATIONS IN
MINNESOTA. THERE'S 70 INDIAN
COMMUNITY COLLEGES NOW IN THE
COUNTRY. MOST OF THEM ARE BIG
SUCCESSES. I THINK THAT WE
STARTED PUSHING THEM WHEN I WAS
IN THE SENATE, AND I THINK
CARTER SIGNED A BILL
ESTABLISHING A NATIONWIDE INDIAN
COMMUNITY COLLEGE PROGRAM WITH
SOME GRANTS, SOME HELP. I THINK
IT'S BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THERE WAS A PERIOD OF 8 OR 10
YEARS THERE WHEN THE AMERICAN
PUBLIC WERE ELECTING PEOPLE.
THERE WAS LYNDON JOHNSON WITH
ALL OF HIS PROBLEMS, BUT
LYNDON WAS GOOD ON THIS STUFF,
AND HUBERT HUMPHREY, OF COURSE,
AND A PROGRESSIVE COURT
WITH EARL WARREN.
AND IT WAS A TIME FOR REAL
CHANGE. YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE
IDEA OF OPPORTUNITY AND DIGNITY
AND MERCY. THAT WAS THE KEYSTONE
OF THAT ERA THAT I'VE TALKED
ABOUT. AND WHEREVER YOU WENT,
PEOPLE WERE TRYING TO DO
SOMETHING TO IMPROVE LIVES.
A LOT OF GOOD WAS DONE.
>> I REMEMBER ARGUING WITH THE
PRIEST OVER SOME THEOLOGY
BECAUSE I DIDN'T--I THOUGHT IT
WAS...I DIDN'T THINK IT WAS...
LOGICAL. AND SO I ARGUED ABOUT
IT. AND I REMEMBER I WAS ABOUT
7 THEN, AND I WAS ARGUING ABOUT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE
WERE--WE HAD TO GO TO CHURCH,
AND WE HAD TO DO ALL THE STUFF
THERE. THERE WAS NO--AS YOU
KNOW, WITH BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND
HOW THEY WERE DESIGNED. WHEN I
TAUGHT FEDERAL INDIAN POLICY,
I ASKED MY STUDENTS WHAT--THEY
WERE JUST A GUEST AT BOARDING
SCHOOL. AND I ASKED THEM WHAT
WAS THE MOST INGENIOUS THING
THAT THE WHITE MAN DID WITH THE
INDIAN. AND THEY COULDN'T COME
UP WITH ANYTHING. THEY THOUGHT
IT WAS ALL AWFUL. AND WHETHER
IT'S AWFUL OR NOT, BOARDING
SCHOOLS REALLY WORKED, DIDN'T
THEY? WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT
THE GOVERNMENT WANTED TO DO, YOU
HAVE TO LOOK AT SOMETHING FROM
THEIR POINT OF VIEW AS WELL AS
YOURS. NOW, FROM OUR POINT OF
VIEW, IT WAS AWFUL. FROM THEIR
POINT OF VIEW, IT WAS BRILLIANT.
WE DIDN'T GET TO SPEAK OUR
LANGUAGE. WE DIDN'T, UH...WE...
WE WERE TAKEN AWAY FROM OUR
FAMILIES. WE WEREN'T RAISED WITH
OUR FAMILIES. WHEN I WAS TALKING
TO MY FATHER AND I WAS ANNOYED,
BECAUSE I COULDN'T--I CAN'T
SPEAK FLUENT OJIBWE. AND HE
LOOKED AT ME, HE SAID, "YOU DID
GOOD IN SCHOOL, DIDN'T YOU, MY
GIRL?"
>> WE CONTINUE WITH PART 3 OF
INALIK, LITTLE DIOMEDE,
A DOCUMENTARY PRODUCED BY
JEANIE GREENE FROM ALASKA.
IN THIS SEGMENT, WE LEARN ABOUT
THE HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE IN
THE MIDDLE OF THE BERING STRAIT.
>> THERE ARE TWO STORES IN
DIOMEDE, BUT PRICES ARE HIGH
DUE TO THE COST OF SHIPPING.
AND THERE ARE OFTEN TIMES WHEN
BAD WEATHER KEEPS FLIGHTS OUT
OF DIOMEDE FOR WEEKS ON END.
>> THE HARDEST PART IS
TRAVELING. GOING OUT OF DIOMEDE
IS EASY, BUT TRYING TO COME BACK
IS VERY TOUGH. YOU CAN GET
STRANDED IN WELLS FOR WEEKS
OR MONTHS.
>> ON SEPTEMBER 25TH, AN 8.0
EARTHQUAKE STRUCK JAPAN.
A TSUNAMI WARNING WAS ISSUED ALL
THE WAY FROM THE SEWARD
PENINSULA NORTH TO LITTLE
DIOMEDE. WHEN NEWS HIT DIOMEDE,
THE SIREN WAS SOUNDED IN TOWN,
AND THE MEN BEGAN MOVING BOATS
UP ONTO HIGHER GROUND.
PREPARATION IS THE KEY TO
SURVIVAL IN THE BERING STRAIT.
FORTUNATELY, A TSUNAMI NEVER
FORMED. IT'S EASY TO SEE HOW
DIFFERENT AND SOMETIMES COMPLEX
IT CAN BE TO LIVE IN DIOMEDE.
FROM THE LIMITED BARGE
SERVICE, TO THE SEASONAL PLANE
SERVICE, LIVING ON LITTLE
DIOMEDE HAS ITS CHALLENGES.
>> WELL, YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW
TO LIVE WITH YOUR BASICS, 'CAUSE
IT'S HARD TO GET STUFF OUT HERE,
AND IT'S REALLY EXPENSIVE.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE
ALL THE ISOLATION, BECAUSE WE
DON'T HAVE...WE DON'T HAVE
EVERYDAY MAIL SERVICE. WE DON'T
HAVE EVERYDAY AIRPLANES LIKE ALL
THE OTHER VILLAGES. AND PAST
YEARS WE DON'T EVEN HAVE ANY
KIND OF COMMUNICATION WITH
ALASKA, 'CAUSE WE DON'T GET THE
ARCS CHANNEL. AND ALL OUR
SATELLITE TV COMES FROM
CALIFORNIA.
>> PERHAPS THEIR LIMITED CONTACT
WITH THE OUTSIDE KEEPS THEM MORE
GROUNDED IN THEIR OWN CULTURE.
THEY WERE RAISED ON THE
FOUNDATION OF A SUBSISTENCE
LIFESTYLE. THEY KNOW HOW TO READ
THE WATER AND THE SKY. THEY KNOW
WHERE TO FIND MURRE EGGS.
AND THEY KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE ON
THE PLACE SOME CALL "THE ROCK."
>> YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE CURRENT.
YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE WEATHER
SITUATION. WHY THESE CLOUDS ARE
FORMING. WHY ARE THEY DYING
DOWN? WHICH WAY THE WIND'S
BLOWING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
THINGS OUT HERE WHERE...
THE WEATHER IS ALWAYS THE THING
THAT WE HAVE TO RELY ON,
ESPECIALLY THE CURRENT.
>> FROM THE ELDEST TO THE YOUTH
AND SO ON AND SO ON, THE WAVES
OF THE INGALIKMIUT HAVE BEEN
PASSED DOWN FROM GENERATION
TO GENERATION. ORVILLE SR.
RECALLS THE FIRST TIME HE WENT
HUNTING WITH THE ADULTS AND
ELDERS.
>> AT MY YOUNGEST TIME,
I THINK I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS
ABOUT 16 OR 17. I THINK THAT
WAS THE FIRST TIME I WENT
WITH THE ARCTIC CREW.
I REMEMBER THE ELDERS WERE IN
CHARGE. REALLY. NOW, IT'S
I'VE SPENT SOMETIME IN THE
MILITARY. IT WAS LIKE MILITARY.
YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE DISCIPLINE IN
THE BOAT. YOU'VE GOT TO BE
ORGANIZED. YOU'VE GOT TO BE
PREPARED FOR ANYTHING. SO THE
ELDERS THOSE DAYS, THEY WERE
JUST...JUST STRICT PEOPLE AND
KNOW HOW TO [INDISTINCT]
MAINLY SURVIVE. HOW TO SURVIVE.
HOW TO MAKE A LIVING.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE UPCOMING
WEATHER SITUATION, OR STUFF LIKE
THAT. WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED,
YOU KNOW, DON'T WE?
>> THERE WERE 3 VILLAGES HERE
WHERE I LIVE. WHEN I WAS
GROWING UP, THERE WERE 3
VILLAGES IN EXISTENCE, JUST ONE
UP THE NORTH SIDE OF BIG
DIOMEDE, ONE ON THE OTHER SIDE.
THE MAIN VILLAGE AT THIS POINT
OVER HERE, SO THESE TWO ISLANDS
WERE PRETTY MUCH TOGETHER.
THEY HAVE THE SAME
LANGUAGE, SAME WAY OF LIVING
THERE. SO WE HAVE RELATIVES FROM
THERE, SO PRETTY CLOSE. THEY
HAD TO MAKE THEIR OWN CLOTHES.
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, WE HARDLY
HAD ANY BOOTS LIKE WE HAVE NOW,
LIKE, TENNIS SHOES. WE DON'T
SEE ANY TENNIS SHOES. OH, MOSTLY
IT WAS SEAL SKIN THAT YOU
USUALLY WEAR. SEAL SKIN AND
CARIBOU FOR A PARKA AND ALL
THIS ALL WINTER. ALL THE FURS
AND STUFF YOU TRADED--THEY
TRADED FOR YOUR MEAL.
NOW, WHEN I WAS GROWING UP,
THERE WASN'T ANY TELEVISION, OR
EVEN A RADIO, YOU KNOW. SO WE
SAT DOWN AND LISTENED TO OUR
GRANDFATHERS TELL STORIES THAT
MIGHT BE FICTIONAL--I MEAN,
FICTIONAL TYPE OF STORIES
AND THAT'S OUR WAY.
IN OUR WAY, IN THE ENGLISH
SOME THERE'D BE A MYSTERY
OR SO, YOU KNOW. IT'S LIKE
READING A BOOK OR WATCHING
TELEVISION. SOME STORIES ARE
LONG, IT MIGHT TAKE 4 DAYS FOR
ONE GOOD STORY TO BE TOLD.
[IMITATING WALRUS CALLS]
>> TRYING TO WAKE IT UP.
>> BACK IN THE NORTH TRAIL,
ANDREW HAS SPOTTED A WALRUS
LAZILY FLOATING UP THE COAST.
ANDREW DOES HIS BEST TO WAKE
THE SLEEPING BEAST, BUT HE IS
DOWNWIND OF THE WALRUS, AND THE
WIND IS BLOWING A STEADY 15
KNOTS. AFTER A HALF HOUR OF
WAITING FOR THE WALRUS TO DRIFT
CLOSER, ANDREW TAKES AIM.
[GUNSHOT]
ALTHOUGH THE WALRUS HAS LIVED TO
SEE ANOTHER DAY, IT MAY SOON
AGAIN MEET ANDREW NOW THAT
SPRING IS APPROACHING, AND IT
MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY NEXT TIME.
>> FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT
"NATIVE REPORT" OR THE STORIES
WE'VE COVERED, LOOK FOR US AT
www.nativereport.org
AND ON FACEBOOK. THANK YOU FOR
SPENDING THIS TIME WITH YOUR
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS ON "NATIVE
REPORT." I'M STACEY THUNDER.
HOPE TO SEE YOU NEXT TIME.
>> STACEY THUNDER IS A MEMBER OF
AND LEGAL COUNCIL FOR THE RED
LAKE NATION. AND TADD JOHNSON
IS A MEMBER OF THE BOYS FORT
BAND OF CHIPPEWA AND IS CHAIR
FOR THE AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
DEPARTMENT ON THE CAMPUS OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA DULUTH.
>> PRODUCTION OF "NATIVE REPORT"
IS MADE POSSIBLE BY GRANTS FROM
THE SHAKOPEE MDEWAKANTON SIOUX
COMMUNITY,
THE MILLE LACS BAND OF OJIBWE,
AND THE BLANDIN FOUNDATION.
>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF
"NATIVE REPORT..."
WE'LL EXPERIENCE LIFE ON THE
POWWOW TRAIL WITH THE
PHOTOGRAPHY OF IVY VAINIO.
>> THAT HAD A BIG IMPRESSION...
>> WE'LL INTERVIEW ELDER
STATESMAN AND FORMER VICE
PRESIDENT WALTER MONDALE.
AND WE CONTINUE WITH PART 3 OF
INALIK, LITTLE DIOMEDE,
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT AN ISLAND
IN THE BERING STRAIT.
WE'LL ALSO LEARN SOMETHING NEW
ABOUT INDIAN COUNTRY AND HEAR
FROM OUR ELDERS ON THE NEXT
"NATIVE REPORT."
>> IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT
IN THE PHOTO, 'CAUSE...
>> PHOTOGRAPHER IVY VAINIO
ON THE NEXT "NATIVE REPORT.""